Nick Luck’s blog: Track could be a Stream come the Acomb  

The York Ebor Festival is finally here and providing the rain stays away overnight, we could be in for a cracker. Not least as we’ll see the world’s highest-rated horse strut his stuff in the Juddmonte. Here are my selections on day one.

MONDAMMEJ is my pick for the York Ebor Festival curtain raiser on Wednesday (1.50pm), but with the reservation he must be backed each way at 16/1, as he’s a hold-up horse who leaves himself a hostage to fortune. That said, I believe that the track, the conditions and the pace scenario are ripe for him to produce one of his better efforts, as he did when very unlucky in this very race twelve months ago. The in-between distance is perfect, and he’s drawn near enough the sustaining pace of Good Eye and King of Stars to get a good draft into the race.

MILL STREAM can continue Jane Chapple Hyam’s fine season by winning at 10/3 in the Acomb Stakes (2.25pm). He made the very smart Noble Style work hard on the July Course three weeks ago, taking a nice step forward from his impressive debut. He looks a little more streetwise than the favourite Local Dynasty, and this has been the target for some time.

AIKHAL might just be the answer at 7/2 to the Great Voltigeur (3.00pm). This hasn’t been a great year for Ballydoyle three-year-old middle-distance colts, but this chap might land up the best of the bunch if his commanding performance on Irish Derby Day is any guide. Indeed, Ryan Moore suggested (only in semi-jest) that they might have run the wrong horse in the big race itself. The thrashed runner-up is a smart horse, while the third has since bolted up in a Group 3. I am surprised that, at the time of writing, he’s not closer in price to Secret State.

BAAEED may actually not be too bad a price at 2/5 in the Juddmonte International (3.35pm). I’ve been toying with trying to take him on over this trip, but Mishriff will need to be every bit the horse he was twelve months ago (he appears not to be) and, having been quite enthusiastic about Native Trail, I didn’t like the way he hung late at Sandown when things got tough. In fact, I’m coming round to the idea of likely pace setter HIGH DEFINITION (40/1) hanging around longer than anticipated and am thinking of playing them in a reverse forecast.

FRANKENSTELLA makes a bit of appeal at 10/1 in the two mile handicap (4.10pm). This well-bred mare is pretty lightly raced and has not yet had the full attentions of the handicapper. Although she has plenty of form on soft, she’s posted some solid efforts on a sound surface on this track and is a whopping ten pounds better off with favourite Master Milliner for the two lengths between them here in May.