Top tipster Daryl Carter has identified five strong fancies on the opening day of York’s Ebor Festival. Check out his thoughts on each of the quintet below, with all five of his tips available to back at bet365, who are offering £50 In Free Bets to new customers, when you sign-up and bet £10.
Published: 6:15pm – 15th August (Odds correct at time of posting, where available)
1.50 York – Dusky Lord (1pt win – 9/1 generally)
I have been waiting for DUSKY LORD to run over a sharp six furlongs or a stiff five furlongs, so in theory, this 5 1/2 today should be right up his street. He ran well on return before being drawn out of it at Epsom and failing to handle the track (ran well for a long way), and then he was caught too far back at Newmarket but finished with a rattle. I was hoping people would think he was slightly flattered by his high draw at Goodwood when finishing a narrow second to Lord Ridderford. He ran well in first-time cheek-pieces there, but he didn’t look entirely at home on the downhill run, swinging his head side to side. Today’s flat track and fast ground combination is the first time he will have optimum conditions, and he is improving with each start – his latest his fastest time figure performance. The blinkers should help more than the cheek-pieces.
2.25 York – Local Dynasty (1pt win – 9/4 generally)
I still haven’t learnt my lesson backing two-year-olds second time out, but I was really taken with the performance of LOCAL DYNASTY at Newmarket and even though the time was nothing to get excited about, how he kicked clear was. He looks very useful, and this looks like a below-par renewal. Hectic is a clear second choice.
3.00 York – Walk Of Stars (1pt win – 9/2 generally)
William Buick doesn’t usually get things wrong, but Secret State didn’t need to improve on his Ascot performance to score at Goodwood, and that form has been significantly over-estimated in this market. Deauville Legend and WALK OF STARS finished close together in the Bahrain Trophy at Doncaster, but it was the selection that was poorly placed off a stop-start gallop at the rear of the field. He was extremely keen for much of the contest and had to wait for a run. He learnt an awful lot that day, and that came after a gelding operation, so he is entitled to improve further. He is a raw horse and a slow learner, but he has some serious ability and is back on a flat track; he should be able to improve enough to land this contest. Aikhal is dangerous if getting a soft lead ahead of Deauville Legend, but a stronger pace with the hope that El Bodegon takes on the O’Brien horse should suit our selection perfectly.
3.35 York – Dubai Honour W/O Baaeed (0.5pt e/w W/O Baaeed 12/1)
I was hoping that DUBAI HONOUR would run here after being narrowly denied by Sir Busker at York in a slowly run affair. I mentioned when tipping him previously that he needs a strong pace and a good test at the 1m2f trip, and with that run blowing away the cobwebs, he should be spot on to follow home his stablemate. This has obviously been the plan for some time, and it amazes me how he is a 40/1 chance when Mishriff (who he beat at Ascot) is a 7/2 chance.
4.45 York – Vertiginous *NAP* (1.5pt each-way – 16/1, 5 places generally)
Top weights have done well in this contest in the last two runnings, and one of the more interesting runners is VERTIGINOUS, who sports first-time blinkers. Her trainer has a 17% strike rate with runners in this headgear (15-87), but he has not applied it to a filly in a handicap since 2017 (1-3). She showed clear signs that she would benefit from headgear at Goodwood when drawn in what should have been an ideal stall in 11 in the Group 2 King George, but the action developed down the other side of the track, and Sean Leavy had to shun the rail and come over to the centre. She was hanging left but travelling strong and went to quicken but was badly hampered and unable to recover. She drops massively in grade today into a handicap off an opening rating of 99, and she is unexposed over five furlongs. Her form figures read 071252, which don’t look great at first glance until you see she has finished beaten 1 3/4 lengths when seventh in the Breeder’s Cup Turf Juvenile Sprint and four lengths fifth in the Queen Mary. She is drawn well in 14, and this is a big drop in grade.
Daryl Carter’s Best Bets
1.50 York – Dusky Lord (1pt win – 9/1 generally)
2.25 York – Local Dynasty (1pt win – 9/4 generally)
3.00 York – Walk Of Stars (1pt win – 9/2 generally)
3.35 York – Dubai Honour W/O Baaeed (0.5pt e/w W/O Baaeed 12/1)
4.45 York – Vertiginous *NAP* (1.5pt each-way – 16/1, 5 places generally)
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