Stuart Williams believes he has Quinault in flying form for The Starman at Tally Ho Stud Garrowby Stakes, which will be the showpiece of this Sunday’s YorkMix Family Raceday at York Racecourse.

The four-year-old gelding recorded back-to-back Listed victories at Chester and Newmarket in August.

And now the high-class speedster is ready to bid for a third straight Listed race win when he returns to the Knavesmire, the scene for his triumph in last year’s Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap (in which he beat Washington Heights and Mill Stream).

Quinault’s recent successes mean that he must concede a penalty to all of his 11 rivals in the £70,000 Listed contest, backed by David & Sue Ward, which is due off at 4pm. 

But Newmarket trainer Williams said: “I’m very happy with him. I don’t think the 3lb extra makes a lot of difference to him. He’s a big strong horse these days. 

“He won at the track last year; it doesn’t seem to faze him which ground it is. It was fairly old, wet ground at Newmarket last week and he stuck his neck out well and it was fast ground when he won at York last year. So, I’m very much looking forward to running him. We had him in a Group 3 in France, but the prize money is more at York – so that’s why we’re running at York.

“I’ve looked through the race. It’s not going to be an easy race – you wouldn’t expect it to be – but I think he’s got every chance. The track should play to his strengths and he’s in very good form.” 

Quinault’s recent winning ways are in contrast to a low-key start to the campaign.

Williams added: “We had a very mixed spring with him. He got ill in March. I don’t know whether it was anything to do with a flu jab, but it was just after we had given him the six-monthly flu jab that we have to give them nowadays instead of the yearly one we used to have to do. And we were just on the back foot. 

“He was running in races where I didn’t really want to run him, but we had to run in something to get fitness into him before Ascot. Things didn’t really go right for us at Ascot and then we got in a bit of a muddle at Newbury the next time. But he’s very fit now – he’s fit and well.” 

York’s only Sunday card of the season starts under rules at 1.40pm with the £40,000 British European Breeders Fund Novice Stakes.