Beckett's Master plan at York

Master Of Irony runs for Qatar Racing and trainer Ralph Beckett (pictured below) on the final day of action at York's Ebor meeting.

The son of Qatar Bloodstock stallion Makfi won in good style at Windsor in May, but finished down the field at Sandown on his latest start.

Pat Cosgrave rides the four-year-old, who could appreciate a return to a flatter track he is one of 19 runners in the opening race on the card (13.45).

Oisin Murphy enjoyed a good spin on Pallasator at York yesterday - the pair were second in the Gr.2 Lonsdale Cup - but today the jockey heads to Sandown to ride South Seas for trainer Andrew Balding in the Gr.3 Abu Dhabi Solario Stakes (15.05). Unbeaten in two races, South Seas is trying Pattern company and seven furlongs for the first time this afternoon, but Balding says: ‚"He's in a great place mentally and has held his condition well.‚"

Gales are threatening to derail plans to run Velveteen in the Gr.3 Curragh Stakes (15.20) at the Curragh this afternoon trainer Ger Lyons is not keen to subject her to a race on soft ground, although Johnny Murtagh plans to give the filly Porto Ferro a debut outing in an 18-runner maiden (14.10) on the same card. Apprentice Ross Coakley, who claims 3lb, rides Porto Ferro at home in most of her work and gets the leg up this afternoon.

At Chelmsford this evening Soul Silver takes her chance in a five-runner conditions race for fillies (18.50). A winner at Yarmouth on debut, then unplaced in the Gr.2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at the July Meeting, Soul Silver is racing on an all-weather surface for the first time today.

Photo of Ralph Beckett: Laurence Squire