The middle of August can mean only one thing in horse racing and that is an extravaganza over four days at York.
Quality oozes out of each contest and everything builds towards the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, one of the most historic races in the calendar, on Saturday – and our top team are back with their best selections for the meeting.
If you followed ED CHAMBERLIN, DOMINIC KING and STEVE RYDER during the Qatar Goodwood Festival, you will have seen a number of their selections obliging. Let’s see if they can repeat the feat.
NAPS
CHAMBERLIN: Only one place to start – I’m taking on Los Angeles in the Great Voltiguer with KING’S GAMBIT (Wednesday, 3pm).
I love this horse and if he galloped over a cliff, I would follow him. He won the London Gold Cup at Newbury in May, should have won at Royal Ascot in June and was unlucky at York in July. He deserves this one.
The middle of August means only one thing in horse racing… a four-day extravaganza in York
Dominic King is tipping Big Evs for more success after his triumph at Goodwood this month
KING: Well, I’m not deserting an old friend. BIG EVS (Friday, 3.35pm) did me a favour at Goodwood, as readers will know.
Ed Chamberlin is taking on Los Angeles with King’s Gambit in the Great Voltiguer Stakes
CHAMBERLIN: You don’t like to talk about your success, do you?
KING: No, I’m very modest. But let me finish… He left scorch marks on the track the last time he ran at York in May and he can do the same again in the Nunthorpe on Friday.
Asfoora and Bradsell will snap away at his heels but Big Evs has got the heart of lion and will put his head down when it matters.
RYDER: I’m hoping that’s exactly what SEA JUST IN TIME (Thursday, 4.10pm) will do in the Galtres Stakes on Thursday.
Her connections won this race last year and her trainer, William Haggas, could not be in better form. He loves to target this meeting and she enjoyed a confidence boosting win at Kempton last time.
NEXT BEST
CHAMBERLIN: I’m prepared to wait for The Ebor (Saturday, 3.35pm) and hope I’m rewarded with EPIC POET.
He’s been quietly backed since the start of the week into around 9/1 and there are few better than David O’Meara to prepare one for a handicap.
He ran an eye-catching race in the John Smith’s Cup last month and can strike her.
KING: I’m prepared to wait for the weekend, too. I really like the look of ALIGN THE STARS in the Melrose Handicap (Saturday, 2.25pm) , the Ebor for three-year-olds.
Joe Fanning rides atop Align The Stars on the way to triumphing on day five at Goodwood
I loved how he kept sticking his neck out at Goodwood and if he’s going to run in the St Leger, as connections think he can, he’d want to be winning this.
RYDER: I know you love Big Evs, Dom, but I think he’s vulnerable. STARLUST (Friday, 3.35pm) is my idea of there Nunthorpe winner.
He’s won both his starts over this fast, five furlongs this season and Ralph Beckett’s horses are running to a consistent high standard. What’s not to like?
BEST LONGSHOT
KING: We should be listening to you after your heroics at Goodwood, shouldn’t we? What was it? Take Heart for Johnny Murtagh, 14/1 into 7/1?
CHAMBERLIN: I’m like you – modest to a fault! I’m placing my faith in ISRAR in the Juddmonte International (Wednesday, 3.35pm).
He looked a Group horse in a handicap at Royal Ascot when we last saw him. He can out run his 25/1 odds.
Port Fairy, ridden by jockey Ryan Moore, triumphed in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot in June
KING: I was going to put CALANDAGAN forward in the same race – he won’t be out of the first three – but I looked at PORT FAIRY in the Yorkshire Oaks (Thursday, 3.35pm) and couldn’t believe she was 20/1. She shouldn’t be that price.
RYDER: Best of luck with those, boys. I’m going to have a whirl with MAGICAL ZOE in the Ebor (Saturday, 3.35pm).
Henry de Bromhead is a man to watch closely when he targets a flat race. This mare has a lot of class – just like the festival.