ITV horse racing tips for York Thursday 24 August

By Andrew Asquith

Horse Racing

Thu August 24, 2023 · 2y ago

Andrew Asquith previews the ITV races on the second day of York's Ebor Festival and has two recommended bets.

ITV Racing betting tips: Wednesday August 23

1pt win Gaiden in 2.25 York at 33/1 (bet365, BetVictor, Betfair, Paddy Power)

1pt win Terwada in 3.00 York at 12/1 (bet365, BetVictor, Coral, Ladbrokes)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The Yorkshire Oaks is the feature race on day two of the Ebor Festival and it looks a particularly open renewal, with a nice mix of older horses and three-year-olds, with recent Nassau Stakes winner Al Husn set to lock horns with Irish Oaks one-two, Savethelastdance and Bluestocking.

It is the three-year-olds, who get 9 lb from their elders, that have been put in towards the head of the market, but the Irish Oaks form doesn’t look standout, and it was a bit of a strange race, Bluestocking seemingly coming with a winning run only to be run down by Savethelastdance, who had been pushed along from some way out – she hit the maximum 1000 in-running on the Betfair Exchange.

The proximity of 80/1 shot Library also tempers enthusiasm of how strong the form is and it will be interesting to see how they fare up against more experienced fillies now. The pick for me would be Middleton Stakes winner Free Wind, who has started favourite for the Hardwicke Stakes and Lillie Langtry Stakes on her last two starts but has had excuses each time. She is priced about right, though, and it isn’t a race I’m rushing to get involved in.

The Lowther looks a potentially deep renewal and I was really impressed with Flora of Bermuda when opening her account in a valuable conditions event at Glorious Goodwood earlier this month. She had been unlucky in her previous starts and proved herself well above average, cruising into contention and readily moving four lengths clear. Quicker ground shouldn’t be a problem and she ought to relish this step up to six furlongs, so she is a major player for me.

The only problem is that Cherry Blossom also looked something out of the ordinary when winning at the Curragh 12 days ago, proving in a different league to her opposition. The fact she made her debut in a listed event says a bit about the regard in which she is held, and this race was pinpointed straight after her success at the Curragh. I’d say those two will improve past Relief Rally in what should be a good race.

The Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes in a nice pot and one that Richard Hannon has won five times since 2016 and he has four chances in this year’s renewal. One who I think has been overlooked in the betting is GAIDEN, who is a maiden after four starts, but she hasn’t been seen to best effect the last twice and her form earlier in the season has worked out.

She started favourite for her debut and was beaten only two lengths by Relief Rally, who has franked that form more than once since, and Gaiden took a step forward when third in a listed event over five furlongs at this course next time. She was never able to get competitive from what turned out to be a poor draw in the Queen Mary afterwards and testing conditions were seemingly her undoing on handicap debut at Goodwood last time.

Gaiden travelled well up to the two furlong pole, one of the last to come off the bridle, but she didn’t pick up as expected. The return to a faster surface is sure to be in her favour and she has already run a solid race at this course which is always a plus, while she is unexposed at this trip which she is bred to relish. At 33/1. I think she will run a lot better than those odds suggest.

The mile handicap which follows looks a typically strong York handicap on paper, with a lot of the usual suspects involved. You have to go back to 2010 to find the last three-year-old winner of this handicap, but I’m pretty sure that TERWADA is a horse who has plenty more to offer.

He looks the part physically, really impressing in his appearance before scoring by a wide margin in a thin race at Nottingham and proving himself most progressive when following up on handicap debut at Newmarket last time, beating the reopposing The Gatekeeper by one and a half lengths.

Terwada had to work much harder than at Nottingham to get the job done, but it probably wasn’t ideal that he had to make his own running and he moved through the race in very comfortable fashion. He will likely be seen to much better effect in this bigger field, a strong-travelling type who will be able to sit and take his time in the straight.

Terwaada is actually 1 lb wrong at the weights under a 6 lb penalty (has only been raised 5 lb for his Newmarket success) but he is a well-bred, good-looking colt who is on a steep upward curve and I thought he would have been a few points shorter in the betting given his profile and potential.

Published at 1530 BST on 23/08/23

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