Arapaho Gold is the strongest model selection of the day. He is unbeaten in three starts and has progressed each time, with his latest Newbury success proving particularly significant because the form has already held up. He is officially rated 104, carries the standard 9st 2lb and keeps Connor Beasley for Michael Dods.
The attractive part of his profile is that he is not simply unbeaten — his racing style suggests there is more there. He has travelled strongly, coped with different race shapes and has already shown he can sustain his speed over six furlongs. York’s long straight should therefore suit rather than expose him.
The current ground is softer than some of the early-week expectations, but he has not shown anything suggesting good-to-soft should blunt him. He also looks less dependent on a perfect tactical setup than several rivals.
Adaay Of Scarlett is battle-hardened and...

Rayevka gets the model vote in an outstanding Nunthorpe.
She has improved sharply since dropping back to the minimum trip, winning a Group 3 at Longchamp before finishing a narrow second to Mission Central in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot. That is exactly the level of form required here, and importantly she travelled through that Ascot race like a five-furlong specialist rather than a horse merely coping with the trip.
Her current profile reads 26-5612, with the two latest performances comfortably the strongest of her career. Mickael Barzalona rides for Francis-Henri Graffard, and that combination has already shown they are willing to travel when they believe the right race is available.
The pace should be ferocious, which is a positive. Rayevka’s best attribute is the way she travels before producing a finishing burst, so she should get the strong tow she wants.
Bacio...

Wave Rider is the most interesting handicap profile on the card.
He finished last season with a wide-margin win over a mile and a half at Haydock and showed again at York in May that he can operate effectively in a strong handicap, finishing third over this trip. His latest Newmarket effort came on firm ground and was below his best, but that run is easy enough to forgive given the surface and the fact that he now returns to a softer track.
He runs from OR99 carrying 9st 11lb, and Oisin Murphy takes the ride for George Scott. That is a notable booking in a race where positioning and judgement will be important.
The softer conditions are a major part of the angle. He has already shown that a mile and a half is right in his range, and if the ground becomes testing enough to turn this into a stamina contest, that should play more to his strengths than to some of the quicker-ground...

Silver Lake is one of the most progressive handicappers on Friday’s York card.
She comes here chasing a hat-trick after winning at Salisbury and then Goodwood. Her latest Goodwood victory came over just shy of ten furlongs, which is almost identical to tomorrow’s distance, and she showed there that she could travel strongly before finding enough under pressure. Her recent form is now 7-6-3-1-1.
She is still relatively lightly raced after only five starts and therefore has much more scope to improve than most of the older fillies and mares she faces. William Haggas has steadily brought her forward rather than rushing her, and Saffie Osborne keeps the ride.
The main concern is price because she has already been found by the market and is now around 11/4 to 3/1. She also has to prove that good-to-soft is as suitable as the quicker ground on which her two wins came.
Lady Dora Mae and...