Day Four York Ebor Meeting Preview 2023

The first race of the afternoon from York on Saturday is the Group Three Strensall Stakes over 1m1f and we are giving another chance to Nostrum who should be a class above these.

A winner on his first start over 7f at Sandown when bolting up by close to four lengths on debut, he was then saved for the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket and in a talented four runner affair he showed a great turn of pace to win easily in the end.

Although a fairly quick turn his last run as a juvenile came in the Group Dewhurst Stakes and he ran to a credible level once more to finish a good third behind 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and the talented Royal Scotsman.

Starting this season a bit later than was expected he was unleashed by Sir Michael Stoute at Newmarket’s July meeting when landing the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes in emphatic fashion.

Last seen at Glorious Goodwood when going from the front and being collared late back in second by Epictetus dropping in trip, it seemed that soft ground went against him at the point at where he normally finds another gear.

There is rain in the air but the conditions will be nowhere near as testing as his last run and at 6/4 he looks a good price in a fairly weak race.

One of the best handicaps of the meeting is the 1m6f Sky Bet Melrose Handicap over 1m6f and Alhambra Palace is a fascinating runner for William Haggas.

A horse that does seem to need cut in the ground but with some rain in the air he might just get that and off his current mark he is extremely well handicapped.

Needing his first run of the season at Carlisle over 9f, he was a very unlucky loser next time out on handicap debut at Leicester on good to firm ground when having to come from the rear and only went down by 1/2 a length.

He again should of got off the mark at Epsom next time out when stepped up to 1m4f finishing back in second but since then has landed two good events.

Sent to Ascot on good to soft ground off a mark of 67 he went on to bolt up by close to five lengths and then when last seen over the Melrose trip at Sandown, he again went on to win going away off 5lb higher in heavy ground.

Up to a mark of 79 for this event but with Adam Farragher taking off a valuable 3lb, he effectively races off only 4lb higher than his last win and off bottom weight has to be of some interest at an each way price.

One of the better races on the York card on Saturday is the Group Two Sky Bet City Of York Stakes over 7f and Kinross is looking to land this race for a second year on the spin.

A horse that has been superb for connections especially last season, really kicking off his good run of form in this race last year when finishing a neck second to Sandrine.

Sent to York next time out he got off the mark for the season when landing this event in good style in very similar conditions to Saturday.

He made it back to back successes at Doncaster when landing the Group Two Park Stakes on soft ground and then bought up the hat-trick when landing the Group One Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp.

He couldn't stop his good run of form when bringing up the four timer at Ascot in the Group One Champions Sprint Stakes and he rounded out the season at Keeneland when stepping up to a mile and finishing a close third behind multiple Group One winner Modern Games.

Seen twice this term he started his season off at Royal Ascot in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes when not getting the run of the race but he bounced back to form last time out when finishing a good third at Newmarket in the Group One July Cup.

Dropping in grade and getting back to softer conditions over his preferred 7f last time out at Goodwood in the Group Two Lennox Stakes he got back to winning ways in fine style.

Having won this race last year and heading into the event off the back of getting back to form, he looks tough to beat.

The race of the week is the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap over 1m6f and we have picked out two runners that should go close.

The first is the John & Thady Gosden trained Sweet William who has been bought along superbly this season with this race in mind and off a mark of 99, still does not seem to be at the limit of his capabilities.

Second on his first two starts as a juvenile last term when running over 1m4f at Kempton and Ascot and on both occasions went down by less than half a length.

Those runs gave him perfect experience for his three year old campaign and he started this term off at Southwell when second for a third straight time, bumping into Queen's Vase second Saint George for Andrew Balding, again going down by just half a length.

Next seen at Kempton and getting off the mark in impressive fashion, he then stepped up in trip by just over half a mile and being a half brother to thorough stayers including Group One winner Hurricane Lane he revelled in the distance to land a Class 2 Handicap easily by three lengths.

Up 7lbs to a mark of 95 when last seen at Goodwood in the 1m6f Coral Summer Handicap he handled the heavy ground superbly to take the race by just under three lengths going away.

Only upped 4lb for that win, he still does not look to be in the grasp of the handicapper and has been laid out for this race.

One at a slightly bigger price who also makes big appeal is the Sir Michael Stoute trained Real Dream who revelled in the step up in trip to 1m6f last time out.

A winner on his final start as a three year old last term when having his first try at 1m4f and going on to land a good maiden at Doncaster.

Back this season making his handicap debut at Kempton in May over 1m4f he was a well backed winner off a mark of 86 and he was then seen over the same trip at York in the Race To Ebor Jorvik Handicap off 91 and finished a flying home third, going down by a length to the progressive Scampi.

Looking to want the Ebor trip he got that when last seen at Ascot in July when bolting up on good to soft ground off the same mark by just over four lengths and although 8lb higher here he looks a horse on the improve, being unexposed at this trip.

A tricky handicap at York on Saturday is the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap and we have picked out two sprinters that can outrun their odds.

A winner on seasonal debut last season in a Class 2 Handicap off a mark of 98, she then ran no race when upped to Listed level at Newmarket and Haydock but got back to form next time in a Handicap off a mark of 99.

