York Ebor Festival Day Two best bets Thursday 22nd August 2019

It is day two up on the Knavesmire Thursday for the Ebor Festival. Crystal Ocean was gallant in defeat again yesterday, Japan beating him in the shadow of the post getting the 7lb weight-for-age advantage. It remains cloudy but fine with the weather due to improve as we go into the Bank Holiday weekend. The going is good.

The 6f Group Two Sky Bet Lowther Stakes gets day two underway at 1.55 and one of my fancies of the week runs. I said in the second preview video that Liberty Beach has done little wrong so far, only blot in her copybook when 4th in the G.2 Queen Mary at Ascot – she did the best of those drawn low that day though with 7 of the first 8 home being drawn in double figure stalls; It was a fair effort on reflection. I am a fan and am convinced she can win this. 5-2 was the best price about on Monday so I snaffled a bit of that and she has done nothing but shrink in price all week; I should have taken the 3’s last week when I did the video!

Race of the day is the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks over 1m4f due off at 3.35. Enable is odds-on at around 2-7 and it is one of those races to watch and enjoy rather than punt in. I have said in the video of last week well done Ballydoyle for sending Magical and making it a race but I see no reason why their filly can reverse the form of her previous three meetings with the Khalid Abdullah owned wonder mare. The fact only four run could mean we get a false run race but Magical and Lah Ti Dar both want the trip as well so I doubt it will turn into a sprint. 99 rated South Sea Pearl makes up the numbers and I assume is on pacemaking duties for Magical. My advice remains the same as in the video of last week get on her for the Arc, if you aren’t already, as when she wins this she will likely go odds-on for the first weekend in October.

The last bet for me on Thursday is in the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes at 4.15 over just shy of 1m4f. There was two entered for this very much on my radar but only one runs which made the selection fairly simple. Frankellina was my each-way punt in the Oaks back in June at Epsom couldn’t quite get into the places finishing sixth. She was then sixth again in the G.2 Ribblesdale Stakes before finishing third in a 1m2f Listed heat here at York last month. The step back-up to the mile-and-a-half is a positive for me and there is no doubt in my mind she is the best filly in the race. She does of course also get the handy weight-for-age allowance on her elders and I have happily taken the 13-2 that Hills went Wednesday morning as I think they have got it wrong and that price is too big. Search For A Song is an obvious danger if she is still improving. 

Be lucky