Sorolla, one of three Aidan O’Brien-trained representatives, is 6-1 with totesport to land the John Smith’s Cup at York on Saturday. Damian Walker, totesport’s spokesman, said: “O’Brien won the race a couple of years ago with Mullins Bay, and Sorolla has a decent chance of providing the stable with another winner.
“Sorolla has won his last two races from the front and horses that race prominently tend to do well in these big-field York handicaps.”
O’Brien also has Trinity College and Hitchcock among the 36 horses standing their ground in the big race. Saeed bin Suroor is also considering the £150,000 handicap for course winner Emirates Skyline and Count Treviso.
The race will be run over nine furlongs instead of an extended mile and a quarter as the back straight is water-logged after recent floods.
Totesport betting: 6-1 Sorolla, 7-1 Desert Dew, Greek Well, 10-1 Hitchcock, Emirates Skyline, 12-1 others.