Today's York Tips: Busker can hit the right note

Nick Seddon runs through the card on Day Two of this year's York Ebor Festival, and picks out his best bet in every race...

13:45 - Sky Bet Lowther Stakes

The first race on Thursday's card is a Group 2 contest for two-year-old fillies over six furlongs, and it's difficult to look past Sacred, who was an excellent second in the Queen Mary Stakes on her most recent appearance at Ascot in June. That form is working out well, with a host of subsequent winners finishing behind her that day, and having been allowed time to freshen up, she can take the extra furlong in her stride and come out on top. Santosha defeated Hala Hala Hala when winning a Group 3 contest at Ascot last month and both are respected, while Noorban won despite doing plenty wrong on debut at Beverley and could offer some value at a double figure price. 

14:15 - Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes

Next up is a 22-runner two-year-old contest over six furlongs, one which was won in remarkable fashion by Mums Tipple 12 months ago. It's difficult to look past Devious Company, who sets a clear standard on the back of back-to-back efforts to finish second in Group 2 company. He was comfortably second best behind the potentially high-class Battleground in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last time, and able to race off level weights here, he can prove himself a cut above this level and land a large pot. Happy Romance is respected after winning the Super Sprint at Newmarket last month, while Uncle Jumbo is related to the smart Major Jumbo and looked useful when winning on debut at Doncaster in June.

14:45 - Clipper Logistics Handicap

We've another big-field handicap for race three, and the unbeaten four-year-old Top Rank heads the market having won each of his four starts to date. The latest of those came in really good style on reappearance at Thirsk last month, when bounding clear to score by four and a quarter lengths, though he's been hiked up a further 12 lb for that and he's short enough in the betting bearing in mind that he'll need a career best up in class here. Montaham took the scalp of the smart Dark Vision at Sandown last month, form which has been boosted since, and he's a big threat off 4 lb higher, while Prompting landed a gamble in fine style at Goodwood last time and could yet find more under a penalty.

Sir Busker was in-behind Prompting that day, and while he was ultimately well beaten, it was hard to ignore the fact that he was travelling well when meeting traffic issues. He was a highly progressive type prior to that - winning a valuable handicap at Royal Ascot - and with a strong pace to aim at here, he can prove his current mark of 107 to be within reach with Oisin Murphy booked to ride. 

15:15 - Yorkshire Oaks

It's disappointing that Enable has swerved this race in favour of next month's September Stakes at Kempton, and in her absence it's very difficult to see anything other than a routine win for Love. She's been simply  brilliant in recording back-to-back classic wins so far this season, and it's impossible to oppose her provided she's in the same mood, with the form of her Epsom Oaks success setting an unassailable standard. She can win this on route to a tilt at the Arc, and more interesting is the race for second, which can go to the improving One Voice. She ran Fancy Blue close in last month's Nassau Stakes, doing nothing wrong on the day, and she can finish best of the rest. 

15:45 - Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes

An intriguing listed contest that was won by the very smart Lah Ti Dar two years ago. There are some nicely-bred types in here this year, too, including the current market leader Sea Of Faith, who's a full-sister to Raheen House. She bounded clear  when scoring at Salisbury last time and is respected up in class, while Vivionn was progressive last summer and will strip fitter here after recording a solid third-placed effort at Haydock in June.

Lady G is still a maiden after three starts, but was an  excellent second at this level at Newbury last time and can't be ruled out, but it looks worth siding with Gold Wand. She was flying too high in the Epsom Oaks in July, but she was an excellent second behind Franconia at this level here last time out. That rival takes her chance in today's feature, and with the extra two furlongs or so unlikely to hold any fears, Gold Wand can build on that effort by going one place better this time around. 

16:20 - Sky Bet EBF Stallions Nursery Handicap

Our penultimate race is a nursery over seven furlongs, which looks particularly wide-open. Mayaas has an eye-catching pedigree as a half-brother to the useful pair or Star Terms and Fresh Terms, and he's shown ability on both of his starts so far. He'll likely take another step forward here having got the hang of things late on at Ascot last time and is respected, while Bonnyrigg got off the mark at the second attempt at Newmarket in June and should be suited by the extra furlong here. 

Rhoscolyn is another last-time-out winner who commands respect, but it could be worth siding with Mark Of The Man - who's about 8/1 at the time of writing. He clicked into place at the third attempt at Chepstow in June, and took a notable step forward from that when bounding clear on nursery debut at Goodwood last month. An 8 lb rise could be within his grasp judged on the authority of that display, and he deserves plenty of respect in his hat-trick bid.

16:50 - British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Handicap

We close the card with an 11-runner fillies' handicap over seven furlongs, and it's difficult to look past Lawahed. She built on two promising runs at Newmarket to get off the mark in really good style over this trip at Haydock last month, quickly putting matters to bed. Her opening mark of 85 looks more than fair when you bear in mind she's related to multiple winners, and with more to come from her yet, she's taken to make a winning handicap debut.

Anna Nerium has a tough task conceding heaps of weight at the other end of the scale, but couldn't be discounted if producing her best form after a solid reappearance, while Dancing Vega returned to form over course and distance last time out and is a danger if building on that.