The Ebor meeting concludes with its eponymous race on Saturday with a packed and competitive field expected. Matty Sutcliffe has two tips for that race among seven in all across a bumper final day at York.
1:50 York – Sky Bet Strensall Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Enfjaar 6/1 1pt WIN
It’s paid to favour a progressive handicapper in the Strensall Stakes in recent seasons and ENFJAAR has the ability to make up into Group contender, with form figures of 112 since being gelded and sent up in trip. The son of Lope De Vega tended to lose his race before it started but has developed a racing mindset as he’s aged, and proved that when travelling effortlessly through the field in the John Smith’s Cup handicap here in July, hitting the front a furlong and a half out to and drawing away readily by just under two lengths.
The proverbial ‘group horse in a handicap’ immediately sprung to mind, and he backed up that suspicion when a neck second to Take Heart in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood next time out. He was poorly positioned by Jim Crowley there and should really have won, recording the highest RPR of that race in the last decade despite not winning.
Jack Mitchell returns to the saddle now which will be a big benefit particularly given he’s 2/2 on the gelding, and I’d imagine he’ll be ridden more prominently this time around which has seen to be beneficial thus far at York.
2:25 York – Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo) – Wild Waves 7/1 1pt WIN
Though generally speaking at York on good to firm ground you want to be on the front end, eight of the last ten winners of the Melrose had come from rear/midfield so shouldn’t be entirely put off by a hold up horse in here, and that will suit WILD WAVES who travelled fluently in rear off a strong gallop when taking a 26k handicap at Doncaster in May.
The son of Crystal Ocean displayed a smart turn of foot there and was value for the winning margin given how green he was when hitting the front, but once the runner up East India Dock came to his hindquarters, he went again and hit the line strongly under Danny Tudhope, who was full of praise afterwards.
Things didn’t go to plan when 100/30 for the competitive 52k handicap at Haydock where he was one of a number of horses to slip badly on the bend, and was looked after by Oisin Murphy thereafter. East India Dock backed the form up though when fourth in the contest, and we have to consider the fact that Wild Waves would be operating from a much higher mark in here had he not slipped at Haydock, and is undoubtedly a nicely handicapped sort that fits the profile for this race.
Andrew Balding has won the Melrose twice in recent years with Valley Forge and Coltrane, and given Oisin Murphy favours this one over Tactician who he won well on last time out, that’s a clue in itself and Wild Waves can bounce back to his progressive ways here with this race certainly going to be ran to suit.
3:35 York – Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Burdett Road 12/1 1pt EW + Alfred Boucher 50/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
This has supposedly been the long term aim of BURDETT ROAD and he confirmed his ability on the flat when returning with a nice pipe opener off top weight at Ascot last month, beaten three lengths when understandably too fresh from a 181 day lay off.
The smart juvenile hurdler had won the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot last season in game fashion, proving his liking for a big field scenario of this sort. He was far from disgraced in two group three contests thereafter, finishing four lengths behind West Wind Blows and Passenger, with the former subsequently finishing runner up in two G1 contests in Australia and the latter reappearing this term with a G2 win at Chester before a solid third in the G2 York Stakeslast month, though sadly injuring himself in the process.
Those last two bits of form alone suggest he’s well handicapped off 101 for a nature of this contest and this race was won last season by the smart hurdler Absurde. Burdett Road will relish this going, and ticks plenty of boxes for a profile required to win a contest of this nature.
I’d also like to save on ALFRED BOUCHER, who was beaten a short head by Trawlerman in this race in 2022 when the winner was given an unbelievable ride by Frankie Dettori. That came three days after winning the two mile handicap on the opening day of the card by three lengths, and he’s now back on that winning mark and 4lbs below his Ebor second.
There’s an element of risk to this selection as he missed the whole of the 2023 season through injury having pulled up lame at Chester in September 2022, but he returned with a blatantly obvious sighter at Ascot two weeks ago when certainly needing the run, and if that’s blown off the cobwebs and he’s fit and ready to go, then he’s too big a price to leave considering how well handicapped he could potentially be based on his second to Trawlerman, with the going to suit.
4:10 York – Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Commanche Falls 12/1 1pt WIN + Dark Thirty 40/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
COMMANCHE FALLS has C&D figures of 02310 and drops back into handicap company for this first time since his second to Summerghand off 109 in the Ayr Gold Cup in 2022. He also played second fiddle to Summerghand in this contest prior to that off 109, and now he’s 2lbs below that mark he has to be considered back in calmer waters.
His lofty mark has meant he’s been kept to group/listed company, but he’s rarely been disgraced and a repeat of his four lengths 6th in the G3 Hackwood Stakes in June would see him a massive player in here given the form that’s unearthed out of that race.
As a dual winner of the Stewards’ Cup, he has a plethora of experience in big field handicaps and being top-weight shouldn’t put us off given his second to Summerghand in this two years ago. He’s the class angle in the race, and can capitalise on the drop back in grade in first time blinkers.
The other I’d like to chance is DARK THIRTY, who’s been steadily shaping as if a return to the winners enclosure is imminent. Dark Thirty was a comfortable winner on seasonal debut at Newmarket in a competitive event that’s worked out well, and was far from disgraced when a two length’s third to Noble Dynasty next time out who’s now rated 10lbs higher after his group three success next time out. Dark Thirty was a neck behind English Oak there who’s now rated 18lbs higher after this Buckingham, Palace Stakes route, and if Hannon’s mount can return to that earlier season form then he’s incredibly well handicapped off his last winning mark of 93.
He was a huge eye-catcher in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood last time out in a race that was tricky to get into it from the back, but having watched it back, Sean Levey was motionless throughout and quite literally never moved a muscle on Dark Thirty, who was only beaten five lengths. He’s terribly priced on that basis with Summerghand who he was a short head behind, and last week’s Great St Wilfrid winner was only a length ahead of him there and he’ll meet that one on 6lbs better terms.
He’s shaped recently as if he’s been saved for a big pot this season, and I like the angle of dropping him back in trip to a course he’s 1-1 at.
5:20 York – Sky Bet Finale Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Sir Busker 14/1 2pt WIN NAP
Connections have been patient in bringing back their stable star SIR BUSKER to the boil this season with a string of eye-catching efforts on the all weather in the winter and this will likely have been the plan all season.
He returned to the turf earlier this month in a competitive conditions stakes at Goodwood worth 39K to the winner, staying on to finish fourth having travelled strongly in rear on the rail in a race which turned into a crawl and sprint. He proved he still had the speed to contend at this level having clocked the second quickest finishing percentage, finishing a length behind the 116 rated My Prospero.
That run signalled an imminent return to the winners enclosure and is making the trip back to York for the first time since his excellent third in the Juddmonte here in 2022, with his overall course record reading 2413, including a success in the G2 York Stakes prior to the Juddmonte. Now has to be the time to catch him and Brandon Wilkie takes a handy 5lbs off to alleviate him of topweight.
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