Make It Millenary In Yorkshire Cup

The boys in blue of Godolphin have landed five of the last 10 runnings of the Yorkshire Cup and have a strong chance of enhancing that enviable record with the talented Papineau in this year's renewal on Friday (2.30). However, their charge has done most of his winning on a faster surface and he may be vulnerable to the eight-year-old Millenary, who relishes soft ground and possesses a deft turn of foot.Despite the fact that he's not getting any younger, John Dunlop's charge does not appear to be losing the cutting edge that enabled him to land the St Leger in 2000, in addition to a host of other notable pattern races over the years.The son of Rainbow Quest looked as good as ever when easily beating Alcazar by three lengths in this race last year, and he went on to win two of his next three outings, culminating in a smart performance in the Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket in October where he beat Franklins Gardens by a length-and-a-quarter.Both Alcazar and Franklins Gardens will be in opposition on Friday but neither looks set to reverse the placings, meeting Millenary on the same terms and 2lb worse terms respectively.Papineau has yet to taste defeat since joining Godolphin, and demonstrated his versatility last season by starting off his campaign with victory in a mile-and-a-half conditions race at Goodwood, before landing the two-mile Henry II Stakes at Sandown, then enjoying his finest hour when beating Westerner in the two-and-a-half-mile Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.He suffered a slight setback thereafter but is reported to be in good form now and he looks sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the stayers' sphere this year. But, although he did win on easy going when trained in France as a three-year-old, he appears to prefer a faster surface. In addition, he has been off the course for the best part of a year and it's fair to assume that some cobwebs will have built up during that time, and he may not be quite at his best on Friday.Alcazar got the better of a duel with Franklins Gardens when beating that rival by a neck in the Sagaro Stakes at Lingfield last month and there should be little to choose between them again here, although this two-furlong shorter trip may well enable the latter to turn the tables. That said, neither possess the pace to cope with Millenary.Frank Sonata has claims after finishing a high creditable three-parts-of-a-length second to Day Flight in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury last month. He had Alcazar back in sixth there and the form of the race looks solid, especially with Day Flight going on to score at Chester subsequently. However, smart though the four-year-old is, he appears to just lack that bit of class, which the likes of Millenary and Papineau possess, therefore he may be playing for a place at best.Defining is another that would prefer faster going, while Jardines Lookout is best watched on his first start for 556 days, despite having the assistance of Kieren Fallon in the saddle. Massif Centrale and Percussionist don't look good enough in my opinion.