Gordon Lord Byron can be Hogan hero

Tom Hogan’s four-year-old staked his claim for the six-furlong heritage handicap with victory in the Listed City of York Stakes on Saturday.

There is a massive entry of 208 that includes last year’s winner Our Jonathan (9st 6lb), who has been handed the same weight as he carried to victory in 2011. Kevin Ryan’s charge was unplaced last time out in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon, which was won by Pepper Lane for the second successive season. David O’Meara’s mare has also been allotted 9st 6lb.

Our Jonathan is one of four past winners given an entry along with 2009 victor Jimmy Styles (9st 4lb), the 2008 scorer Regal Parade (9st) and Advanced (8st 4lb), successful in 2007. Stewards’ Cup hero Hawkeyethenoo (9st 8lb) could try for a notable sprint handicap double. Jim Goldie’s stable star denied Imperial Guest (9st 2lb) by a nose at Glorious Goodwood.

The latter’s trainer George Margarson has not ruled out running the six-year-old in the feature race at the Western Meeting after his charge got his head in front at the Sussex course over seven furlongs on Saturday. “He’s come out of Goodwood very good and we’ve just got to decide where to go with him,” said the Newmarket handler. “He’s a possibility for the Ayr Gold Cup, but there’s a race at Ascot two weeks later which he might go for. I’m keen to go to Ayr but the owners live near Ascot at Windsor.”

Mark Johnston has two contenders near the top of the handicap in Van Ellis and Fulbright. Both have been allotted 9st 6lb. However, Sir Michael Stoute’s Duke of Firenze (8st 5lb) and Ron Harris’s Prodigality (8st 4lb) could struggle to get into the maximum 27-strong field.

At Hamilton Park today, hat-trick seeking Henry Clay is expected to go close in the Scottish Trophy Handicap according to the top-weight’s jockey Joe Fanning. He said: “He’s won his last two at Warwick and Kempton and has the class to win but the testing ground will be an unknown territory for him.

“He’s got a 6lb penalty for the Warwick win and he’s dropping back a furlong.”

Fanning, the first Flat jockey to record a century in 2012, rides Lollypop Lady for Linda Perratt in the Neilsland And Earnock Handicap and he added: “I was on her when she was second at Hamilton last time in a handicap over 5f. She’s back up to 6f and she will handle the ground.”

Finity Run is another top-weight for Fanning in the Griffiths & Armour Handicap and he added: “She’s been second for me twice at Pontefract this year, on quick and heavy ground  and wasn’t beaten far on either occasion.”

With the going already heavy, the meeting is subject to a 7am precautionary inspection. Track officials must assess conditions because of the threat of heavy overnight rain.