Nick Luck’s Blog: Here’s some Market Value for Day Two at York

FLORA OF BERMUDA looks a shade big at 4/1 relative to favourite Relief Rally in the Lowther that kicks off Day Two of the Ebor Festival (1.50pm). Unlucky to varying degrees her first three starts, she’d have surely been very close to her key adversary if drawn on the correct side at Ascot. She’s since posted a strong effort at Goodwood in the mud, but there’s nothing to suggest better ground will be an issue. Ten of the stable’s last 12 runners have won or been placed.

TWILIGHT ROMANCE gets the nod at 6/1 in the big sales race (2.25pm). We’ve seen how good John Quinn can be as a target trainer this season, and this has been earmarked for this one from some way out. He was quite impressive here earlier in the year in the Reg Griffin, and the stable wasn’t firing when he still ran with credit in defeat at Pontefract.

ORBAAN looks ready to rock and roll again in the Clipper (3.00pm) at 10/1. He’s a super-tough horse who has looked like he’s cycling back into form on unsuitably soft ground the last twice, and he’s now a good bit lower in the weights than when a desperately unlucky fourth in this last year. Jason Watson gets a good tune out of him, and we could expect a big performance.

ROSSCARBERY is capable of getting her hands on a big one, and it might just come at biggish odds of 12/1 in the Yorkshire Oaks (3.35pm). There isn’t a clear standout here, and a few of the principals might prefer a bit more ease in the ground. The selection is extremely versatile, however, and is just getting a bit better. More compelling is the return to a likely strongly-run twelve furlongs, which looks right up her street, as will be this galloping track.

MARKET VALUE could spring a minor surprise in the Galtres (4.10pm) at 17/2. She’s going to blow a lovely mark, but clearly William Haggas thinks she’s worth it, because he’s already had her in a stakes race only to withdraw her because the ground went soft. Out of Gold Cup winner Estimate and by sire of the moment Siyouni, she should positively thrive for this much more significant test of stamina.