Who To Follow On Day Three Of The Ebor Meeting

One of the feature races of the third day at York is the Group Two Lonsdale Cup over two miles and we can't get away from the favourite Stradivarius.

The seven year old has been the poster boy for the UK staying division for the last four seasons landing 10 races in a row including winning a Weatherbys-sponsored £1million bonus in the last two seasons after landing the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup at York.

As mentioned, Stradivarius lost his unbeaten record that stretched back to May 2018, when being pipped in a photo finish on Champions Day 2019 in the Long Distance Cup.He came back last season and had a prep run in the Group One Coronation Cup where he ran to a good standard finishing third and gave him the run he needed to go and win a third straight renewal of this event.

After joining the likes of Double Trigger and Yeats after landing the Gold Cup, he headed to Glorious Goodwood seeking a fourth win in the Goodwood Cup, which he went on to win.

He was dropped in trip after that in prep for the Arc, where the race did not suit him and that seemed to really mess him about with him only beating one home in the Long Distance Cup.

The mighty veteran came back this season for the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and was a superb winner of the event over two miles.

It set him up perfectly for a crack at his fourth straight victory in the Ascot Gold Cup at the royal meeting but unfortunately it was not to be with him being left far too much to do when turning for home.

He was beaten by Subjectivist who is now out for the season and having skipped the Goodwood Cup he should be the freshest horse heading to post.

Andrew Balding has been in superb form this season and he has some big chances on Friday to keep that good run going, having also already had winners on the Knavesmire this week.

One of his best chances of the day comes from Berkshire Shadow in the Gimcrack going back down in trip to his preferred six furlongs.

Other nice shouts for the handler include Johnny Drama in the first, Spanish Mission in the Lonsdale Cup, Hoo Ya Mai in the Maiden and Achelois in the Fillies Handicap.

Balding over the last two weeks has managed to land 11 winners from 49 runners which sees him pose a 22% strike rate.

It could be Frankie's day on Friday at York with some superb rides on favourites in the big races across the day and for that reason he is our jockey to follow.

His big ride of the day comes on Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup having landed the event before with the horse and with the ground coming for him he has to have a leading chance.

Another of Dettori's rides that will enjoy the quick ground is the American raider Golden Pal, who is the current fav for the Nunthorpe Stakes.

The Italian heads in the meeting in emphatic form landing three winners from his last 12 rides over the last two weeks and that sees him have a 25% strike rate.