1Pt Win Convey @13/2, Strensall Stakes York 14:00

We hit the bar today with Mizzou’s second place in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, beaten by a hugely-improved performance from a horse in the punter-friendly silks of Rich Ricci for Willie Mullins, Max Dynamite. There’s more rain forecast overnight, so despite the scorching forecast for the south of England there’s likely to be some cut tomorrow.

We tipped Convey ante-post for the Juddmonte International on Wednesday, but Sir Michael Stoute’s colt was scratched in favour of Saturday’s opener, the Group Three Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes. That he was entered for such high-class races having only raced once – an easy maiden win at Kempton in 2014 – spoke volumes of the high regard he was held in by connections.

His return after a nine-month layoff at Goodwood last month did nothing to check our high hopes for the horse. He was very green from the off yet showed a high-class turn of foot to move around the field from last to fourth. Stamina looked no issue over the mile, but he received a big bump from Aktabantay when moving into fifth gear, which checked all momentum and cost him a place. Should the two meet again, I’d certainly fancy him to reverse placing with the third that day, Latharnach, who was good enough to chase home Gleneagles in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He’ll have surely come on for the run, both mentally and physically, and he might just be a class above these.

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