THE final day of the Ebor Festival features a quality renewal of the Ebor Handicap in which the last five winners have carried 9st 3lbs or more so big weights are not prohibitive as they used to be. The favourite Sweet William is clearly a class act as he showed at Goodwood last time out and could be only the third favourite to win the Ebor since 1998, yet there are plenty of others with strong claims.
Enjoy whether at York or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.
Cheers!
The Wine Tipster
2.25 York – Melrose Handicap Heritage Handicap (1m 6f)
This is an EXTRA PLACE race
True Legend (nap) has seen his career take off since the cheekpieces were equipped two starts ago, as he ran out a ready winner at Salisbury two starts back when eased down late on. True Legend was a desperately unlucky second to the improved Balance Play at Goodwood, constantly denied a run whilst the winner was making his way down the outside and finished with a lot of running left in him. That was on slower ground, but he acts perfectly well on quicker, and whilst his new mark has kicked in, the impression is there’s a lot more to come, and a step up to one mile six furlongs looks a big plus here.
Unibet 7/1 each way
3.00 York – City Of York Stakes Group 2 (7f)
Kinross is an obvious candidate for this, given he’s got an awful lot going for him, as he tries to repeat last year’s victory. He comes here bang in form after his Lennox win at Goodwood, where he won with a little more than the winning neck margin would suggest. The strong pace is guaranteed with Audience, Isaac Shelby and Covey all in attendance, and if you’re still not convinced, go back and watch how easily he disposes of Pogo and company in this last year. They went hard there, and it suited him, and you can expect similar this time around.
Unibet 6/4
Mutasaabeq was disappointing at Royal Ascot after being ridden up with the pace at Newbury on his penultimate start in the Lockinge. However, replay his Newmarket success on seasonal debut at the Guineas Festival when beating Native Trail by three lengths. Mutasaabeq will be ridden with more restraint and this talented individual can reward each way players.
Unibet 8/1 each way
3.35 York – Ebor Handicap (1m 6f)
This is an EXTRA PLACE race
Live Your Dream for the excellent trainer Saeed Bin Suroor, who is so good at targeting these big handicaps, can defy top weight as this is certainly no barrier to success in the Ebor these days. Consistency is an important factor here and Live Your Dream has only finished once outside the first four in his thirteen starts, with five career successes to his name.
He showed he has class too at Newmarket over this trip when beating an in-form Kihavah, who had won his previous four starts. Live Your Dream will have his ground, has York form and has to have a strong chance.
Unibet 9/1 each way
Real Dream relished his first start over this distance at Ascot last month when successful on good to soft on this four-year-old’s sixth career start with the handicapper raising him to a mark of 99 from 91. This unraced two-year-old, who won on good to firm last season, has reportedly been working well with the only concern that the Sir Michael Stoute yard has been quiet, however the Ebor has been very much the target for Real Dream, and we know he goes well fresh at a course where he has run well.
Unibet 7/1 each way
Cemhaan ran a blinder in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot when third behind Vauban and almost touched off Absurbe, who reopposes here in second place. That was a definite change of tactics with Cemhaan coming from off the pace and it will be interesting to see if they adopt the same tactics here. Cemhaan first went in my tracker last season when ridden near the front of the action to win stylishly at Newmarket over this distance. With Unibet paying five places Cemhaan has to be an each way play.
Unibet 25/1 each way
