YORK DAY FOUR: EBOR FESTIVAL PICKS & FREE BETTING PREVIEW. We landed a cracking 9/1 winner with Al Nayyir yesterday, so hopefully a few of you were on board to cash in. That makes it three profitable days on the spin at Knavesmire. Before we turn our attention back to the football and WTA action on the main site, let’s wrap up the Ebor Festival with picks for the opening three races.
YORK DAY FOUR: EBOR FESTIVAL PICKS & FREE BETTING PREVIEW
13:50 — HANKELOW (13/2)
On his last visit here, Damysus was disappointing when finishing third of five behind Item. While some are arguing that the trip was too far that day, I’m not buying it. In my book, the John & Thady Gosden-trained 4-year-old is simply operating below his best right now and has plenty to prove. Navigating 9 furlongs on easier ground offers positives, but he certainly shouldn’t be heading the market.
Grey colt Geryon continues to progress, and conditions will certainly play into the 3-year-old’s hands. However, it is hard to picture him coming out on top here, and he looks far too short in the betting as well.
Persica is a classy animal on his day, and if everything falls into place, he poses a major threat to the field. All the same, preference is for the lightly raced Hankelow, who can easily be forgiven his effort in the French Derby. Prior to that, Karl Burke’s son of Night Of Thunder ran an excellent third behind Rayif at Longchamp. He clearly appreciates getting his toe into the ground, and this race should be run at a tempo that suits him down to the ground.
14:25 — INFRAAD (7/2 Exchanges)
Sharkheyboy represents the Willie Mullins yard. The maestro trainer has booked Saffie Osborne for the lightly raced gelding, who looks primed to step up on current form over this longer distance. At 10/1, he is far from a foolish bet, though a couple of others appeal more.
Limestone will appreciate dropping back in class, and a handicap mark of 105 looks fair on what he has shown so far. He deserves serious consideration for the shortlist, as does the improving Mythical Bay. Andrew Balding’s gelding arrives on a hat-trick after winning his last two starts, and he almost certainly has more to give despite stepping up in grade.
However, the winner looks to be Infraad. The son of Ghaiyyath took a major step forward when stepping up in trip at Goodwood last time, outbattling Hateen by a head with a further 4.25 lengths back to the third. Extra distance and proper ease in the ground are massive positives for William Haggas’ colt—let’s get stuck in!
15:00 — ZAVATERI (13/2)
There is a very good chance that Lake Forest is actually better suited by this 7-furlong trip than the mile he tackled last time out, and he should prove competitive for a place.
Although Notable Speech stands out as the top-rated runner in the lineup, I am keen to take him on. He was well beaten last time out by Ten Bob Tony, and on the evidence of that run, it is difficult to see the Godolphin 5-year-old reversing the form. As for Ten Bob Tony himself, he belongs in every Placepot and exotic bet. He is tough as boots, and dropping back in distance will help him settle much better in the early stages.
The main bet is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Zavateri. The 3-year-old will much prefer today’s good-to-soft surface over the faster ground he encountered at Goodwood. Despite the conditions that day, his unlucky-in-running fifth of 12 behind Bow Echo was a superb effort. Racing on this far more orthodox, sweeping track should eliminate those traffic problems and give him every chance to deliver.
