The Ebor meeting concludes with its titular race, the richest flat handicap in Europe. Andrew Mount landed a winner during Friday’s action at York and he has four selections for Saturday’s racing.
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Posted: 4.11pm, Friday, August 23rd
1.50 York – PHANTOM FLIGHT (1pt win – 11/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes)
George Scott has a fantastic recent record at the first time of asking with horses he takes over from other yards and 16-1 shot PHANTOM FLIGHT contributed with a one-length verdict over Al Aasy (dual winner since) in a 1m2f Listed contest at Newbury last month. The five-year-old didn’t see out the 1m4f trip when behind the same rival at Goodwood but was only beaten by a length and a quarter and it’s worth remembering that he bolted up by five lengths in a course and distance handicap at this meeting in 2022 on his only previous visit to the Knavesmire. His prominent running style will be an asset, and the drying ground is ideal. I’m also going to play him in the Tote Exacta with HAUNTED DREAM.
2.40 Goodwood – ROYAL DRESS (2pt win – 6/1 bet365, 5/1 generally)
I had ROYAL DRESS earmarked as a soft-ground performer after her narrow 33-1 Listed win at Goodwood in early May on her debut for James Tate but her 16-1 good-ground victory from four rivals in the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes at Curragh suggested that the size of the field, rather than underfoot conditions, is the key factor. The four-year-old often finds traffic trouble in big fields but that win took her record in single-figure line-ups to 721131 (3-6), improving to 131 (2-3) for her current yard. The third place was most unlucky – she was repeatedly denied a clear run when going down by three-quarters of a length to Breege in the eight-runner Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom. She faces only four rivals and won’t mind the recent deluge.
3.00 York – SHOULDVEBEENARING (1pt ew – 8/1 generally)
Richard Hannon’s SHOULDVEBEENARING landed a Group 3 contest on officially good to soft going at Deauville last month, but the race times suggest the ground was more like good to firm and genuinely good or faster going is key to the four-year-old colt. He has rarely encountered his ground conditions below Group 1 level but the last time he did before Deauville was here on the Knavesmire in May when he was a nose behind Mill Stream in the Group 2 Clipper Stakes over 6f. His only other York outing on his preferred going saw him score narrowly from Washington Heights in a field of 19 at this meeting in 2022 and he stays this extra furlong.
4.10 York – OSO RAPIDO (0.5pt ew – 80/1 William Hill)
Backing a York sprinter from stall 17 is a risky move on this week’s evidence but OSO RAPIDO is a huge price for this 6f handicap, and he looks worth chancing in the hope that his early speed can see him get a prominent pitch more towards the centre of the course. Roger Fell & Sean Murray’s seven-year-old tends to peak in the second half of the peak turf season and four of his six turf wins have come in late August or September (the others in mid-July and October). He returned to form with a short-head 22-1 second at Pontefract on August 7th and though well beaten at Carlisle on Wednesday he went off too fast into the headwind in a two-way and then a three-way dispute of the lead. He was still in with every chance a furlong out before the effort took its toll and he faded to finish five lengths back – a respectable effort in the circumstances.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
1.50 York – PHANTOM FLIGHT (1pt win – 11/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes)
2.40 Goodwood – ROYAL DRESS (2pt win – 6/1 bet365, 5/1 generally)
3.00 York – SHOULDVEBEENARING (1pt ew – 8/1 generally)
4.10 York – OSO RAPIDO (0.5pt ew – 80/1 William Hill)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Saturday, 24th August 2024.
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