It has been a good week for following Matty Sutcliffe with some excellent value winners since Wednesday. For Ebor day at his local track, he has five best bets for you to follow, all at double-figure prices.
1:50 York – Sky Bet Strensall Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Checkandchallenge 22/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
CHECKANDCHALLENGE is without a win since taking the Listed Jane Seymour Stakes at Newmarket in 2023 but he’s ran some excellent races in defeat since and makes a large each-way appeal.
His seasonal debut this term saw him finish second to Dancing Gemini at Doncaster in listed company, and he put a poor effort at Kempton behind him when third to Sardinian Warrior in the Queen Anne trial. That race has worked out strongly, as he was half a length behind the Queen Anne winner Docklands and the fourth Royal Dubai has since taken his form to a new level with back to back successes in Listed/Group three company for his new yard.
Since then, he ran a solid race in the Lockinge to be beaten four lengths at 125/1, and he’s not been all that far away in his last three runs with his two lengths third at Pontefract last time out suggesting a return to the winners enclosure is not all that far away.
The return to York is key here, his first effort saw him beaten two lengths by Alflaila in the York Stakes and he was only beaten a lengths by See The Fire in this contest last season, who’s franked that form healthily since.
While he mightn’t have the potential as some of these, he very rarely runs a bad race and with a good gallop forecast, at the very least he can sneak into the placings.
2:25 York – Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo) – Novelista 18/1 1pt EW 3 places
Lope De Vega colt NOVELISTA remains a maiden after seven runs but he’s ran multiple solid races in defeat, and can finally get his head in front in the Melrose for a yard who took this with Polarisation in 2015.
He was well beaten here on seasonal debut when shaping as if needing the run, but he put that effort behind him when beaten a head at Doncaster by Many Men, who’s franked that form since now rated 8lbs higher. He backed that run up from 4lbs higher at Haydock next time out when just touched off by stable mate Pole Star having failed to get a run early, but the winner has since franked the form having landed a racing league handicap at Yarmouth next time out now rated 8lbs higher.
He was a well-backed selection for the column at Goodwood last time out when dead heating for fourth with Cape Breton, with that pair perhaps doing too much too soon in front and Novelista wasn’t aided by a slow start nor a keen grip. The step back up in trip to 1m6f can bring out further improvement now and while he might not have the sexy profile of some of these, he looks well overpriced from a favourable low draw off bottom-weight.
3:35 York – Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Majestic Warrior 12/1 1pt EW 6 places
The classy Fujaira Prince won the Ebor in 2020, and his half brother MAJESTIC WARRIOR can further boost the family success. Like his half brother, he’s evidently been tricky to keep fit at home given he’s a five year old with just four runs, but he displays an air of class about him and could still yet be anything.
He made a successful debut at Wolverhampton in 2023 when staying on well from rear despite greenness to fairly bolt up. He was then beaten five lengths into fourth by Waipiro in a Newmarket novice that’s worked out strongly with the winner subsequently taking the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and the second now rated 111. He then went back to Wolverhampton and once again bolted up to win by five lengths having made all, with the evens favourite in second franking the form since.
Presumably injury had kept him off the track for 698 days, but he must be showing plenty at home to be kept in training and that appeared the case when making a winning return to action at Thirsk in an impressive manner, bolting up four lengths from Knightswood who’s won twice since now rated 7lbs higher.
He’s been off since that run in April, but he’s ability to go well fresh suggests that’s no concern and while he is up 9lbs, he’s bred to be better than that mark and he’s taken to land a competitive Ebor.
4:10 York – Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Commanche Falls 14/1 1pt EW 5 places
COMMANCHE FALLS was a selection for the column in the Stewards Cup last time out and he ran a solid race in defeat to finish second in his group on the far side, only beaten four lengths into seventh in a race which appeared to favour those drawn high.
While he mightn’t be the force of old, he was third in this race last season off a mark of 107 and second in it off a mark of 109 in 2022 both carrying topweight, so now he’s running off a mark of 98 and relieved of the burden of top weight he can finally return to the winners enclosure now seemingly in good form.
5:20 York – Sky Bet Steve Birch Finale Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Sir Busker 18/1 1pt EW 4 places
I’ve been waiting for what feels like an age to back SIR BUSKER for this contest, who was a 2pt bet for the column when winning the race last season. The Sir Prancelot gelding was capable of high class form early on in his career which included a C&D success in the G2 York Stakes prior to an excellent third to Baaeed in the Juddmonte.
Injury had kept him off the majority of last season after an all-weather campaign, but he was an eye-catcher at Goodwood prior to landing this race a shade cosily from a 5lbs higher mark. He’s a nine year old now but connections have said this race will be his swansong, and his season looks to have been catered around this contest.
He was given two quiet rides in rear in Listed company at the beginning of the season and it was a similar case back here when beaten twelve lengths. He bounced right back to form when a neck second to Flying Frontier at Sandown and had York not been on the agenda I do wonder whether he could’ve won that race. A subsequent pound rise was negated after being beaten 17 lengths at Goodwood last time out having never got competitive in rear after stumbling at the start, but I’m happy to write that run off as this will always have been the plan and he’s favourably drawn in stall one to be covered up once more and deliver a late run.
