Sky Bet Lowther Stakes: Swingalong foils Karl Burke stablemate Dramatised with shock win in York Group Two | Racing News

There was an upset in the Group Two Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday as 25/1 Swingalong outshone stablemate and heavy favourite Dramatised.

Seen by most as the second string from Karl Burke’s runners, Swingalong – a previous Ripon winner – took the opening race on day two of the Ebor Festival under Clifford Lee.

Dramatised had been well backed and started at even money, with Danny Tudhope making a fast start along the often-favoured far rail over the six furlongs.

The warning signs started to show about a furlong from the finish as rivals in behind – Matilda Picotte and Mawj – came with their challenge.

But, it was the outside threats who came to the fore as Swingalong moved into contention, chased by Kevin Ryan’s eventual runner-up Queen Me (20/1).

Matilda Picotte finished third ahead of Mawj in fourth, with Dramatised only fifth.

Burke said: “She’s got a huge stride and has only just filled into her frame. She’s got a lot stronger over the last six weeks. I know it was a different class of race, but she had them all beat after two furlongs at Ripon and I knew then we were on the right track so I said straight away we’d come here.

“At the time I didn’t think she’d be good enough to beat Dramatised, but the difference was one stayed and one didn’t.

“The Cheveley Park looks the obvious next step, but I’ll talk to connections. I think she will stay an extra furlong, but she’s got a lot of natural speed so I think we’ll use that and not step her up just yet. All dreams are still alive at the minute.”

Of the beaten favourite Dramatised, he said: “To be fair to Danny (Tudhope, jockey) all along he had his doubts. He rode her work over six furlongs two weeks ago, but I wouldn’t have it that she wouldn’t stay. Danny was right and I was wrong. She’ll revert back to five furlongs now.

“Until they’ve been over six you never know and Danny was always on the negative side, but we put that to the back of our mind. I was never that keen on the Nunthorpe, but I suppose the only saving grace is that we didn’t find out she didn’t stay in France in the Prix Morny.”

Levey times it just right in £200k contest

Sean Levey produced a beautifully-timed finish to seal victory in the £200k Premier Yearling Stakes on 5/2 favourite Shouldvebeenaring.

Richard Hannon’s juvenile, another previous Ripon winner, came from a long way back to deny 8/1 shot Washington Heights on the line.

Tim Easterby’s Northcliff (66/1) ran a huge race to be third, ahead of Richard Fahey’s Dare To Hope (6/1).

David O’Meara trained three of the first four home in the Clipper Logistics Handicap as 11/2 favourite Blue For You denied stablemate Escobar, with Orbaan back in fourth.

It provided Tudhope with some relief after his defeat on Dramatised earlier on the card.

O’Meara said: “I don’t know if I’ve got a knack for winning these races, we had six in there so we had a good chance, but late on they were getting in each other’s way.

“Blue For You has been an unlucky loser. He’d been blocked a couple of times, then Escobar looked like he was going to win. Trying to watch six was quite hard!

“Blue For You was second at Goodwood and he’d have beaten Orbaan if he’d got a run that day. Orbaan has run another good race today (finished fourth), but Blue For You got the splits.

“It’s a hard job to keep everybody happy, but at least some of them ran OK.”