DESPITE reservations about the heavy ground connections of Duke Of Marmalade, bidding for his fifth successive Group 1 win in this afternoon's Juddmonte International at York, have decidedto let the colt take his chance in the shsowpiece event of the first day of the 2008 Ebor meeting.
One would think that there must be enough confidence at Ballydoyle that the four-year-old won't be too inconvenienced by the mud, after all he did win the Prix Ganay at Longchamp in softish going on his reappearance, however his action undoubtedly su
ggests he is better served by a quicker surface and Johnny Murtagh's mount may meet his match on the Knavesmire in the shape of New Approach.
A top-class two-year-old, Jim Bolger's son of Galileo lost nothing in defeat against Henrythenavigator in both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and made a mockery of concerns over his temperament when a fairly comfortable winner of the Epsom Derby when hold-up tactics were employed for the first-time.
New Approach undoubtedly has his quirks but he also has a real engine and, already a winner on heavy ground, there are fewer question marks hanging over his head than that of Duke Of Marmalade.
Eclipse runner-up Phoenix Tower and the consistent Pipedreamer should be thereabouts as well but New Approach has the class to make his weight-for-age allowance tell this afternoon.
Patkai has already been backed for next month's St Leger and puts his credentials on the line in the Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur, always a fine trial for the final classic of the season.
He was undoubtedly impressive in landing the Queen's Vase by seven lengths at Royal Ascot and trainer Sir Michael Stoute has an impressive strike-rate in this race. But it did take a long time to get going there before stamping his authority on proceedings and it's not certain this much shorter trip will really suit, even the the ground is likely to make it a bit of a slog. Alessandro Volta, on the back of solid efforts in the Irish Derby and the Grand Prixe de Paris, is a viable alternative.
Prince Siegfried, so impressive on his debut on rain-softened ground at Salisbury, could represent some value in the tattersalls Million Acomb Stakes while Tim easterby's Favourite Girl should ensure the locals are celebrating after the Irwin Mitchell Nursery Handicap.
This daughter of Refuse To Bend ploughed through the Haydock mud 10 days ago to add to an earlier success at Carlisle and an early Lowther entry suggests she's held in some regard at Great Habton.
TODAY'S BESTDUKE'S DOUBLERiver Falcon (1.45 York) nap , and New Approach (3.25 York).
DUKE'S TREBLERiver Falcon, New Approach, and Histoire De Moeurs (6.10 Newton Abbot).
JULIUS'S DOUBLENew Approach (3.25 York) nap, and River Falcon (1.45 York).
FORMNAPDuke Of Marmalade (3.25 York).
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