York plays host to the fifth and final day of their Ebor Festival on Saturday, with a mixture of Group action and some big handicaps on the card, including the feature Ebor Handicap at 3.35pm.
Tote are guaranteeing a huge £250,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.50pm
Leg 1 Selections: (6) Nostrum
NOSTRUM should take all the beating in this, providing he handles the extra furlong trip. Sir Michael Stoute’s colt is clear on ratings and receives 7lb from his two chief market rivals. Soft ground was his downfall last time out but he’s got his preffered better ground here. Ryan Moore is booked for the ride and he’s been on board for all three of his victories, so this looks a good opportunity for Nostrum to gain a second victory at Group 3 level.
Leg 2: 2.25pm
Leg 2 Selections: (6) The Goat (13) Alhambra Prince
It was impossible not to be impressed by THE GOAT‘s performance at Goodwood earlier in the month, who seemed to relish the step up to 1m 4f and bolted up by 12 lengths. He steps up in trip again here and been raised 12lbs in the rating for that performance, but with his trainer Andrew Balding winning two of the last three renewals of this, I have to include him in the placepot.
The other one I’m adding is bottom weight ALHAMBRA PRINCE, who races off just 8 stone with his 3lb jockey’s claim taken into account. He was a comfortable winner over this trip last time out on heavy ground, and having gone close on good to firm recently I don’t expect the ground to be an issue for him. He should be thereabouts at the finish for last year’s winning trainer William Haggas.
Leg 3: 3.00pm
Leg 3 Selections: (7) Sacred (10) Isaac Shelby
This looks a tough race to call, but I’ll take on the market leader Kinross with last year’s favourite SACRED, who was only a neck away from winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out. That was arguably her best performance to date, so I’m keen to keep on side with her in the hope she remains in the same form.
Three year olds have a good record in this race, winning five of the last eight renewals, so I’m keen to have one in my placepot here. The pick of the 3YO’s has to be ISAAC SHELBY, who was only a neck behind the market leader Kinross at Goodwood last time out and is 1-1 on good to firm. He should surely go close here.
Leg 4: 3.35pm
Leg 4 Selections: (22) Adjuvant (9) Absurde (18) Scampi
In a wide open renewal, I’m going to give myself three chances in the Ebor. Favourites don’t have a fantastic record in the Ebor so I’m keen to take on Sweet William. First up is ADJUVANT, who chased home Sweet William at Goodwood last time out and is 4lbs better off here. He ought to go close with the swing in the weights sure to help his chances.
Next up is ABSURDE, the ride of last year’s winning jockey Frankie Dettori. He finished closest to Vauban in the Copper Horse Handicap and the winner has since franked the form by winning the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes. I expect him to be thereabouts at the finish.
Finally, I’m siding with SCAMPI, who pulled well clear with runner-up Wootton’Sun when winning the Shergar Cup Challenge at Ascot two weeks ago. Providing this race doesn’t come too soon, he can go close, having won the Jorvik Handicap here back in May.
Leg 5: 4.10pm
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Gale Force Maya (15) The Green Man
This is another wide open handicap, so I’ll be playing two in here. First up is GALE FORCE MAYA, who has won three of her six races at York (placing in two of the other three). Her record in class 2 company reads 2223033911111 (5-13), and she had excuses for both poor efforts – one was on soft ground which didn’t suit her, and the other she raced too freely throughout.
The other I want to back is THE GREEN MAN, who has some excellent stats to support his chances. He’s finished 1st and 3rd on his two previous races at York, has won two of his four races on good to firm ground, finished 1st and 2nd in his two races in August, and has won two of his four races with jockey Kaiya Fraser on board. Last time out he was only a length and a half behind Aberama Gold over C&D, and he has a huge swing in the weights here to reverse that form.
Leg 6: 4.45PM
Leg 6 Selections: (7) Purosangue (1) Alabama
I’ve got to be on the side of PUROSANGUE here, who was only narrowly denied by Big Evs in the Molecomb Stakes last time out. If he runs to a similar level here he should prove tough to beat.
The other one I want to include is ALABAMA, who raced on the wrong side of the track when fifth behind Big Evs in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, but did best of those to race on the far side of the track. He’s since placed in Listed company twice and I expect him to be thereabouts at the finish again here.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (6) Nostrum
Leg 2 Selections: (6) The Goat (13) Alhambra Prince
Leg 3 Selections: (7) Sacred (10) Isaac Shelby
Leg 4 Selections: (22) Adjuvant (9) Absurde (18) Scampi
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Gale Force Maya (15) The Green Man
Leg 6 Selections: (7) Purosangue (1) Alabama
48 Lines x 25p = £12
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