ITV Racing’s cameras continue to feature York’s Ebor meeting on Thursday. Among those races, Joe Napier has picked out four best bets, including a potentially underrated Aidan O’Brien runner.
1.50 York – Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2)
Karl Burke has won two of the last five runnings, though neither had the profile of Leovanni, unbeaten in two and an impressive winner in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. That form has quite a lot of substance to it, but does ensure she carries a 3lb penalty, and that is enough to take her on with this field promising a similar level of strength.
Heavens Gate is very capable of making all for Ballydoyle if she improves again, but the course form in the field belongs to BETTY CLOVER over 5f. She was eighth in that Queen Mary, but might not have been positioned ideally, and followed it up with a game runner-up effort in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes over this distance.
There are therefore no concerns about the trip, her Listed win was secured in good style and her draw in 1 may allow her to track enough of the pace with plausible front-running challengers in stalls 3 and 4. As an each-way play she looks very solid.
3.00 York – Clipper Handicap
Elnajmm might prove miles too good in his attempt to win a fourth straight win, but his draw in 17 makes this awkward enough over this distance. He may have to do this the hard way and odds of 3/1 or less are not tempting.
Instead, there has rarely been a course specialist like BLUE FOR YOU, whose form over track and trip reads 22151041. The 0 came off a career high mark which he has never had to bear otherwise, and the 5 and 4 were on seasonal returns. That ensures his other five finished over course and distance have been in the first two.
His latest win here came just two starts back and the runner-up Northern Express has won since at Ascot. He was disappointing at Goodwood, but it has almost reached the stage where his form elsewhere has become irrelevant. Stall 4 is no issue, and he is available at double-figure odds, which should be lapped up.
3.35 York – Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1)
Eight of the last ten renewals of this Group 1 have been claimed by the Classic generation, with the only two older winners being Arc winners Enable and Alpinista. With respect to Queen Of The Pride and Emily Upjohn, they do not look prospective winners of that illustrious contest, so it is worth focusing on the three-year-olds again.
You Got To Me and Content renew acquaintances from their Irish Oaks clash in which Ralph Beckett’s charge held off Aidan O’Brien’s, the latter getting an uncharacteristically passive ride from Ryan Moore. The latter is the choice of Moore again over PORT FAIRY, and yet the latter is the far more attractive betting option here at a big price.
Content may still be improving, but just two starts back, the selection won the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot under Moore, with You Got To Me 2½ lengths behind. She may have gone too fast from the front, but Port Fairy was her nearest pursuer and still had enough left to last home, which she evidently did not when tailed off in the Irish Oaks.
The first four home at the Curragh raced either in midfield or in rear though, with the pacesetter, Rubies Are Red, the only horse Port Fairy beat having tracked her in second. That pace collapse may well have been responsible for that no-show, so back at a track at which being on the front end is always preferable, she should perform far better and has at least a place chance.
4.10 York – British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Listed)
Yet another fillies and mares’ contest which has been completely dominated by three-year-olds. Once again we have a clear favourite in Sea Just In Time, but that looks far more based on reputation than form and promise, certainly from her last two starts.
An eyecacther on her last run was NAKHEEL, whose trainer Owen Burrows has an outstanding record at York, with six winners form 19 runners in the last five years for a 7.75-point profit at a 32% strike rate. 15 of those 19 have finished in the first four.
His daughter of Dubawi finished ahead of Sea Just In Time at Goodwood in June, since when William Haggas’s favourite has won. Nakheel meanwhile looked unhappy the whole way round when fourth at Listed level on Newmarket’s July Course, but still stayed on past the majority of the field. The fifth, Divina Grace, opposes here having won a Listed race at that same track since, while the winner, Mistral Star, is taking her chance in the Yorkshire Oaks.
If she settles better here, her trainer knows how to send out winners at this track and she clearly sees out this trip well enough. Progress should not be ruled out either on just her fifth start.
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