Today's Racing Tips: Seven Bets On Ebor Day

There are seven bets for today’s racing at York (total stake 4.5 points)

York Tips

14:25 – 1m6f Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Class 2)  

KING OF THE CASTLE (1 point win bet at 8/1) is a rare handicap runner in Britain for master trainer Aidan O’Brien and I am delighted to see William Buick booked to ride. This horse is a full brother to the Derby winner Serpentine and is also related to several other Group 2 and 3 winners. He is as short as 25/1 for the St Leger and also holds an early entry in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day. Having run some good races in defeat, including behind the subsequent Group 2-placed The Mediterranean, O’Brien’s Galileo colt got off the mark in fine style at Limerick last time out. This marks a big step up in class but he was a commanding winner that day, seems to be improving with each run and should relish the step up to 1m6f.

I also fancy two at big prices and am covering all eventualities with the weather. If rain arrives sooner than expected, OMAN (0.5 point win bet at 20/1) can outrun his odds. His best form is on ground with some ease in it and he won easily at Chester last time out. That came on his first try over this distance and there is more improvement to come.

If the rain holds off until later in the afternoon, TRUE COURAGE (0.5 point win bet at 20/1) looks to have strong claims. Again, this will be a step up in class but he has won his last three races by a combined distance of around nine lengths and comes here in superb form. He is another that is already proven over the trip having won with plenty in hand at Yarmouth 45 days ago.

15:35 – 1m6f Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Class 2)  

FUJAIRA PRINCE (NAP – 1 point win bet at 12/1) will have to defy a weight of 10-0 to repeat last year’s victory in the race, but his official rating of 114 is as a result of some excellent performances in a higher grade. Since winning here a year ago, Roger Varian’s classy seven-year-old has run just three times and been placed on each occasion. The first of those saw him finish second in a Group 1 contest before ending the season with a third in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on Champions Day. He returned to action with another third in the Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes over this course and distance, and that should have put him spot on for this drop back into handicap company. He seems to love it here at York and any easing of the ground between now and the start of the race will be in his favour.

Again, I’m also picking out two others that I think can run big races. The William Haggas-trained ILARAAB (0.5 point win bet at 12/1) won six consecutive races, including twice here at York, before finishing down the field in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. He is back into handicap company today, should relish the return to York and is well worth a try over this 1m6f trip given his pedigree and how well he finished his races over shorter.

At the opposite end of the weights, one of the Irish challengers SHANROE (0.5 point win bet at 20/1) will sneak in off just 9-1. A dual winner over hurdles, this seven-year-old is 3-5 on the Flat and beat the classy Pondus over 1m

17:20 – 5f Sky Bet Apprentice Handicap (Class 2)  

John Quinn’s No Nay Never filly, MISS NAY NEVER (0.5 point win bet at 14/1), cost £140,000 as a yearling and is related to some smart performers. She is out of a Listed winning mare and made her second career start in that grade, showing that connections rate her highly. After a fine juvenile campaign that saw her make the frame in all but one of her nine starts, she has recorded two wins and a close third from her four outings this year. She is yet to win on turf but has posted some good efforts in defeat and comes here after being pulled out twice in the last week due to quick ground. With persistent rain set to fall later in the afternoon, she should finally get to take her chance today.