The flat season’s final summer festival begins on Wednesday as York host their annual Ebor meeting across four August afternoons. Day one’s highlight is the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, a race in which our man Matthew Sutcliffe has a tip against the top two in the market.
That is not all though, as Matty also has FIVE more tips to follow on an enthralling opening day on the Knavesmire.
York Racing Tips (Wednesday 19 August 2026)
York’s Ebor meeting kicks off with a bang on Wednesday. Matty Sutcliffe will be one of many tuning in riveted to the action throughout, as he has six best bets across five races on day one at York.
13:50 York – Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Corolla Point 15/2 1pt WIN + Lexington Blitz 15/2 1pt WIN
A ridiculously tough handicap to open proceedings where it’s harder to discount the majority of these as opposed to making a case for them.
Corolla Point was an 800,000gns Breeze Ups purchase for Godolphin and immediately made his mark for Appleby when landing a backend Yarmouth Novice Stakes in 2024, looking very much a work in progress (gelded prior to debut).
He was subsequently purchased by Bethell for 60,000gns following two defeats, and immediately made his mark by winning two handicaps in good style last September. He has steadily improved this season with form figures of 3321, and his second start of the year saw him finish third here behind what looked a freakish performance from a resurgent Jakajaro.
The first and second subsequently finished 5th and 6th in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, and there’s a whole host of subsequent strong form in behind including the Epsom Dash winner in fifth. He wasn’t disgraced on all-weather debut when a neck second to a resurgent Al Shabab Storm, ahead of Air Force One, and he coped with a subsequent 3lbs rise when winning a 0-100 at Hamilton, giving 15lbs to the second.
He clocked a good time there on similar going, and the way he hit the line suggests this extra half furlong can suit for a horse who could potentially be Group class.
I’d also like to chance Lexington Blitz who I hold in high regard, and he’s entitled to come on for the run when returning from a 62 day absence at Goodwood last time out. He was uncharacteristically slow from the gates there and caught back further than ideal, denied a clear run on multiple occasions.
However, he displayed a smart turn of foot to pass rivals toward the far-side and looked to be coming with a winning run, but it clearly paid to come up toward the stand-side of centre. He clocked the fastest final furlong there shaping as if this extra distance will suit, and if breaking on terms he can run a big race from stall one with form figures of 121 second time up.
14:25 York – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 1) (2yo) – Gentle Hurricane 8/1 1pt EW 3 places
Andrew Balding has been kind to us in the Acomb Stakes after I successfully tipped Gewan last season and Gentle Hurricane can follow up.
Progeny of Invincible Spirit mixed with Pivotal mares have an excellent record, and this one made a winning debut at Salisbury last month fending off a pair of well regarded types.
Gentle Hurricane travelled well under Oisin Murphy albeit keenly, but despite the slow early gallop, he quickened up smartly to comfortably pull away from the favourite late on. Visually he shaped as if stepping up to seven furlongs will suit at a track where you have to travel strongly early on, and his pedigree backs up that assertion for a yard who’ve won this twice since 2022.
15:00 York – Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Superior Choice 6/1 1pt WIN
Taking on the Derby forecast and the Irish Derby second and first doesn’t appear to be the most logical way of playing this at first glance, but Maltese Cross and Christmas Day carry Group 1 penalties, the former has to prove he has enough tactical speed at this trip for this track, and the latter perhaps has to prove he’s classy enough to uphold his Derby form on a sounder surface.
An alternative to the three is Superior Choice, whose yard won this in 2019 with Logician. Logician was coming into the back of the race off a handicap win off 90, and he also won the same Newmarket Novice as Superior Choice did en-route.
That was the middle leg of a hat-trick, the first leg coming with a comfortable success at Leicester on seasonal debut in April, drawing away from 5/4f Heyzoom under hands and heels who’s franked that form since.
He arrives on the back of a dominant performance in the Listed Glasgow Stakes at Goodwood, where he again displayed a classy turn of foot to win comfortably eased down. He joined the likes Defoe, Subjectivist, West Wind Blows and Kalpana to have won that race, and could be every bit as good as them.
He’s cost £1.1m Guineas as a yearling, and given he’s out of the G2 Ribblesdale and G1 Prix Royallieu winner Loving Dream, it’s no surprise to see him adopting such potential.
15:35 York – Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Almaqam 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
The purist in me suggests we should leave playing the race and let the match up between Ombudsman and Constitution River unfold, but Almaqam may have something to say about that especially with the ease in the going.
The son of Lope De Vega deservedly gained success at the top level on seasonal debut in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, beating Bay City Roller by two lengths who subsequently bolted up in the Coronation Cup.
He was no match for Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, but it was surprising they ran him given how assured they are about him needing ease in the going. Bar that, he hasn’t been out of the top three since his sixth in the 2024 Queen Anne, with form figures of 32312331. One of those included a beating of Ombudsman in the Brigardier Gerard, and while that one wasn’t fully primed, there was only a length between them in the Champion Stakes last season, with Delacroix in behind.
Like his dam did, he’s evidently improving with age and in a race where Godolphin and Coolmore will have one eye on each other, Almaqam is more entitled to spoil the party at a track he’s performed well at in the past.
16:10 York – Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Valedictory 6/1 1pt WIN
With Trawlerman retired, Gosden and Godolphin will be hoping Valedictory can make up into their next staying star.
I was fairly keen on his chances at Goodwood, last time out, but he never travelled a yard before staying on too late in the day, and eventually eased off by Buick. I don’t think that was his true performance at all, and he’s better judged on his Betway Trophy Handicap success when a neck winner, staying on strongly toward the line shaping as if 1m6f was the minimum trip required to flourish at.
That form has also worked out well, as the fifth, Wine Dark Sea, was well gambled to land a Group 3 contest next time out and the sixth, Asgards Captain, took a Shergar Cup contest last time out.
Now stepping up in trip, a mark of 95 could certainly underestimate him and the Gosden’s apply first time blinkers to hopefully enable him to travel sweeter early on.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Tips for Wednesday 19 August
13:50 York – Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Corolla Point 15/2 1pt WIN + Lexington Blitz 15/2 1pt WIN
14:25 York – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 1) (2yo) – Gentle Hurricane 8/1 1pt EW 3 places
15:00 York – Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Superior Choice 6/1 1pt WIN
15:35 York – Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Almaqam 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
16:10 York – Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Valedictory 6/1 1pt WIN
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at York on Wednesday 19 August.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 10.49am on Tuesday 18 August.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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