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'He's massively underrated at 25-1 for the Ebor' - why this horse can win at York this week
Our experts provide their fancies for the Ebor festival
The four-day Ebor festival kicks at York on Wednesday. Find out the selections from our top team below
Alice Monet
By Tom Peacock, bloodstock reporter
A race often targeted by Dermot Weld and one he has won a couple of times before. Alice Monet has been brought through quietly, winning twice including a tight little handicap last time.
By the stout influence of Teofilo from the family of Breeders' Cup Turf winner Red Rocks, she looks to be waiting for this step up in trip.
Ascending
3.35 Saturday, Sky Bet Ebor, 1m6f heritage handicap
By Maddy Playle, reporter
Henry de Bromhead won this race last year with Magical Zoe and his Ascending is being massively underrated this time around.
The six-year-old seems to only do enough when he hits the front and saw off some talented types when winning the Ascot Stakes over 2m4f in June. A winner over a mile and a half before that, he doesn't need extreme distances to thrive and his last win has been boosted by the second and fourth.
De Bromhead thinks he is good enough to warrant a Group 1 entry in the Irish St Leger, so he looks a juicy price at 25-1 considering he runs off only 3lb higher.
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Goodwood Galaxy
2.25 Wednesday, Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, 7f Group 3
By Scott Burton, France correspondent
The Vintage Stakes may have been a messy affair but the winner is arguably the best two-year-old seen out so far in Britain, while sixth-placed Andab finished second in a Group 3 at Deauville on Sunday.
Goodwood Galaxy took quite a while to get organised and then had to be switched more than once before running on well. The Godolphin and Coolmore market leaders have arguably achieved no more.
Jm Jungle
3.35 Friday, Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, 5f Group 1
By Sam Hardy, tipster
The locally trained Jm Jungle could prove the most popular winner of the week. The five-year-old has taken his form to a new level this season winning the Epsom Dash before landing the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on his latest start.
He has failed to finish outside of the first three in each of his four runs over course and distance this season and should any of the big guns underperform he is sure to pick up the pieces.
Majestic Warrior
3.35 Saturday, Sky Bet Ebor, 1m6f heritage handicap
By David Toft, deputy raceday editor
It is admittedly a boom or bust selection given his lack of racing, but this half-brother to an Ebor winner looks well in on his Thirsk demolition of a horse who has won twice since, plus his Newmarket effort in April 2023 stands up to scrutiny.
He also has a Group 1 entry, and the one thing we can be sure of is he can win fresh.
Night Raider
3.35 Friday, Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, 5f Group 1
By Tom Park, audience editor
I'm convinced that Night Raider has what it takes to be a top-class sprinter and he has had genuine excuses on all four starts this season. He hammered his group of four when on the wrong side of the track at Goodwood last time and this course and distance might just be the making of him.
The Reverend
1.50 Friday, 1m4f heritage handicap
By David Jennings, deputy Ireland editor
This guy looks a Group-class stayer in the making. He managed to escape with just a 4lb rise for recent Ripon romp and while softer ground would be ideal, he ought to be a cut above this lot off a mark of 98.
He strikes me as your typical William Haggas-style four-year-old who is going to get better and better with every run as the year progresses. He's freely available at 4-1 now, but I'd be surprised were he to go off any bigger than 5-2.
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See The Fire
3.35 Wednesday, Juddmonte International, 1m2½f Group 1
By Graeme Rodway, tipster
A top-class filly who is particularly good at York, where she is unbeaten in two and landed the Group 2 Middleton Stakes by 12 lengths in May. That was over course and distance and she recorded a remarkably good time.
Her dam Arabian Queen elevated her form to a much higher level at York than she had shown elsewhere when springing a 50-1 surprise in this race ten years ago and it may be that See The Fire is yet another from the bloodline who is far better on the Knavesmire than she is anywhere else.
Utmost Respect
By Craig Thake, Topspeed
Richard Fahey has a fine record in this race and the handicapper may have been lenient with Utmost Respect, who was well backed when a good seventh in the Windsor Castle.
Washington Heights
3.35 Friday, Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, 5f Group 1
By Matt Rennie, reporter
The sprint division have all taken their turns this year and this Kevin Ryan-trained five-year-old can cause a shock in the Nunthorpe.
A flat five furlongs is probably what he needs, as he showed when winning the City Walls Stakes over the track and trip last time. The second and fourth have won Listed races since, while the third, Jm Jungle, won the Group 2 sprint at Glorious Goodwood.
That's red-hot form and the City Walls-Nunthorpe double has been done before, most recently with Winter Power four years ago.
Woohoo
By Richard Birch, tipster
The much-improved Woohoo would likely have produced another career best had she not been badly hampered during the final two furlongs of a Racing League handicap at Windsor last Thursday.
Still firmly on the upgrade, she boasts a high cruising speed ideal for this type of big-field challenge, and can reward each-way support at big odds.
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Published on inYork Ebor festival
Last updated
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