York’s Ebor meeting concludes on Saturday, so it is a perfect time to take part in the Tote Placepot, not least because it features the Ebor Handicap itself. With a pool promising up to £200,000 in winnings, here are our selections to try to land a prize.
Leg 1: 1.50pm York
Leg 1 Selections: (4) Haunted Dream
Despite being the second-highest rated in the field, the market appears to think little of HAUNTED DREAM’s chances in this Group 3 opener, but that may be misguided. He has been busy enough this season, but seems healthy for it, winning in fine style on his latest start at Goodwood when travelling notably well throughout. He had disappointed at this track the time before, but the excuses given by his trainer seem valid enough, and the rest of his form this season is more than worthy of his mark. Three-year-olds dominate the betting, but as with quite a few contests at York this week, they haven’t got the best record in the race, including a beaten odds-on favourite a year ago. The selection is well worthy of at least a second look.
Leg 2: 2.25pm York
Leg 2 Selections: (6) Spaceport, (7) Reaching High
REACHING HIGH is regally bred, as he should be given he is owned by the King, but had not put up any dazzling performances until last time out at Wolverhampton. That 7½ length pummeling of his opposition in a Racing League event ironically came without carrying the royal silks, but it made him worthy of them. This trip of 1m6f looks ideal for now, and his parents, Sea The Stars and Gold Cup winner Estimate, and trainer Sir Michael Stoute suggest he is being brought along at the perfect time for this race.
He nevertheless finished a long way behind SPACEPORT at Leicester three starts back. That was over only 1m4f at a track which often inflates margins between horses, but William Muir & Chris Grassick’s charge has proved that no fluke, winning again since over this distance in his most impressive fashion to date. He meets Reaching High off the same terms as at Leicester, so has to be included here given he is close to twice the price.
Leg 3: 3.00pm York
Leg 3 Selections: (8) Lake Forest
Kinross has own this for the last two years, beating Audience home 12 months ago, though the latter has reached far more substantial heights since. Nevertheless, though the Gosdens’ charge has put in two stellar performances this term, he can be inconsistent, especially with enough pressure on him at the front end. The three-year-old LAKE FOREST is a very viable alternative, twice finishing second over 6f behind top class sprinters of his generation this term. In both races, he has seen that trip out strongly, so is well worth a go upped to 7f and rates a very sporting chance against the favourite.
Leg 4: 3.35pm
Leg 4 Selections: (5) Crystal Delight, (15) Alfred Boucher
But for having run disappointingly on his step up to Listed company at Newmarket in June, CRYSTAL DELIGHT would surely be a much shorter price given how impressively he won a pair of handicaps at this venue and Epsom earlier in the year. That Listed effort can be excused given he was pestered for the lead, with said pest finishing well beaten with him and though his mark is unchanged, that should not detract from his otherwise strong claims. He should get this trip too.
A second selection at hearty odds is ALFRED BOUCHER, second two years ago in this race. He was in cracking form at that time too, but lost his action at Chester next time out. That injury ensured he was off the track for 686 days, returning only earlier this month in a Shergar Cup event at Ascot. In the meantime, the handicapper had dropped him 5lb, 1lb below his rating for being short-headed into second in the 2022 Ebor by future Group 1 winner Trawlerman, who conceded him just 1lb. If that run blew enough cobwebs away, he could still have the ability to feature in this weaker renewal at the age of eight.
Leg 5: 4.10pm York
Leg 5 Selections: (1) Commanche Falls, (13) Summerghand
The clocks could well roll back in this 6f handicap, as two of the three form runners, Billyjoh and Apollo One, find winning very difficult. COMMANCHE FALLS has been too good for handicaps since he was second in the 2022 Ayr Gold Cup behind SUMMERGHAND. However, his mark has now dropped enough to be 2lb lower than at Ayr, and when second in this race two years ago behind… Summerghand.
The ten-year-old second selection has a tendency to get behind more than ever before, but he has still run some cracking races in defeat this term. Having claimed this for the last two years, it is impossible to ignore him given he is 13lb lower than 12 months ago and 8lb below his 2022 winning mark. He certainly has each-way potential, which is all we would need.
Leg 6: 4.45pm York
Leg 6 Selections: (7) Magnum Force
Mr Lightside has very strong claims off the back of his third place at Goodwood, but there has been enough promise in his performances to think MAGNUM FORCE is a good Placepot bet in this race. Ger Lyons’ record in Great Britain is not good, although his runners at York have broadly done better than at the majority of other British tracks. He is in great form in Ireland though and his son of Mehmas scored handsomely on his second start at Cork; he also has a Group 1 entry, which cannot be said of any of his rivals.
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