York Ebor Festival Day 3 Tips

York’s Ebor Festival continues on Friday with a fantastic card that centres around the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes. In anticipation of a top day’s racing, our Racing Editor has produced previews and selections for all SEVEN races on day three of the meeting. Check this out below, alongside an exclusive Bet UK offer, which provides £60 in Free Bets when you bet £20.

MAHRAJAAN – (1:50 York, Sky Bet Handicap) 8/1

Cormier was impressive at Chester last time and he’d appreciate any ease in conditions, but with his claiming jockey now removed he’s essentially 11lb above that win and it asks a question of him.

Preference goes to MAHRAJAAN, who’s surely better than what he’s shown so far.

William Haggas’s gelding survived the Shadwell cull having won three of his five starts at 3, and although he’s yet to add to his tally in 2022 he’s caught the eye more than once for a variety of reasons.

He travelled powerfully through his race at Haydock on reappearance eventually fading into third and on the back of that he was punted into joint-favourite for an extremely strong renewal of the John Smith’s Cup.

Mahrajaan struggled there, but he was much better with his sights lowered at Newmarket last time, beaten just a neck into second, the front two pulling well over 6l clear of the remainder.

Mahrajaan has gone up 2lb for that showing but the best is surely still to come given that this will be just his ninth career start and first-time cheekpieces have the potential to unlock some improvement from him.

TRUESHAN – (2:25 York, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes) 2/1

Alan King and Hollie Doyle will be doing a rain dance in anticipation of TRUESHAN‘s run in Friday’s Lonsdale Cup, and a look at the weather forecast suggests that they may just get their wish.

This tough-as-teak stayer put up one of the finest weight-carrying performances in recent memory when claiming the Northumberland Plate off a hefty 10st 8lb in June.

The combination of ground a little quicker than he truly cares for, and probably making his move earlier than ideal, saw Trueshan finish only third in the Goodwood Cup last time, but he was only beaten a length and a half and for the reasons provided above he can reverse form with Stradivarius here, who is officially rated 6lb the selection’s inferior.

Coltrane is improving fast and this track should suit him better than Goodwood, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see him get closer to Stradivarius and Trueshan here.

York Racecourse,
Knavesmire Rd,
York,
North Yorkshire YO23 1EX.
United Kingdom.

York Racecourse

Known as ‘The Knavesmire’, racing has been staged over this turf since 1731 and is without question one of the most attractive racecourses in the world. The highlight of each season is the prestigious three-day Ebor Meeting in August which features three Group 1 races. The Dante Meeting in May, also over three days, is another immensely popular fixture featuring a mix of classic trials, pattern races for older horses and top-class handicaps.

CLEARPOINT – (3:00 York, Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes) 9/1

This looks like an absolutely vintage renewal of the Gimcrack with, at the time of writing, co-favourites of three at the top of the market.

Richard Fahey’s been far from quiet about the regard in which he holds CLEARPOINT, however, and at an each-way price, he can be chanced to take this prize.

Running in the Perfect Power silks, Clearpoint has won both starts to date, being backed as though defeat was out of the question in an Ayr novice on debut before supplementing that with victory at Newcastle when last seen.

Clearpoint is now stepped up to 7f for the first time but he certainly wasn’t stopping at the line in either of his two starts to date and there is some stamina on the dam’s side of his pedigree.

Andrew Balding’s Chateau finished behind the reopposing Royal Scotsman at Glorious Goodwood, but he now has a 3lb pull at the weights in his favour and will appreciate this step up to 7f, he can chase Richard Fahey’s charge home.

ROYAL ACLAIM – (3:35 York, Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes) 15/8

An interesting renewal of the Nunthorpe is in place and both Lazuli and Ebro River are interesting outsiders, particularly the latter if the heavens open.

On what she’s achieved in just three starts on the track to date, however, there’s every chance that ROYAL ACLAIM is about to produce something special here.

James Tate’s filly was seen only once at 2, claiming a Newcastle novice where she had the subsequent three-time Group 1 winner Perfect Power back in third. She’s added to her tally with a pair of turf wins this campaign, building on a facile Bath novice success when claiming the Listed City Walls over this course and distance last month.

Royal Aclaim was far from all out to land that prize and on the back of just three starts she’s open to far more improvement than most of these rivals. Whether a low draw’s to her advantage remains to be seen but it’s hoped that Royal Aclaim will be versatile enough to handle any track position.

SHAMPION – (4:10 York, Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap) 7/2

Amanzoe is improving at a rate of knots but does favour a fast surface, so wouldn’t want any of the forecast rain. Croachill was beaten at 5’s on last time, but she could do better handicapping on a slightly slower surface.

The vote goes to SHAMPION, however, who is from a good family with her dam a half-sister to the exceptional Dubawi.

Shampion has progressed from each of her three starts to date, chasing home a subsequent winner (now 97-rated) at Haydock before bolting up in a Windsor novice last time out. Roger Varian’s filly is now sent handicapping off what looks like a workable opening mark of 84, and is contesting a race the stable knows how to win having sent out the 2020 winner Angel Power.

DESERT ORDER – (4:45 York, British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes) 6/4

This year’s renewal of the Convivial Maiden appears to provide DESERT ORDER with a good chance to get off the mark at the third attempt.

Charlie Appleby’s charge caught the eye when third in an often informative Newmarket maiden on debut last month, a run worth upgrading considering that he received a hefty bump at the start and raced a little keenly after that.

Desert Order was sent off the odds-on favourite to go two places better at Sandown last time, and although he failed to land the odds he was only beaten in a head bob with the front two pulling over 4l clear of the remainder.

Dropping back slightly in trip shouldn’t inconvenience on that showing, and entries in the Royal Lodge later this year suggest that he’s held in quite a high regard by his connections.

Richard Spencer’s Pjanoo bumped into a subsequent Group 2 winner on debut and although a beaten favourite at Ayr last time he travelled through the race like much the best horse and was ultimately only beaten a length. He can snatch a place.

Bangor-on-Dee

Hurdle Turf

6 races

Newcastle

Hurdle Turf

7 races

Limerick

Hurdle Turf

7 races

Wolverhampton (AW)

Flat AW

7 races

ENCOURAGEABLE – (5:20 York, Sky Bet Mile Handicap) 16/1

York’s day three finale looks like an open affair but it’s no real shock to see Operating head the market given he won a shade snugly at Nottingham last time.

At quadruple the price, however, it can instead pay to side with ENCOURAGEABLE, who chased home the high-class Maljoom in a Doncaster novice on debut earlier this year.

John & Jess Dance’s charge has looked a little unfortunate since sent handicapping the last twice, given too much to do from off the pace at Redcar before fourth back at that venue last time where he made his challenge far closer to the stands rail than the three that finished ahead of him.

Encourageable is up 3lb but it’s almost certain that we haven’t seen the best of him just yet and that Doncaster form has obviously worked out very well. Local trainer James Horton may have targeted his charge at this meeting, and given that they are likely to go a decent clip this may well set up for something coming from off the pace.