Simon Holt previews Saturday's action at York and Ascot
The top commentator has one bet at both York and Ascot on Saturday and they are 7/1 and 20/1 respectively.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way Kaeso in 3.00 Ascot at 20/1
2pts win Medahim in 2.05 York at 7/1
IT is wonderful to see Saturday's King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot providing a genuine clash of generations with the dual Arc winner (and 2016 King George winner) Enable taking on this year's Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck along with such luminaries as Crystal Ocean, Defoe, Waldgeist and 2017 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand in a truly international line-up.
While certainly a race to savour, the mighty Enable is hard to oppose having looked as good as ever when reappearing to beat Magical in the Coral-Eclipse over just a mile and a quarter, and this extra two furlongs probably suits her best.
However, on official ratings, John Gosden's wonder-mare has just 1lb in hand of last year's runner-up (to Poet's Word) Crystal Ocean taking into account her 3lb sex allowance so, at the likely odds, is hard to recommend as a good value bet even though I suspect she will prevail again.
Earlier, KAESO looks well worth an each-way interest in the Moet & Chandon International returning to a course that clearly suits him well.
Nigel Tinkler's five-year-old got within a neck and a head of giving us a big-priced winner in the Victoria Cup here in May (won by subsequent Wokingham winner Cape Byron) having also performed well on two previous visits to Ascot.
Successful at Chester after his fine Victoria Cup effort, Kaeso returned to form again (following two lesser efforts at York) when scoring at Doncaster last Saturday and is now 3lb well in under a 3lb penalty compared to his future mark with Hollie Doyle again taking the mount.
Moreover, Tinkler's string is in fine form recording seven winners in the last fortnight.
At York, MEDAHIM is fancied to take the opening Sky Bet 'Get Knotted' Handicap.
Now with Ivan Furtado, having been a three-time winner for Richard Hannon, the five-year-old can race off the same mark as when winning a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Glorious Goodwood last August from the recent Bunbury Cup winner Vale Of Kent.
And Medahim is now 5lb lower in the ratings compared to his creditable fourth behind Mojito over the course and distance in August, 2017, his only previous visit to York.
After two outings for Furtado, a trainer who does well with cast-offs from other yards, he appears to be running into form; he was eighth in the Spring Cup at Newbury first time out this season and then took fourth to Godolphin's Land Of Legends in a good handicap at Newmarket at the end of June since when Apex King (third), George William (fifth), Kimifive (sixth) and Makzeem (seventh) have all run well.
Needless to say, the booking of Danny Tudhope looks significant and a big run is expected.
It is a nice touch that the race is named after Get Knotted who has won the corresponding contest for the past three years, and the seven-year-old cannot be ruled out again having been dropped by the handicapper after three less-good runs this season. This race will again have been the target but is he quite as good as he was?
Preview posted 1515 BST on 26/07/19
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