Raceolly’s Ebor Festival Wednesday Tips

Maljoom has been getting better with every run this season after two years of issues. He so very nearly went unbeaten before the issues started, ending his 3-year-old campaign with a very unlucky loss in the St James Palace Group One at Ascot.

He only ran once in two years following that but returned this season with a string of runs at the top level, taking a run to put himself right before two Group One placed efforts, the more remarkable considering the ground he lost at the start both times.

First time headgear last time worked well and looked like a step up in trip would be the next logical step, which he gets here.

Robert Johnson was sent off just 5/1 for this race last year off 1lb higher after winning over course and distance the month before. He’s ran some good races off marks a little higher than this this season and ran his usual solid race last time on debut for new trainer, Tracy Waggott, who’s booked top jockey, Silvestre De Sousa, for the ride, who rarely takes rides at the bottom of the handicap and hasn’t rode below 8st 3lb year. Would be very interesting if he were to sweat down for this one, who won 5 times last year and has been brought to the boil nicely this time round.

Rajeko started life off in a maiden at Windsor, and despite doing a lot wrong, still won by doing enough in the finish. That race has worked out well and he went from there to the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket for his next assignment. Despite being sent off the outsider of the six, he ran a huge race, attempting to come from last in a tactical run affair, finishing ahead of 103 and 106 rated rivals.

The step up to 7 furlongs here could be the perfect move as there looked to be plenty more to come last time, where he just got going too late, and maybe the return to better ground will also help with that. Michael Bell turns to the services of James Doyle here, who’s won this race a few times before.