Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Day 3 of the 2024 York Ebor Festival.
2024 York Ebor Festival – Day 3
Race 1 No13 WAFEI (Each Way)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Three-year-olds are outnumbered in the opening Class2 but WAFEI can ensure the younger brigade prove dominant. William Haggas’s gelding is likely to head the market in receipt of upwards of 4lbs from his dozen rivals, having broken his maiden by a near double figure margin before finding only Assailant his superior on handicap debut at Goodwood. He’s up a run on the class ladder, but with a horse of his ilk, you need to be mindful that his trainer is mustard with his challengers for the big handicaps at this track. It must be short odds that either WAFEI or one of the other two three-year-olds scoop the pot. MR MONACO has progressed for Ralph Beckett this season, tendering his best effort with a wide-margin conversion at Sandown. On breeding, he’s likely to enjoy this step up to a mile and a half. GREY CUBAN attempts to complete a hat-trick after being similarly impressive for Hugo Palmer at Chester, but confidence is tempered by the fact his stable has been quiet in recent weeks. Of the older brigade, INSANITY is one to have on your side. He’s two from three for Alan King this season, and though having risen in the weights needs respecting.
Prediction: 1st WAFEI, 2nd Mr Monaco, 3rd Insanity, 4th Grey Cuban
Race 2 WEATHERBYS HAMILTON LONSDALE CUP (Group 2)
No7 VAUBAN (Each Way)
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: William Buick
Several of these have crossed swords at various points of the season, making the big staying race of the week a tricky puzzle to unravel. GREGORY failed to menace in the Gold Cup but bounced back with a solid earning run at Goodwood. Last year’s Queen’s Vase winner is likely to be ridden handy. POINT LONSDALE represents an organisation that has been near unstoppable this week, and after a gritty triumph at Chester ran well to claim a cheque in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. He’s not bred to appreciate the step up to two miles, but his style of racing suggests he will enjoy it. Stablemates ALSAKIB and NIGHT SPARKLE have claims to get involved but may contend for minor money, leaving VAUBAN as my idea of the winner. Along with QUICKTHORN, he has good form at this course, but while the former has looked out of sorts this year, the selection was placed in the Yorkshire Cup and the Gold Cup before an underwhelming run at the Curragh from which he can bounce back.
Prediction: 1st VAUBAN, 2nd Point Lonsdale, 3rd Gregory, 4th Quickthorn
Race 3 AS BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI GIMCRACK STAKES (Group 2)
No8 SHADOW OF LIGHT
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
THE STRIKING VIKING brings strong form to the table in this historic race after near-misses at the Curragh and Goodwood. He deserves to bag a decent pot and should finish on the premises although the North field a powerful twin-pronged challenge via ANDESITE and BIG MOJO. Andesite made a good start when inching home over today’s course and distance and has scope for abundant progression, while Big Mojo took out the Molecomb Stakes in taking style, but over five furlongs. With an unbeaten record SHADOW OF LIGHT could be the answer. He’s started odds-on for his triumphs at Yarmouth and Newmarket, and though stepping up the class ladder is out of Godolphin’s upper echelon of juveniles and can complete a fine hat-trick for the Appleby/Buick combination.
Race 4 COOLMORE WOOTTON BASSETT NUNTHORPE STAKES (Group 1)
No5 REGIONAL [SCRATCHED] (Each Way)
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
BIG EVS picked up from where he left off in 2023 when taking out a Listed race over course and distance at the May meeting before finishing third to ASFOORA in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot and turning the tables with that Australian-trained filly in the King George Stakes at Goodwood. A winner of six of his nine starts, the Blue Point colt sets a high bar for the others to aim at and will have his stall set out to take no prisoners. ASFOORA couldn’t quite get to grips with her younger foe at Goodwood but might be better suited by this more conventional track, which is slightly downhill. BELIEVING has moved into the big time with her Group 2 success at the Curragh and close third in the Molecomb, and if in similar form should get into the shake-up. Although he has a bit to find on the book, the value in Hollywoodbets list on the prize is REGIONAL. Since winning a Class2 handicap here at the start of 2023 the now six-year-old hasn’t stopped progressing. He was only a length behind Asfoora at Ascot and probably did too much too soon in a Newbury Group 3 last time. Back at five furlongs, he can raise his game to give his popular trainer a biggest career success.
Prediction: 1st REGIONAL, 2nd Asfoora, 3rd Big Evs, 4th Believing
Race 5 No11 POWER OF DESTINY
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
POWER OF DESTINY has fewer racing miles on her clock than many in this field of distaffers and can continue her sequence of never having finished out of the frame. The daughter of Sea The Stars was running in a handicap for the first time when her late bid under Murphy fell just a head short against AL ANOUD at Goodwood, and on revised terms, she can take her revenge. Another with strong claims for a podium finish is the equally inexperienced CHORUS who will be buoyed by her first career win at Windsor and is the type her trainer excels with.
Race 6 No12 REALIGN (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: James Doyle
From a very fast family, REALIGN chased home Shadow Of Light on an encouraging introduction on the July course. The way he finished off the race suggests stretching out to 1400 metres will not prove a problem, while would-be backers of the colt will get a line into his chances when his conqueror runs in the Gimcrack. ANGELO BUONARROTI will take out a chunk of the handle on the race through home reputation on debut for Ralph Beckett, but if running as well as he’s been working should be involved.
Race 7 No5 MOUNT TEIDE (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
One I’m looking forward to backing is MOUNT TEIDE, who put in a controlled display of front running to score in tidy fashion at Newmarket. He was backed off the boards that day, and made up for a costly defeat on handicap debut at Sandown when the money was also down, but went west. Representing a relatively new and important owner at Park House Stables, he’s well drawn to enjoy a handy sit, of which he can counter at the business end. For exotic wagering, I shall add Goodwood scorer BLUE PRINCE, DOSMAN and the very interesting top weight GOLDEN MIND into calculations.
Prediction: 1st MOUNT TEIDE, 2nd Dosman, 3rd Golden Mind, 4th Blue Prince
