Lonsdale Cup Odds: O'Brien sets sights on York stayers' prize

Aidan O'Brien has made a spectacular start to the Ebor Festival at York and the Ballydoyle supremo will be hoping the aptly-named Point Lonsdale can continue his stellar week by landing the Lonsdale Cup.

The Group 2 stayers' race is run over the extended two-mile trip at York and has been dominated by British winners recently as the likes of Stradivarius (2018, 2019 & 2021), Quickthorn and Coltrane scored for the home team.

Lonsdale Cup Odds

(Odds will display when market is available).

Point Lonsdale

Aidan O'Brien's sole success in this race came with Septimus back in 2009 and the Ballydoyle supremo will be hoping Point Lonsdale can end his wait for a second win.

He won the Ormonde Stakes at Chester over 1m5½f in May and finished third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud over 1m4f in his only start since. This marathon test could be right up his street under Ryan Moore.

Vauban

Like O'Brien, Willie Mullins has a lone success in this contest, scoring with Max Dynamite in 2015, and the Closutton chief aims Vauban at York now.

He is 0-3 this season, finishing second in the Yorkshire Cup over 1m6f here in May before failing to get home in the Ascot Gold Cup in June.

He was beaten favourite at the Curragh last month over 1m6f but could rebound now with William Buick on board.

Gregory

The Gosden yard saddled four winners on the trot in this race from 2018 and will be hoping this son of Golden Horn is a leading contender now.

He was unbeaten when he landed the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot last summer but is 0-5 since, albeit clashing with mighty stayer Kyprios in his last two appearances in Group 1s at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. This represents an ease in grade for James Doyle's partner.

Alsakib

Andrew Balding's Kingman gelding won 4-5 on turf last year in his first season racing and finished third behind Point Lonsdale at Chester in May on his second start back.

He was a solid fourth in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot over 1m6f next time and then won a Group 3 here over the same trip in July. This is a much deeper race.

Night Spectacle

A second contender for the Andrew Balding team, Oisin Murphy partners this mare after the Irish import finished second in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood over 1m6f at the start of the month.

She has been holding her own in pattern races this season but has something to find on official ratings in this line-up.

Align The Stars

Charlie Johnston's Sea The Stars colt is the sole three-year-old in this field and will carry just 8st 7lb, though you must go back to his father's Double Eclipse in 1995 to find the most recent 3YO winner of this race.

An improving sort, he made it three on the trot when landing a valuable Glorious Goodwood handicap over 1m6f last time but now meets some stellar opposition in his toughest ask yet.

Quickthorn

The 2022 winner of this race for trainer Hughie Morrison, he also went close in the Ebor here a year previously but was only sixth of seven in this contest last summer.

He hasn't looked the force of old in two runs at Sandown and Ascot this term and Tom Marquand's partner likely won't be allowed to deploy the dominant front-running tactics that have produced his career highlights.

Al Nayyir

The Dubawi gelding was second-best in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan over 2m in March behind Tower Of London but disappointed at Longchamp in May in a Group 2 having changed yards.

He's now set for his UK return having joined Tom Clover and he will have to hit the ground running in this company.

Tashkhan

A strong stayer, he won a 2m2½f Chester handicap off a mark of 105 in September last and was then beaten only a length when third in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket before taking third in a heavy-ground French Group 1.

Safely held in both runs this season, however, including when 10-lengths behind Alsakib over 1m6f here last month.