York’s Ebor meeting is next in the calendar in terms of racing’s big festivals. Our in-house tipster Joe Napier has picked out two ante-post selections who are value for your bets at this stage.
Yorkshire Oaks – Jackie Oh @ 16/1
It is rare that a Ballydoyle representative offers value, with their Group 1 winners obvious stars for favouritism, while even those without such form make bookmakers wary of sudden improvement. However, one in their ranks may prove a good bet in the Yorkshire Oaks, with the four-year-old JACKIE OH possessing enough experience close to this standard with more potentially to come.
Bluestocking is a very fair favourite here if running, but she has had enough hard races already this term and Ralph Beckett has already mentioned that the Arc is the ultimate aim this season. With the selection’s stablemate Opera Singer surely an unlikely runner here, Queen Of The Pride would then inherit second spot in the market, but she has not been winning great races for Group 2 and 3 level this term and this would provide an enormous step up.
Jackie Oh may have returned in disappointing fashion when only fourth of five at the Curragh, but that was over 1m1f. Her best form later on last term came at 1m2f-1m3f as she finished runner-up in the top level Prix de l’Opera and third in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes. She is bred for this distance and should shape much better for that seasonal return, which came after 274 days off the track.
Ebor Handicap – Crystal Delight @ 33/1
Punters will find Belloccio more readily ahead of the off after Willie Mullins won this last year with Absurde. If you are so inclined, his Royal Ascot winner is available at 10/1 in places, and he will go off shorter if he runs.
However, as ever in a handicap such as this, there will be standouts for plenty of us at healthier odds. The one for me is CRYSTAL DELIGHT, who showed immense improvement for the move to Harry Eustace at the start of this season and whose price is now lengthy due to a blowout in Listed company last time out.
That race was won in a quick time at Newmarket though and it should be no surprise that the horse who pestered him at the front that day also finished tailed off with him. As such, he is easily excused for almost certainly going off too quick; he had previously won a 1m4f handicap at York by nearly five lengths in fine fashion, shaping as though an extra 2f would be no issue, and a mark of 105 would still be within his range if able to front run at a more reasonable pace.
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