York Ebor Day 4 Tips: Check out our best bets on Ebor Handicap day
We have reached the final day of the Ebor Festival at York, which takes place on Saturday afternoon, and our man Steve Chambers is here to pick out his best bets for what is another mouth-watering card, which sees the Ebor Handicap take centre stage at 15:35...
13:50 York - Sky Bet And Symphony Group Strensall Stakes
Fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Mighty Ulysses returned to winning ways with a Listed win at Newmarket last time out, and the three-year-old will attempt to build on that effort on Saturday and is a hot favourite for the Strensall Stakes, which kicks off Saturday's action at 13:50.
Undoubtedly, the John & Thady Gosden-trained raider, who will be in receipt of notable weight from his older rivals, will be tough to beat, but the William Haggas-trained BASHKIROVA showed when winning the Princess Elizabeth Stakes two starts ago that she can produce the goods at Group 3 level, and at 8/1 looks the value play here.
She failed to fire when fifth in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, but she's been given a notable break since then, so should be ready to fire on all cylinders here. Four wins from seven career races show how classy she is, and while she will need to give weight away to Mighty Ulysses she could just have the class to outclass that raider here.
#AD 18+ New UK customers only. Min £10 first deposit using Debit Card or Bank Transfer. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get a £10 Football Bet Builder token upon settlement. A £10 Multiple token, a £5 Horse Racing Multiple token and a £5 Football Bet Builder token will be credited after 24 hours. A further £10 Free Bet token will be credited 48 hours after the qualifying bet has been settled. Full T&Cs apply, GambleAware.org.
14:25 York - Sky Bet Melrose Handicap
Charlie Appleby's WILD CRUSADE has been a revelation this season winning three and finishing second in his other outing, and the Godolphin raider will aim to notch up a fabulous fourth win on Saturday in the hugely competitive Melrose Handicap at York, which takes place at 14:25.
A winner over a mile-and-a-half last time out at Ascot off a mark of 93, the Dubawi gelding got the better of his classy stablemate Warren Point, who has been held in high regard by the Appleby team and went on to win impressively next time out at Goodwood. So, while he's been given a notable 9lb hike by the handicapper for Saturday's contest, he looks more than capable of landing this prize off 102.
He will have to give the field at least 9lbs in this event, which will be a tough ask, as the likes of Soulcombe and Al Nafir look notable dangers, but Wild Crusade could turn out to be a potential Cup horse later in his career, and this could just be another stepping stone to the big time here.
#AD Place a £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. Once the bet is settled, get a £10 free fixed odds bet, a £5 free Total Goals football spread bet, a £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. The second £10 free fixed odds bet, £5 free Total Goals football spread bet, and £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet will be credited 24 hours later. 18+ only. Full Terms & Conditions apply. GambleAware.org
15:00 York - Sky Bet City Of York Stakes
A classy winner of the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last month, Andrew Balding's Sandrine will attempt to claim more Group success this weekend when she lines up in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes at 15:00. There's no doubting she was much the best on that day, but the William Haggas-trained SACRED disappointed when well fancied to land that Group 2 prize, and she can bounce back to form with aplomb here.
Currently, the 4/1 favourite, at the time of writing, the four-year-old filly Sacred was only able to finish fifth in the Lennox, but she was at her closest at the finish, and if she can be ridden forward on Saturday then that could be the key. She slightly dwelt at the start of that Lennox and was always playing catch-up, and never managed to get involved, so Tom Marquand will hope that she can break a little cleaner in the City Of York.
She showed she can sparkle at Group 2 level when she won the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last season, and having finished second in the Lowther Stakes as a juvenile she has shown she can perform to a high level at York, and if she can produce her A game then she should be extremely tough to beat.
15:35 York - Sky Bet Ebor Handicap
Paddy Twomey's Earl Of Tyrone has been a winning machine this season and the Irish raider will look to land the four-timer in Saturday's Ebor Handicap at York, and he will head the betting for the valuable staying handicap prize. Joseph O'Brien's Okita Soushi is another leading contender travelling over from the Emerald Isle, but the prize can remain in Britain and go to William Haggas, who can claim his first win in the race.
Four-year-old CANDLEFORD produced one of the finest displays at Royal Ascot back in June, as he rocketed to a six length victory in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes handicap beating Ajero, who has since come out and won at Glorious Goodwood to give the form a significant boost.
Available at 14/1, the Haggas-trained raider then failed to follow up after a monstrous 13lbs rise saw him only finish eighth at Newmarket in a competitive handicap contest. That was his first try over 1m 6f, so he should improve for that outing, however, and if he can recapture that Ascot form then he has to be a lively each-way contender. He found himself in the rear at Newmarket that day, so he may hold a more prominent position in the Ebor, and if he does then he could run a huge race an eye-catching odds.