WHAT a way to start the Welcome to Yorkshire 2020 Ebor Festival with a stellar renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes. I am not losing faith in Ghaiyyath; however, Lord North is a real favourite of mine, who I tipped for the Cambridgeshire last year and have followed since then. Lord North certainly looks booked for second place and if the conditions were to become more testing then we have seen how impressive he can be on slower ground as we saw in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot so he would be even more of a threat. There is no doubt that Kameko was unlucky at Goodwood, however it is hard to believe he would have beaten Mohaather and he looks like he might just come up short here. The wonderfully tough and genuine mare Magical has comfortably won her two starts this season and there is no doubt she will run another terrific race as ever. What a race!
There have been very good TV and radio audiences throughout the main meetings and enjoy a fantastic four days of racing coverage from the Knavesmire #EborAtHome
Cheers!
The Wine Tipster
1.45 York Handicap (5½f) – Unibet are paying AN EXTRA PLACE on this race (T&Cs apply) and our 15 To Go offer will run on this race too.
Acclaim The Nation deserves to get his first winner of the season, having run well last time out at Goodwood when second to Only Spoofing (reopposes), having not benefitted from the stall 1 draw. On his previous start he run well here to finish second to Lahore (reopposes) here at 20/1.
He is admittedly at a career high mark, yet this front runner has looked in cracking form.
Unibet 10/1 each way
Came From The Dark makes his seasonal reappearance and this four-year-old colt with Ryan Moore in the plate here could cause an upset. He is not the most consistent, however if you look at this last two starts of 2019 he was really impressive when winning easily at Haydock and then he ran a good second to Pendleton at Ascot. He stays six furlongs too.
Unibet 16/1 each way
2.15 York Acomb Stakes Group 3 (7f)
Royal Scimitar can follow up on his very impressive debut at Newbury for the inform Clive Cox team, who have been doing really well with their two-year-olds. Royal Scimitar asserted close home and was not hard-pressed to pass his more experienced rival Line Of Departure. This was a good contest, as that form couldn’t be working out much better, with the second, fourth and fifth all winners since and Royal Scimitar will certainly progress again.
Unibet 9/2 win
3.15 York Juddmonte International Group 1 (1m2f)
Ghaiyyath (nap) still doesn’t get the plaudits he deserves and he has shown in 2020 what a mighty performer he is with his stunning performance in Meydan in February, then his Coronation Cup success, followed by his best performance beating Enable in the Eclipse (napped in my Unibet blog).
This five-year-old is top rated here and still has plenty of improvement to come for the Charlie Appleby team. The only potential negative to success is the weather, as the ground is currently predicted to be good, however if there is a massive amount of rain then would be a concern.
That aside, Ghaiyyath can make it four from four in 2020.
3.45 York Handicap (2m)
Make My Day looked a real stayer when successful in a Goodwood maiden last year over one mile six furlongs (form working out well) and did really well to score when dropped back to one mile four furlongs on reappearance here last month after being off 13 months. Make My Day was doing all his best work at the finish and there is loads more to come and looks sure to stay two miles. This mark of 90 looks very fair based on that 2019 Goodwood success on his penultimate start. Unibet are paying AN EXTRA PLACE on this race (T&Cs apply)
Unibet 5/1 each way
4.20 York Fillies’ Handicap (5f)
Our Little Pony nearly always needs a run or two to put her right so pleasing to see her come back to form on latest start at Thirsk when a good second. The fast pace likely from Glamorous Anna will suit and Our Little Pony will challenge late.
Unibet 25/1 each way
