York races tips: Ebor Festival Saturday selections

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’re finishing off our York races tips for this year’s Ebor Festival with seven selections for Saturday’s big betting card.

Impressive Nunthorpe Stakes scorer Highfield Princess (5/1) was one of our two winners on day three.

The Ebor Handicap is the showpiece event on day four, backed up by a couple of competitive Group-class contests and other wide-open handicaps.

1.50 MIGHTY ULYSSES

Frankie Dettori will be hoping to follow up last weekend’s elite-level win in France on Inspiral by landing the Group 3 Strensall Stakes on this likeable colt.

Beaten less than a length into fifth place in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, John and Thady Gosden’s charge made the most of having his sights lowered when comfortably winning a Listed prize at Newmarket last month.

“He ran well in the Henry Cecil last time and the step up in trip to nine furlongs shouldn’t be a problem to him,” said Thady Gosden.

“He’s a horse we have always liked and has plenty of talent. He ran a huge race in the St James’s Palace, then dropped back in grade and won and deserves to run in this company.”

2.25 SOULCOMBE (nap)

This will be a popular pick amongst punters, with York specialist William Haggas putting up Hollie Doyle on the bottom weight.

Soulcombe showed the benefit of being gelded when scoring nicely at Haydock and Ascot and made eye-catching late headway when staying on for fourth following a slow start in what looked a hot handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

3.00 SANDRINE

Carrying the same colours as Yorkshire Oaks heroine Alpinista, who did us a favour on Thursday, this strong filly gets the nod in the Group 2 City of York Stakes.

The daughter of Bobby’s Kitten enjoyed dropping back to seven furlongs when successful in last month’s Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and faces several of the same horses here.

“She’s in great form and ran well in the Lowther last year, so we know that the track won’t be an issue,” commented trainer Andrew Balding. “We hope she will go very close again.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”309639″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]3.35 EUCHEN GLEN

Paul Mulrennan rides the hard-knocking handicapper, who bids to become the first nine-year-old to land the Ebor since Sea Pigeon in 1979.

Trainer Jim Goldie said: “He has been in quite good form and it is a track he has performed well at before, so we are hopeful.”

Twice a course winner, Euchen Glen was fifth in Europe’s richest Flat handicap back in 2020 and returns on the same mark after a very encouraging effort at Glorious Goodwood.

4.10 SUMMERGHAND

We’re sticking with another valiant veteran in the shape of David O’Meara’s evergreen sprinter, who has come home in front 13 times during an excellent 68-race career.

The eight-year-old was far from disgraced when fifth in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and then ninth of 28 carrying our support in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, giving off the vibes that there is still another big win in him.

4.45 ROCKET RODNEY

May just have caught a tartar when second to Trillium in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood and is rated a solid selection back in Listed company for our York races tips.

The form of his Royal Ascot second to Little Big Bear and Sandown success versus Cuban Mistress has been emphatically franked since and Rocket Rodney could become a real flag bearer for young handler George Scott.

5.20 SPIRIT DANCER

Richard Fahey’s five-year-old put in two cracking efforts over this course and distance last month, finishing fourth of 22 in the John Smith’s Cup before accounting for a much smaller field.

Co-owner Sir Alex Ferguson could do with some welcome relief from watching Manchester United struggle this season and another bold showing on the Knavesmire is anticipated.

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