Sent into a Group Three at York she was a good third behind smart sprinter Flotus and then over the same course and distance landed the Sky Bet Dash Handicap off a mark of 104.

Seen next at Pontefract she was a good second in the Listed Flying Fillies' Stakes, but back at York in September got back to winning ways in a good Listed event, bolting up on this occasion.

In a rich vein of form she made it two wins on the bounce at Ayr in the Scottish Sprint Stakes off a mark of 107.

Finishing out the season at Ascot when running no race in the Group Three Bengough Stakes and then fourth in a Listed event at Newmarket behind some of her rivals on Saturday.

Normally having a good record fresh, it took her until getting back to York on her third start this term to show her best form when finishing a length back in third behind Swingalong and Royal Aclaim in the Group Three Summer Stakes.

Last seen six days ago at Pontefract in the Listed Flying Fillies' Stakes over 6f, she ran a fair race back in fourth.

Dropping down the handicap this season she heads back into a Handicap off a dropping mark of 102 and getting back to York where she has form figures of 33113 during her career over C&D, she could go well.

At a bigger price is the slightly frustrating Mums Tipple who getting back to quicker ground could outrun her odds of 20/1.

A horse that has been up and down throughout his career, really exploding onto the scene when bolting up at this meeting in 2019 when winning the Premier Yearling Stakes over course and distance by 11 lengths.

Since then his career has been hit and miss always winning races but then throwing in a number of bad runs in the process, staying in the low 100 mark to high 90s.

This term has been no different when winning at Chelmsford in March off a mark of 102 over 7f but when bumped up to marks of 105 and 106 started to struggle again.

Dropping back to a mark of 100 two starts ago at Royal Ascot in the Wokingham Stakes returning to rapid ground, he ran an absolute stormer to finish just over a length back in fourth behind the likes of Saint Lawrence and Apollo One who have both ran well in better races since.

His last run at Goodwood in the Stewards' Cup has to be dismissed with the ground basically unraceable and now getting back to quicker conditions off a 1lb lower mark than his last win in March, he could go close.

The penultimate race of the afternoon of York's Ebor meeting is the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes over 5f and again we have fired two bullets at this event.

The first is the Richard Hannon trained Baheer who we hope getting back to quicker ground can show his true ability.

A well bred son of Mehmas on both his starts to date one thing he doesn’t lack is pace, finishing a good second on debut when chasing home a shock 150/1 winner but when seen again last time out at Newbury over the same C&D as his debut, he had improved massively for his first run as he went on to score in taking style to break his Maiden tag.

Last seen when dropped down to 5f in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and having ran well the soft ground went against him.

Returning to quicker conditions he can show his true potential.

At a bigger price and a very interesting runner for trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy is Inquisitively who has done very little wrong in his two starts to date without winning.

Making his debut over 6f at Windsor in good to firm ground when finishing less than a length behind the talented Chief Mankato for Charles Hills.

Dropped to 5f when last seen at Royal Ascot in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, she was a fast finishing second behind the talented Big Evs, who has since franked that form when taking the Group Three Molecomb Stakes.

Looking fresher than a lot of horses in the field having not been seen since that run, he can go close again at an each way price.

The final event of the afternoon is the Sky Bet Finale Handicap and we are taking a chance on two horses at the same price of 11/1.

The first is the William Haggas trained Gaassee who is on a bit of mission to return to his best form but last time out showed that he could well be.

As a three year old he notched up a hat-trick of wins at Newcastle and Kempton between 1m2f and 1m4f showing that he was a very smart prospect.

Returning as a four year old last term he made it four wins on the bounce at York over 1m4f off a mark of 94 when landing the Race To Ebor Jorvik Stakes by a length.

Seen twice more that season he was upped to a mark of 101 when a good third in the Old Newton Cup but when stepped up to 1m6f in the Ebor last year ran no race at all finishing lame.

Given a gelding operation ahead of this season he needed his first two runs at Newbury in the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes and when upped to 1m6f at Ascot in the Copper Horse Handicap at the Royal meeting.

However, he has been much more like himself when dropped to a mark of 99 and back into a handicap when a close fourth of 13 in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock.

Last seen at Ascot in a good Class 2 Handicap off 100, he travelled into the race like a dream but could not find the desired finish to finish fourth once more.

The trainer has decided to drop him back in trip off the back of that race and it looks ideal and off a mark of 99 can go close at a track he has won at before.

The John & Thady Gosden trained Obelix is a very interesting runner for the top yard and off a mark of 96 might still be under his handicap ceiling.

Second on his first two juvenile starts but burst into life in his final start as a two year old when bolting up over a mile at Newcastle by 7.5 lengths.

Ran at Newcastle again on seasonal debut over the same C&D in the Listed Burradon Stakes he ran no race and was given a gelding operation off the back of it having been very keen.

Ran at Royal Ascot in the Golden Gates Stakes Handicap he never got involved, but put that right when last seen at Newmarket when finishing a close second in a competitive Class 2 Handicap off a mark of 93.

Upped 3lb for that win but looking a more mature horse for that gelding operation, he could go close here.