Seven races will be broadcast live on ITV on Saturday, with the Ebor handicap at York the pick of the bunch. Our in-house tipster Joe Napier has four best bets among the televised action.
2.05 Goodwood – William Hill Prestige Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3)
It is rare for a Group race to be so widely shared, but ten different trainers have won the last ten renewals. In terms of trends, there is no need to follow any particular yard, though it is intriguing that three runners from Yorkshire will be making the journey down to Sussex, and the likeliest of their chances on form, ROYALTY BAY, is worth an interest.
In the hands of John & Sean Quinn, she was a minor eyecatcher at Royal Ascot, staying on for sixth in the 6f Albany Stakes when looking as though going up in trip would suit. She nevertheless defied a penalty to win at that trip in novice company next time out before a narrow defeat in Deauville’s Group 3 Prix Six Perfections last month.
She once again did all her best work late, this time over 7f which she races over again here. However, there is enough pace in the race to make it a decent test, she has a kind draw in stall 2, and eight of the last ten winners had already raced on multiple occasions, which speaks against the duo above her in the market.
2.25 York – Sky Bet Melrose Handicap
Andrew Balding and William Haggas are the recent yards to follow in the three-year-olds’ Ebor equivalent, but both of their primary hopes here slipped up on their previous starts at Haydock, which even with a seven-week break since, may not be the ideal preparation. The verdict instead goes to REACHING HIGH, who is bred ideally for a job such as this.
In the colours of His Majesty The King, Sir Michael Stoute’s charge may have taken seven starts to get off the mark, but he did so in some style last time out at Wolverhampton. Facing a staying distance for the first time, he blew away his rivals by 7½ lengths, improving as the race went on.
This should be little surprise given he is by Sea The Stars and out of Gold Cup winner Estimate. If anything, even further trips will probably suit in time, but an 11lb rise does not look too harsh, and though he has some prior form lines to overturn, he should be capable of doing so now he is racing under his optimum conditions.
2.40 Goodwood – William Hill Celebration Mile Stakes (Group 2)
Lead Artist is on the up and Sonny Liston drops down from Group 1 company, but the one who could upset both of the leading pair here is POKER FACE, who is somewhat of a forgotten horse here. The five-year-old has not built on a promising start to the season, but a bounce back is plausible.
He improved very nicely last term, racking up a hat-trick through the grades from Listed to Group 2 level at Pontefract, Deauville, and then Longchamp on Arc weekend, all over 1m. He returned this season, by finishing second to Charyn, who is the undisputed king of this division across Europe, but he was conceding him 3lb and nearly got first run enough to fend him off.
The winner has improved since, but that was still a serious effort, and there are excuses for the selection on both runs since then (track bias at Newbury, something evidently amiss at Ascot). Pulling up in a flat race is always a concern, as was the case at Ascot, but he has been off for 67 days since which could have freshened him up enough. Either way, his price here ensures he is worth chancing, as he has clearly the best form when on song.
3.35 York – Sky Bet Ebor Handicap
He was my ante-post selection for the Ebor, and little has happened to dissuade me from the claims of CRYSTAL DELIGHT, who remains a generous price and could be very difficult to peg back from the front if in the same form as earlier this term.
The five-year-old moved to Harry Eustace at the start of this season and swiftly made the move worthwhile by bolting up at Epsom from the front in April. Rated 88 for that race, a 9lb rise did little to burden him, as he repeated the trick at this track in May over 1m4f. His two winning margins combined to greater than ten lengths and 17lb worth of penalties.
In his first start at Listed level thereafter, he blew out to finish fifth of six at Newmarket. However, he was strongly pressed at the front end that day, with his pesterer the only horse he beat home, all three who raced in rear ultimately filling the first three places.
This big field obviously lends itself to a fair few front-running challengers, but he does break alertly and has plenty of staying potential for this new trip, both on breeding and form. Given how impressively he won at this venue in May, he could still have more to offer off this mark.
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