One of the most intriguing races of the Ebor Festival will bring together an elite miler, a proven seven-furlong specialist and one of Japan’s leading sprinters when the Group 1 City of York Stakes is staged on Saturday.
Run over 1408m and carrying £600,000 in prize money, the race has attracted 14 runners for its second edition at Group 1 level.
Five-time Group 1 winner Notable Speech heads the established European contingent, last year’s runner-up Lake Forest returns to his preferred distance, while dual Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Satono Reve provides the international interest as he steps beyond 1200m for the first time.
They are joined by Queen Anne Stakes winner Ten Bob Tony, former National Stakes winner Zavateri and the progressive Rogue Diplomat in a field that underlines the growing importance of Britain’s only all-aged Group 1 race over seven furlongs.
Few horses in the field are better suited to the specific demands of the City of York Stakes than Lake Forest.
The William Haggas-trained five-year-old came within a narrow margin of winning the inaugural Group 1 edition last season, producing a powerful late run before being denied by Never So Brave.
That performance continued his outstanding record at York, where he had previously won the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes as a two-year-old.
His career has since taken him well beyond Britain.
Owned by Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, Lake Forest travelled to Australia in 2024 and captured the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. His victory over 1500m confirmed his ability against a large international field and established him as more than a specialist British sprinter.
The son of No Nay Never returned to his best at Glorious Goodwood this summer when winning the Group 2 Lennox Stakes over 1400m.
A slow early tempo appeared to work against his preferred racing style, but Lake Forest still produced the acceleration required to pass most of the field and defeat the improving Rogue Diplomat.
Haggas then took the unusual step of backing him up just 24 hours later in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes over 1600m.
The experiment did not produce the desired result, with Lake Forest finishing seventh, but the circumstances make it easy to overlook that performance. He was racing for the second time in two days, stepping up to a mile and competing against some of Europe’s leading specialists at the distance.
Saturday’s assignment is far more suitable.
He returns to 1408m, races at a course where he has repeatedly excelled and arrives as a stronger, more accomplished horse than the one narrowly beaten in the corresponding event last year.
Cieren Fallon retains the ride and the pair should be suited by a field containing enough tactical speed to ensure the race develops into a genuine test.
The decision to drop Notable Speech back from 1600m introduces another fascinating element to the race.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Dubawi has already built an exceptional record at the highest level, winning five Group 1 races across Britain, France and North America.
His emergence was one of the defining stories of the 2024 season.
After beginning his career on the all-weather, Notable Speech progressed rapidly enough to win the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his turf debut. His acceleration allowed him to settle races within a matter of strides, and that explosive turn of foot has remained his greatest weapon.
He again demonstrated those qualities when returning to Britain for the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May.
Held up behind the early pace by William Buick, Notable Speech travelled strongly before quickening away to defeat More Thunder by two lengths. It was his fifth Group 1 victory and appeared to establish him as the leading older miler heading into Royal Ascot.
However, his campaign stalled in the Queen Anne Stakes.
Sent out as favourite, Notable Speech never produced his trademark acceleration and finished sixth behind the shock winner Ten Bob Tony.
He has been given more than two months to recover from that performance and will return fresh at York.
The slight reduction in distance could prove significant. While Notable Speech has produced his best performances over 1600m, his high cruising speed and sharp turn of foot suggest 1408m should be within his range.
The main question is whether the shorter distance gives Buick enough time to settle him and find clear running room in a competitive field.
Barrier one could require patience. A strongly run race would allow Notable Speech to conserve energy before attacking late, but a tactical contest could leave him needing to negotiate traffic as the field accelerates.
At his best, he possesses the highest level of proven form in the race. Saturday will determine whether his Queen Anne defeat was simply an off day or the beginning of a more difficult period.
Japan’s determination to win a major British Group 1 continues with Satono Reve, who has remained in Europe throughout the summer.
Prepared by Noriyuki Hori, the seven-year-old is already established among Japan’s leading sprinters.
He won the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over 1200m at Chukyo in 2025 before returning this season to defend the title. Racing behind a fierce early pace, he produced an outstanding closing sectional to win by two lengths in a race-record time of 1 minute 6.3 seconds.
It was later discovered that Satono Reve had lost a hind plate during the contest, adding further merit to the performance.
His success encouraged connections to embark on an extended European campaign.
The first major target was the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he came within a nose of recording a historic victory for Japan.
After travelling strongly under Joao Moreira, Satono Reve produced a sustained challenge but was narrowly denied at the finish. The performance demonstrated that his Japanese form could translate to British conditions and established him as a genuine international Group 1 contender.
He remained in Britain for the July Cup at Newmarket, where he again raced prominently before finishing third behind Comanche Brave.
Both performances confirmed his class, but Saturday presents an entirely different test.
Satono Reve has built his reputation over 1200m and will now be asked to stretch his speed to 1408m. York’s long straight provides time to build momentum, although the final 200m will examine his stamina in a way that his previous races have not.
Moreira returns to the saddle and will be central to his chances. The Brazilian enjoyed enormous success in Hong Kong and has partnered Satono Reve in several of his most important international appearances.
Neither horse nor jockey has won a Group 1 race in Britain. Saturday offers another opportunity to change that record.
The race is far from restricted to the three leading names.
Ten Bob Tony has enjoyed an exceptional season, winning the Group 3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom before producing a 50-1 upset in the Queen Anne Stakes. He subsequently finished fourth behind Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes and returns to the shorter distance with legitimate claims.
Last season’s National Stakes winner Zavateri should improve from his fifth in the Sussex Stakes. Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton believes that Goodwood appearance was needed after more than three months away from competition.
Rogue Diplomat enters as one of the most progressive runners in the field. After winning the Royal Hunt Cup over 1600m at Ascot, he dropped back to 1400m and finished only a neck behind Lake Forest in the Lennox Stakes.
Newcastle Group 3 winner Paborus, Aidan O’Brien’s Puerto Rico and the Andrew Balding-trained pair Flora Of Bermuda and Native Warrior add further depth to a race containing several contrasting form lines.
By Scott Bailey
