Who’ll win at York Races? Tips for the Ebor Festival 2018, Day 4

Sat 25 Aug

Sat 25 Aug 2018  @ 10:46am
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From August 24, 2018 9.16 am

Who’ll win at York Races? Tips for the Ebor Festival 2018, Day 3

The tipsters’ table, York Races, Friday, August 24, 2018

It was a game of two halves for punters at Knavesmire on Day Two of the Ebor meeting.

Three hot favourites obliged and three outsiders triumphed (at 14/1, 20/1 and 33/1).

But the one result that overshadowed all others was Frankie Dettori’s enterprising front-running ride on Poet’s Society (20/1) in the Clipper Logistics, bringing Middleham trainer Mark Johnston his 4,194th winner – the record for any British trainer.

York puts on the style for a record-breaking Ladies Day

Since his first York victory in 1991, Knavesmire has been a happy hunting ground for the affable Scot.

Today he saddles just two unfancied horses (Caplin in the 4.15 maiden race, and Aquarium in the last race Handicap), and one with a real chance, Sky Defender, also in the 4.15. So we might not have to wait too long to see him add to his record-breaking tally.

Meanwhile, YorkMix’s resident tipster Dick Turpin has been studying the form to bring you these suggestions.

Stradivarius (in the 2.25 Lonsdale Cup Stakes) and Battaash (in the mad five-furlong dash that is the Nunthorpe Stakes at 3.35) both look nailed on to triumph at short odds, writes tipster Turpin.

As ever, I am looking for the value bets of the day, and these appear to come with Space Traveller in the Gimcrack (3.00), and Mark Johnston’s Sky Defender in the Convivial Maiden Stakes (4.15).

Space Traveller, with Daniel Tudhope aboard, is the pick, following two impressive runs, winning at Doncaster and Hamilton (over five furlongs and an extended six-furlongs). This smart two-year-old with breeding links to Derby-winner Galileo is likely to develop into a strong middle-distance performer. Today should be one more stepping stone on that journey.

Sky Defender (4.15) will have come on hugely for his debut second place at Goodwood, and has the beating of likely rivals Beat Le Bon and Commanding Officer.

Turpin’s tips

It’s day two of the epic Ebor Festival.

Our tipster Dick Turpin couldn’t find a winner yesterday, but he still managed to walk away from Knavesmire slightly ahead of the bookies, with his main selections gaining a place in five out of six of the day’s races.

Today the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks is the highlight. So what does the dandy highwayman reckon?

Little wonder that veteran commentator Brough Scott described yesterday’s Juddmonte as ‘the race of the season’, bringing victory to John Gosden’s Roaring Lion (with a beautiful ride from Oisin Murphy) at the main expense of my selection, the favourite Poet’s Word, writes tipster Turpin.

Christophe Soumillon’s tactic of edging Thunder Snow over to the stands rail, bringing the entire field across the track with him was a master-stroke, but it boxed in Poet’s Word and cost jockey James Doyle dear.

Nevertheless, there was no escaping the fact that the Knavesmire crowd saw two of the top three horses in the world battling it out in an event that will remain in the memory for years to come.

Today, I fully expect James Doyle to gain compensation for yesterday’s disappointment. He has excellent opportunities on all three of his rides, all for William Haggas.

In the big race, the Yorkshire Oaks (3.35), he partners Sea Of Class, who gets a 9lb pull over her main rival Coronet, last year’s runner-up. Listed race winner, Sea Of Class is looking for a four-timer, having impressed hugely in taking the Irish Oaks. Still on the upgrade, she is a confident nap selection.

Doyle has an excellent each-way opportunity on What A Home in the next, the Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (4.15). The Dubawi filly Lah Ti Dah is the obvious choice and is hard to oppose, but, just as the big race yesterday provided an upset in running, What A Home should be in the shake-up, especially if there is anything other than a true galloping pace throughout the 1m3f.

Move Swiftly gives Doyle his third chance of a winner in the final race, the Fillies Handicap (4.50). Last year’s winner, Lincoln Rocks isn’t without a chance, now dropped in the weights. But it is the highly progressive three-year-old Move Swiftly who stands out.

Her Goodwood win three weeks ago saw her come from last to first, being blocked and later squeezed for room, going on to quicken up and win by an impressive margin. There is so much more to come from this one.

Turpin’s tips

The tipsters’ table, York Races, Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Some amazing sport lies ahead over the next four days of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

With record prize money approaching £5 million, there’s a lot at stake. But if you’re to come away from the meeting with some cash of your own, who should you back?

Over to YorkMix‘s very own tipster, Dick Turpin…

No tipster will ever refer to a selection as a ‘certainty’, writes Turpin. So much can happen during a race, and no one relishes the idea of fleeing Knavesmire pursued by pitchfork-wielding disgruntled punters.

So, is today going to be the exception? Everything in the feature race, the 1m2f Juddmonte International Stakes (3.35) points towards just one result: victory for the Sir Michael Stoute-trained wonder horse, Poet’s Word.

Everything is going for it: the right trip, arriving here at the peak of fitness, and a top jockey, the ever-reliable James Doyle.

In the view of your trusty tipster, the five-year-old winner of Royal Ascot’s Prince Of Wales Stakes (not to mention the stunning result in the King George), Poet’s word is a cer…, ahem, is certain to be the one to beat this afternoon.

Is the younger cohort of three-year-olds, led by Roaring Lion and Saxon Warrior, good enough to challenge the sheer class of the Irish-bred descendent of Nashwan? Time will tell. But Turpin’s shirt will be on Poet’s Word. Celebrations (or commiserations) will be held in The Swan, Bishy Road.

Kew Gardens looks the one to be on in the testing 1m3f Great Voltigeur Stakes (3.00). Since a disappointing ninth in the Derby, Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo colt has done everything asked of him with a classy Group One win in France, and success in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

One slight concern is the 5lb penalty which is enough to sow a slight seed of doubt. But he performs best with Ryan Moore on board, and looks a good thing today (and also for the St Leger at the end of the season).

Main rivals, Cross Counter and Wells Farhh Go, are respected, but may have reached their seasonal peak, while the selection has further improvement to come.

The Galileo connection, represented by Eye Of The Storm, could again prove to be a value each way pointer in the Sky Bet Handicap (4.15). Likely winner should come from Genetics, Hochfield or Soldier In Action.

Turpin’s tips