Best bets for Day One of the Ebor Festival at York
I am having one of those runs recently, I can’t quite get my head in front; for every winner there’s a loser and too many are running well but finishing placed. The level stakes record for the last couple of months is one step forward and one step back like a drunk on a Friday night!
It is the Ebor Festival From Wednesday at York and the meeting is where I am concentrating this week though there will likely be a bet or two further afield as the week progresses. All being well Treasure Time, the three-year-old gelding I have a handful of shares in with Raceshare, will run on Friday in the Sky Bet Mile Handicap up on the Knavesmire.
The weather looks set fine for Wednesday with the going described as good-firm but they could get the rain that is about up north on Thursday and Friday.
Best bets for the horse racing at York Wednesday
I am involved with the three Pattern races on the card with the first of those being the Group Three 7f Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at 2.25 for the two-year-olds. I, along with plenty of other people, was impressed with the Charlie Appleby trained Ruling Court when winning on debit last month at Sandown. The son of justify fetched €2,300,000 at the breeze-ups so has some way to go to pay that back but is expected to win this before tackling bigger targets in the autumn. 11-10 is the best that's been available on Tuesday evening and I have a bit of that. His trainer Charlie Appleby said “We were obviously delighted with Ruling Court on his first start at Sandown and he has definitely come on for the run. We always felt that a nice galloping track like York would suit, and it looks a more competitive contest than in the past with the race conditions having changed this year. We go there with a horse who looked very exciting on his debut and, if the improvement that we have seen at home is there, he is hopefully going to be very competitive again.” The team from Moulton Paddocks have a small but select team entered at York this week and this one should get them off to a winning start. The Lion In Winter also won on his debut and has to be feared over from Ballydoyle in a contest that the Bookies at least make a two horse race.
The 1m4f Group Two Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes looks to be a great chance for G.1 Irish Derby winner Los Angeles to confirm his place in the St Leger next month. The son of Camelot has a 5lb penalty to carry, which will make this tough, but is proven at this level, third at Epsom in the Derby. I think with stablemate Illinois in here this will be made quite a test and that should suit him just fine, sire of course nearly landed the Triple Crown and there’s a fair amount of stamina on the dam side. I am on at 7-4. " “We just thought this looked the right race for him to run in, even with his penalty, so we were happy to supplement him” said Aidan O’Brien this week. Illinois can't be ignored but looks the yard second string here so King's Gambit is considered the danger despite that one yet to win at Pattern level.
The Group One 1m2½f Juddmonte International Stakes at 3.35 is the main event of the day. I am yet to be convinced City Of Troy is as good as some people would have you believe. On paper you can’t knock the form the colt having done the Derby/Eclipse double, and he gets weight-for-age from the older horses here, but he is yet to really excite me. The form of the Derby isn’t actually that good this year when you look at it, apart from Los Angeles winning the Irish version, though the Coral-Eclipse form has been boosted recently it has to be said. At the price, on quicker ground than he has been winning on, I am prepared to take him on. Zarakem ran a big race when second at the Royal meeting in the behind Auguste Rodin in the G.1 1m2f Prince Of Wales's Stakes with Alflaila back in fourth and Royal Rhyme fifth so is considered but I think there is another to be taken from that race. Alflaila found plenty of trouble in running back in fourth that day and could take this at a decent price. His latest win in the G.2 York Stakes (won it in 2023 as well) last month over track and trip took his record here on the Knavesmire to 2,1,1,1. Jim Crowley prefers him to Israr and at 12-1 he looks a big price to me. I think he is worth a speculative punt on a track he clearly likes and going he is proven on. If the jolly isn't the horse many think he is this is actually quite an open renewal. Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said earlier this week “He’s another older horse, he’s there to try to win what he can, we are taking on the very best so nobody’s saying he’s going to go and win it. But I’m sure if he runs his race he’ll be there or thereabouts. He’s got a great mind on him, lovely attitude and loves his work. Our horse is a regular Group Two verging Group One class and who knows, he might not be good enough, that’s fine, but I’m sure he will be give a good account of himself.”
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