Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It is the wonderful York Ebor meeting this week culminating in the Ebor Handicap itself on Saturday. ITV are covering five races from the Knavesmire and along with the Ebor, there are a couple of other cracking handicaps and a pair of stakes races.
The York meeting is backed up by a pair of Group 3 contests from Sandown one of which features some of the best 2-year-olds of their generation and Charlie Appleby’s Naval Power is set to strut his stuff. All in all, a wonderful afternoon’s racing. With these seven races to look forward to, I have picked out my four with the best value for this week’s Lucky Fifteen and here are my thoughts.
Saturday York Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Nusret
3.00 Al Suhail
3.35 Enemy
4.10 Summerghand
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
At York the 2.25 is the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap for 3-year-olds run over 1m 6f. Charlie Appleby has the top weight here with Wild Crusader whose only defeat this year came here at York in May. His latest victory was at Ascot last month and he could one day move to Group company but he has too much weight here.
David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister is unbeaten in his last five starts and stepped up massively in class last time at Goodwood. This is a step up once again and that may be too much to ask. Roger Varian’s Aimeric won a maiden at Chester last time but I don’t really rate the Roodee form and he is best watched here.
Similarly, with Andrew Balding’s Soul Stopper who won a Class 3 handicap at Chester last month adding to a Class 4 victory at Salisbury the previous month, this is a step up.
I like Joseph O’Brien’s Nusret who had run consistently well without winning until finally getting his head in front in a maiden at the Curragh. He can continue his winning ways here.
The 3.00 is the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes, a Group 2 contest over 7 furlongs. William Haggas has Sacred in the lineup who disappointed at Goodwood last month after being tried in Group 1 company, this is another tough ask.
The winner of that Goodwood race was Andrew Balding’s Sandrine who has been brought back to this company after being tried in Group 1’s. She beat Kinross and Pogo as well as Sacred last month and is expected to frank that form and go close.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Jumby won at Newbury last week which was a drastic improvement over her previous run at Ascot last month but this race may come rather too soon.
David Evans’s Rohaan was fourth in Class 1 in France earlier this month but he looks more suited to Ascot than York.
Tim Easterby’s Art Power steps up in trip after contesting Group 1 6furlong races last year. He can go well at this new distance.
But my preference is for Charlie Appleby’s Al Suhail who is a real 7f specialist. He has wintered in Dubai and had one run out there. This is his first run back in the UK since winning at Newmarket last October. He has won on good to firm so the ground will be no problem for this classy contestant.
The big betting race of the day, the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap is at 3.35 and once again this 1m 6f has drawn a top-class lineup. Joint top weight is David O’Meara’s Get Shirty who has run up four victories at 1m 4f this season. The step up in trip should not be a problem but the weight may be.
The other top weight is Ian Williams’s Enemy who won at Musselburgh in April. His last run in a 2-mile Group 1 at Goodwood can be discounted but his two prior runs in Group 3’s have been good efforts. He will appreciate this drop back to handicap company.
John and Thady Gosden run Trawlerman who won last month at Goodwood but he has a 4lb penalty for that win.
There are several Irish raiders the best of which could be Pat Twomey’s Earl Of Tyrone who rattled up three quick victories earlier this season. He has not raced since June and could be primed for this.
Ian Williams’s Alfred Boucher won comfortably on Wednesday here at York and while this race may come too soon for this classy two-miler, I will go for his stablemate, Enemy, to complete a great double for Williams.
As an each-way bet bottom weight Valley Forge may be worth a small investment, he can be placed at a nice price.
At 4.10 it is another fine handicap, the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap run over the fast 6 furlongs. The star sprinters come to the fore here and heading the weights is Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls who was a winner at Goodwood last month beating several of the rivals he meets here but he has headed up the weights and that could be a problem.
Archie Watson’s Tabdeed was second that day as is 1lb better off with the winner for a short head. Perhaps it may be enough to overhaul Commanche Falls but it may not be enough to take this race.
Mr Wagyu from John Quinn’s stable is another classy sprinter but he is another with a lot of weight.
Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi has had a great season winning four times, the last twice at Newmarket but he’s meeting some top class adversaries here.
One of those is David O’Meara’s Summerghand who came from a terrible draw at Ripon last week to finish fourth. He can bounce back to take this. Also, a big outsider worth an e/w bet is his stablemate Gulliver who is used to racing in this company.
Saturday York Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Nusret
3.00 Al Suhail
3.35 Enemy
4.10 Summerghand
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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