It’s Ebor Handicap day at York on Saturday afternoon in front of the ITV Racing cameras as the fourth and final day of York’s Ebor Festival comes to a phenomenal crescendo. Won earlier in the week, the ITV7 is back with a bumper £100,000 jackpot up for grabs for anyone that can pick all seven winners. Here at GG, we aim to point you in the right direction and pick out our picks for each of the seven selected races.
Race 1 – 1.50pm York – Sky Bet Strensall Stakes
It’s a trappy renewal of the Strensall Stakes at 1:50pm and recent Group 1 Nassau Stakes runner-up See The Fire will look to build on that effort taking on the boys here. Enfjaar has been in superb form this season and is entitled to have a second look, but it’s ALYANAABI that makes the most appeal. The Owen Burrows-trained raider has disappointed this season, but the drop back from 1m 2f for this contest should see him improve and having been seen in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes two starts ago, where he came sixth, then he has to be held in high regard and the three-year-old can outclass his rivals here.
Race 2 – 2.05pm Goodwood – William Hill Prestige Fillies’ Stakes
A facile two-and-three-quarter length winner of a Newmarket nursery last time out, Roger Varian’s MISS FASCINATOR will step up into Group company for the first time in the 2:05pm at Goodwood and she looks a decent value play. She stormed clear in the closing stages of that race in the style of a smart filly and she could be more than capable of featuring prominently here.
Race 3 – 2.25pm York – Sky Bet Melrose Handicap
TACTICIAN showed stamina was his forte last time out when winning at Ascot in the Brown Jack Handicap and Andrew Balding’s progressive three-year-old can follow that up with victory in the Melrose Handicap at 2:25pm. He’s been given a 5lbs rise for that victory, so he will have to improve to play his part here, but he’s still lightly-raced and this sort of assignment should see him kick on again and he can stay on past beaten horses to land the prize.
Race 4 – 2.40pm Goodwood – William Hill Celebration Mile Stakes
A disappointing field of five will line up for the Group 2 Celebration Mile at 2:40pm, but it’s the hugely progressive LEAD ARTIST that can outclass his rivals for John & Thady Gosden. The three-year-old won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at the track last time out, so has shown he can act well round Goodwood and in receipt of some weight from three of his rivals for his age should give him another huge positive.
Race 5 – 3.00pm York – Sky Bet City Of York Stakes
KINROSS and Audience finished first and second in this race last season with the former coming out on top and the pair will do battle in another mouth-watering clash between the pair. Audience has been one of the stars of the season and has turned into a top notch Group-winning performer, but he’s awfully short to land this prize. Kinross has struggled at times this season, but the seven-year-old makes much more appeal on a return to the Knavesmire and he can retain his crown.
Race 6 – 3.35pm York – Sky Bet Ebor Handicap
A hugely competitive Ebor Handicap is the highlight of the day and it’s set to be a top notch renewal with the likes of Queenstown and Fairbanks looking two major players. However, NAQEEB was just unable to get his head in front at Newbury last time out over two miles and the drop back in trip should suit this half-brother of Baaeed. A really smart performer that takes an age to wind up, the hustle and bustle of this race could play to his strengths and he could storm home in the closing stages to take the win.
Race 7 – 4.10pm York – Sky Bet Constantine Handicap
Fifth in the Stewards’ Cup, COVER UP has been given a notable chance by the handicapper in the 4:10pm at York, as he’s been dropped 1lb and a mark of 98 looks workable. A facile winner at Newcastle earlier in the season saw his market rocket into three figures and he’s just been finding it hard to feature this season. However, he ran well at Goodwood and is entitled to go close again in this event and the Godolphin-owned contender is the selection in a superb betting heat.
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