The Sunday Series at York races is back on 7 September as the Knavesmire’s penultimate fixture of the season before the winter break. Headlining the card is a Listed 6f event in the Garrowby Stakes, supported by the Sky Bet Sprint Handicap over the extended 5f.
Conditions on the track could well be softer than during last month’s Ebor Festival, which is the premier meeting for this venue. Supporting races include Stayers and Middle Distance Handicaps on the round course. Punters should look out for some of those who ran during Ebor week returning there in lower grades for decent prize money.
Although the Sunday Series often gets lost in the shuffle over the summer, this is always a decent fixture at York races billed as a family fun day in the past. Our experts have a bit of a soft spot for the Knavesmire, so we decided to ask them for their thoughts on the best of the action from the card. We sat them down to study the form carefully, paying particular attention to those involved at the Ebor.
Combining such previous runs at the track with online horse racing bookmakers‘ prices is a tried and tested method. Sunday selections from the four best races in this leg of the series follow, so read on and discover who appeals to our experts and why.
Sunday Series York Races Preview for 7 September
3:00 – 5f 89 Class 2 Sky Bet Sprint Handicap (0-100)
Trefor wins the opener at the @yorkracecourse Ebor Festival for Kieran Shoemark and Charlie Hills 🤝
— JSC Communications (@JSCComms) August 20, 2025
Dangers, and there are many, include Jedd O’Keeffe runner Dan Tucker, who failed to win by a head over 5f here in June. Based on subsequent displays around Pontefract, he can win at this level with the slightly longer distance a plus. Mick Appleby saddles relative veteran King Of Stars, who has a narrow course and distance second off a whole stone higher than his current mark behind Bergerac from 2022 in his back form.
Either could roll back the years, but Kevin Ryan also runs Vantheman, who was a gamble at the Ebor as well. If Squealer can reproduce his Dubai Dash win over Jm Jungle, who went to Group 2 glory at Goodwood, then Nigel Tinkler’s five-year-old Knavesmire regular has an obvious shout too. Others re-oppose from the Heritage Handicap on the Ebor opening day too.
Better runs from Vintage Clarets, Curious Rover and Spring Is Sprung (yet another fancy from last month) can’t be ruled out either. Ruth Carr does well with her sprinters, meanwhile, and first-time cheekpieces go on Rousing Encore, who has dropped to just 2lb above his winning mark from May over 6f here. Alzahir might finally be in the handicapper’s grip, however.
3:30 – 2m 56y Class 3 Stayers Handicap (0-95)
Tom Marquand rides Santorini Star to victory in the Stayers Handicap at York Ebor pic.twitter.com/DRF2OJDzNN
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) August 20, 2025
It’s the latter who could be worth forgiving his Ebor Festival Stayers display from out of the weights and back down in calmer waters, however. Brian Ellison isn’t always easy to catch right with his runners, but Terrorise was well-supported the last day, Ben Robinson is back on board and first-time cheekpieces now go on him. Behind this course and distance winner previously was Rock N Roll Pickle, who improved on her third with victory here since.
Of the others, Gibside knows what it takes to win at this track and trip, but hasn’t built on his Chester Plate success in the spring. Ed Walker’s Umbria is an unexposed filly, but hasn’t proved she stays beyond a mile-and-five. Diamond Bay goes well at Goodwood, but has also won here before and needs the first-time visor to unlock belated improvement. Off 1lb lower than his Thirsk second to Paddy The Squire, Ribble Vibe could outrun his odds for David O’Meara.
4:00 – 1m 2f 56y Class 3 Middle Distance Handicap (0-95)
Quirke Bloodstock @BrzUps purchase DAIN MA NUT IN wins gamely to provide team @lucindavrussell with their biggest win on the flat to date!
Purchased @Tattersalls_ie from @HoStud for €8k
Great to get a @yorkracecourse Ebor festival winner for @LamontRacing#LetQuirkeDoTheWork pic.twitter.com/WuOx5Hhqh8
— Conor Quirke (@ConorQuirkeBS) August 23, 2025
Per Contra also goes on a sounder surface, as he showed when missing out by a neck 15 days ago. As he stays further, he has enough in hand on that evidence to confirm form with course regulars Zain Blue and Dark Moon Rising. Connections of both now book 5lb claimers to take further weight off their backs, but it heavily implies John Butler and Ryan don’t think either can win off their reduced marks without such additional help.
The challenge for these older horses is conceding 6lb weight for age to some three-year-olds with the market favouring Ed Bethell’s Danger Bay. He arrives seeking a hat-trick following consecutive wins at Hamilton. Off just four career he starts, Danger Bay could be anything and his Scottish Trophy win over Wave Rider ties his form in with the London Gold Cup. Gunship, meanwhile, needs cheekpieces to perk him up.
If Dante’s Lad hadn’t pulled-up last time, then he’d be a shorter price as he was on a hat-trick before that for George Boughey and he’s won over course and distance too. Should he bounce back to his Knavesmire success, then he’s not out of this by any means, because some of his contemporaries’ form demands improving on against the older generation here, especially Hornesa Bay, Noble Horizon and Tycoon.
4:30 – Listed 6f Garrowby Stakes
Top-rated Lethal Levi loves it here on the July Course and strikes in our £55,000 feature, the Listed @HKJC_Racing @WorldPool Hopeful Stakes, for @samjock22 and @karl_burke pic.twitter.com/zbl6aVLYVb
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) August 22, 2025
He heads to the Sunday Series York races off the back of a good staying on second to re-opposing Newmarket winner Lethal Levi. Karl Burke’s charge now carries a penalty and, unlike Elmonjed, hasn’t ever won on the Knavesmire. The selection looks a great each-way bet here now receiving weight from his old rival at a track and trip where he’s two from three.
Prince Of India is another progressive three-year-old to worry about, meanwhile. Marco Botti’s charge has an even steeper 17lb rise from the assessor for Newmarket Heritage Handicap and Shergar Cup successes over the summer. Such treatment forces Prince Of India into this feature Listed contest. The others need significant progress to match the level of form posted by the principals.
Andrew Balding filly Kassaya is bottom weight and only rated 95, but her fifth around Chester last time might be better than the bare result suggests. She finished ahead of Nunthorpe Stakes second Ain’t Nobody that day with the return to a more conventional sprinting track a plus. Stormy Impact has the pedigree for further. Grand Grey and Royal Zabeel bring previous Pattern experience to the table, but aren’t in much form.
5:00 – 1m 177y Class 3 Fillies’ Handicap (0-90)
Karl Burke’s three-year-old daughter of Wootton Bassett is up 6lb, just like Relevance, for her latest Newmarket success but, given the exploits of the second, that rise looks fair. Wonderbolt has other last time out winners to worry about, including topweight Zapphire who held off Victoria Cup hero Hickory at Windsor. Julie Camacho now books a 5lb claimer for the ride, offsetting a 2lb rise.
French import Folkene receives a 10lb hike for her British and stable debut victory after joining Roger Fell. Seren Star is definitely the Haggas stable’s first string with Rhapsody a disappointment this season. Like that one, Orange Sky tries a new trip for Boughey. She’s out of the same dam as Missed The Cut, so further should bring about improvement.
