Sky Bet Ebor Festival tips: Who are the horses to follow at York on Saturday

Irish trainers have won the Sky Bet Ebor four times in the past six years – how strong is the raiding party this time around?

Matt Brocklebank: It looks formidable again, there is no other word really as they have seemingly long-term projects for Aidan O'Brien, Willie Mullins, Johnny Murtagh, Gordon Elliott, Henry De Bromhead, Joseph O'Brien and maybe even a Tony Martin runner sneaking in near the bottom as well. There aren't many races with such a profile in either Flat or jumps code and it's no shock to see Hipop De Loire bossing the market since his ridiculously easy maiden hurdle win. He could genuinely be a top-class performer over jumps this winter and his Flat mark of 106 may not be beyond him. I've got to mention London City too as his last prep run when fifth to Al Riffa was so much better than it looked on paper. Sadly, punters have already latched onto him now too so I'll likely be casting the net a bit wider.

Tony McFadden: The fact Willie Mullins is responsible for the two at the head of the betting, Hipop de Loire and Ethical Diamond, tells you plenty, though he's by no means the only Irish trainer with a live contender as Aeronautic looks to hold solid claims for Joseph O'Brien. He moved through the race as well as any when fifth to French Master in the Copper Horse Stakes, leaving the impression he has a bigger effort in his locker, and he confirmed that promise when a close-up third behind Sam Hawkens at Goodwood. There could still be more to come after only three starts in handicaps.

David Ord: Exceedingly, as you'd expect given the demands of the modern race. The one who I think might be slipping under the radar at the moment, price-wise at least, is Ascending. Henry De Bromhead found the key to this race with Magical Zoe last year and has pointed this six-year-old at the Ebor ever since he won the Ascot Stakes last time. Yes, that was over two-and-a-half miles, but he's equally effective at this trip, travels well through his races and has won his last three. He's only a pound higher than when beating Nurburgring in June and shouldn't be a 25/1 chance.

Who could lead the way for the home team in the valuable handicap?

David Ord: Almosh'her is interesting for Karl Burke. He was dropped in from a wide draw and struggled to make up ground off a steadying pace when forced to challenge wide in the Duke Of Edinburgh last time. He's been gelded since and might just be a totally different proposition on Saturday. He won on his first start for the Burke team at the Dante Meeting and it's interesting that shrewd connections think he might just be a Melbourne Cup horse in the autumn.

Matt Brocklebank: French Master is a dead obvious one for the Gosdens as we basically know he's a Group horse based on the last run, although Wathnan also have Almosh'her and French Duke and neither can be ruled out with much confidence. If you've not read Karl Burke's thoughts on the former I'd urge you to do so as the trainer reckons he could still be thrown in off 98 if back to his best following a gelding operation. Shadow Dance and Real Dream are others on my radar at this point after Santorini Star was declared for the two-miler on Wednesday instead.

Tony McFadden: Almosh'her needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Royal Ascot, but it's easy enough to overlook that run given he failed to get cover from his wide draw and wouldn't have been suited by the modest gallop. He's better judged on his previous win at York where he beat subsequent winners Stressfree and Plage de Havre.

Who is your idea of the one to be on in the Group 1 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes?

Tony McFadden: I'm finding it hard to look beyond high-class miler Rosallion whose smooth-travelling style suggests he should prove at least as good at seven furlongs. He has come up just short this season but was beaten only a nose in the Queen Anne and then shaped best in the Sussex Stakes where he failed to reel in the front-running Qirat. He should be able to make his class tell.

David Ord: Loads of pace on in this which might just set up for a closer and I prefer Never So Brave to Rosallion. The latter has achieved more to date but the selection arrives here on a real roll and did well to win a messy Summer Mile at Ascot last time. Seven furlongs is no concern for him I think he'll be flashing home to pick up the pieces in the final furlong.

Matt Brocklebank: Lake Forest. I think he's been trained to the minute for this weekend's Sky Bet City Of York ever since he beat Lazzat in Australia last November and the most recent run when just unable to reel in Witness Stand (runner-up to More Thunder in the Hungerford since) in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood should have left him spot-on. Not a lot went right for him on his penultimate start when beaten favourite behind Quinault over this course and distance as he was squeezed at the start and just didn't fire at all. Maybe the ground was softer than ideal but he should have his preferred quick conditions on Saturday and will also get a serious gallop to chase which is just what's required over seven furlongs.

Can you give us another name to note that may help sign off the Ebor Festival in good style?

Matt Brocklebank: It'll be interesting to see if Bowmark returns in the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes that opens the card as I can't believe we saw the best of him when last seen in France but, in the same race, I've long felt that King's Gambit had a race of this nature in him and he was back to form with the blinkers removed when third in the Wolferton at Royal Ascot in June. He's got some strong course form from last summer and still looks to be sitting on a fair amount of potential as a lightly-raced four-year-old that Wathnan Racing bought into during the winter.

Tony McFadden: Kansas was arguably unlucky not to reel in the favourite, Ipanema Queen, at the Curragh on Saturday (replay below) and would look the one to beat if turned out quickly in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes. He has been kept busy but is thriving on his racing and is progressing all the time, so he may not yet have reached his limit.

David Ord: How about Dangerman in the closing Sky Bet Steve Birch Finale Handicap? He's not certain to get in but arrives here in form having won his last two at Sandown and was in control from miles out when beating Desert Shadow by four lengths last time. He's been transformed by blinkers, sits handy in his races and is a well bred horse, in good hands, on a roll. He'll take a bit of stopping.

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