THE final day of the Welcome to Ebor Festival at York will cap a brilliant four days of racing at the Knavesmire.
There is a typically competitive renewal of the Ebor Handicap with a strong Irish challenge, including my two selections Ever Present and License. Outside of the Irish challenge if you are looking for a big priced each way Ebor selection, then Max Vega Unibet 22/1 can get right in the mix again. I marked him up last year and he was a very unlucky fifth when getting no run at all. His has won the John Porter this season and can’t be ignored.
Enjoy whether at York or #athome watching on ITV or Racing TV.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1.50 York – Strenshall Stakes Group 3 (1m 1f)
Mighty Ulysses is the one to beat here, having come out on top in a Listed race at Newmarket’s July Festival when moving clear smoothly to beat Alflaila fair and square by 1½ lengths in a style to suggest that there is plenty more progressive to come. Alflaila has franked the Newmarket run since by winning at Pontefract, however it is hard to see how he reverses the form. Mighty Ulysses won earlier in the season at Newmarket, finished fifth behind Coroebus at Royal Ascot and looks well ahead of the opposition.
2.25 York – Melrose Handicap (1m 6f)
Soul Stopper for the inform Andrew Balding team is already proven at the trip, having looked an absolute natural stayer at Chester, winning by an easy 4½ lengths and clocking a very good time figure too. This followed a good performance in a maiden at Salisbury, beating Admiralty House by one and half lengths in June. It looks like York will really suit Soul Stopper and he can take the Melrose on route to Group company.
3.00 York – City Of York Stakes Group 2 (7f)
Sandrine looked better than ever when winning the Lennox Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood last time out by a neck from the late challenging Kinross, who is the field here. The assumption appears to be that this form will be turned around by those who finished behind her at Goodwood, but she was very game, and she will have their measure again. Last year in the Lowther at York Sandrine travelled supremely well when second to Zain Claudette, just not having the toe of the winner of that day. Sandrine has run very well against top class opposition this season and really deserved her Lennox win over this distance, which looks ideal.
3.35 York – Ebor Handicap (1m6f)
Ever Present (nap) won a 23 runner Handicap at Leopardstown last September when pouncing late to beat Ciel d’Afrique and Layfayette, which is smart form as well as showing that this six-year-old is used to a big field. Ever Present was then off till last month when fourth on reappearance in a Listed contest over this trip to Perotan at Down Royal when not getting a clear run. He will be step up from that appearance, has the proven stamina required having raced over two miles and has that important scope for improvement.
License is thoroughly unexposed as the most lightly raced horse in the field and can go well from stall 19 for Ger Lyons. License finished second to the smart Layfayette in March on seasonal debut and then failed to perform next time out when unplaced behind Layfayette. He was gelded afterwards and then reappeared in a Group 3 at Leopardstown earlier this month when fourth to Gear Up. He didn’t get a clear run and was switched a few times without having a hard race. He will take a big step forward here.
4.10 York – Constantine Handicap (6f)
Mr Wagyu like many of these ran in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood and whilst he finished unplaced that day, he ran well for a long way showing that he still retained his good 2022 form. He is definitely worth an each way wager, having won at York and with Unibet paying five places.
