Sky Sports Racing’s ambassador partners Archie Watson’s strongly-fancied Group winner Tadej in the big sales race on Thursday at York’s Ebor Festival.

Tadej the best horse in sales Dash

It’s exciting to have a favourite’s chance on Tadej in the £500,000 Harry’s Half Million By Goffs (2.25) two-year-old sprint at York on Thursday following his battling success in a Group 2 in France last month.

My boss Archie Watson has had this race in mind ever since his son of Ardad won a novice over the same six-furlong trip on the Knavesmire back in May but he’s really grown up since then, as he showed in Deauville.

I haven’t sat on Tadej since, but I can tell you he’s thriving on his racing and we go there as confident as you can be for a race of this nature. You can be vulnerable in these big fields when everything has to go right, as we saw when hot favourite Havana Hurricane was narrowly beaten in the Super Sprint at Newbury.

That said, I’m on the best horse in the race so fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly from our low draw in stall one.

Dividend ready for step up in trip

I’m really looking forward to getting back on Special Dividend in the Mews Hotel Ossett EBF Stallions Nursery Handicap (4.45) on Thursday.

I’ve ridden this imposing colt in both starts so far for Jamie Insole and Dr Richard Newland, winning a six-furlong novice on debut at Wolverhampton before he defied a penalty in a similar race at Southwell.

He’s been crying out for this step up to seven-furlong on a big galloping track like York and will hopefully prove he’s ahead of his opening rating of 85.

A half-brother to stable companion Dividend, who was fourth on fast ground in the Britannia at Royal Ascot, he should enjoy the conditions but is drawn wider than ideal in such a big field.

Queen deserves chance in Lowther

Richard Hughes, who achieved a breakthrough Group 1 success in the July Cup this summer, has booked me for his filly Mood Queen in the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (1.50) at York on Thursday.

She looked a smart prospect when winning her novice for me at Newmarket back in June and deserves another chance to prove herself at this level after fading out of contention in the Duchess Of Cambridge.

Jaber Abdullah’s daughter of Kodiac is among the outsiders and has work to do off her rating but remains open to improvement so hopefully she can out-run her big odds.

Unexposed Sand makes Handicap debut

I’ve got the inside draw on Archie Watson’s unexposed French Sand in the British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (5.20) on Thursday.

She runs in a handicap for the first time after winning a maiden at Wolverhampton in April and then staying on in encouraging style in the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes at Haydock the following month.

A tough girl, it will be interesting to see how she acquits herself off an opening mark of 91 with the extra furlong in her favour.

Minnie scares off Oaks rivals

It’s disappointing to see only three standing their ground to take on Minnie Hauk in the feature race of the day on Thursday, the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (3.35).

Aidan O’Brien’s filly has been exceptional this year, beating her illustrious stable companion Whirl in the Epsom Oaks before following up in the Irish version.

The north is well represented by David O’Meara’s Estrange, who is rated only 3lb inferior to her younger rival but must give her 9lb. The Lancashire Oaks winner is clearly on the up-grade but her best form has been achieved with more give in the ground.

Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.