Our form expert tipped 13/2 winner Rayif in his last Verdict column and he has four selections for day one of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York on Wednesday.
The Verdict: Wednesday August 19
0.5pts e.w. Apollo One in the 13:50 York at 20/1 (Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt win Fuel The Jet in the 14:25 York at 25/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)
1pt win Superior Choice in the 15:00 York at 13/2 (General)
1pt win The Dancing Pirate in the 17:20 York at 6/1 (bet365, William Hill)
Go with Gosden’s Choice in the Voltigeur
Four cracking days at York’s Sky Bet Ebor Festival kick off on Wednesday in the best possible style with a mouthwatering Juddmonte International featuring a huge clash between Ombudsman and Constitution River.
It's always dangerous to assume a head-to-head like this one is effectively a match race, but while the betting is going that way I wouldn’t discount Item who is another improving three-year-old with an excellent course and distance record.
However, I do find it difficult to stray from the obvious here, with the pacemakers set to ensure a solid gallop which will suit the main protagonists, and it is with hope we get a battle to remember down the straight on the Knavesmire.
It’s a tough one to call, but with the 7lb weight-for-age firmly in mind I’d be leaning towards Constitution River, who has looked head and shoulders the best middle-distance three-year-old around already with the scope to improve further.
Whatever happens in the big one, the best bets are elsewhere on the card and I reckon the Gosdens might well go into Ombudsman’s race on the crest of a wave following SUPERIOR CHOICE’s run in the preceding Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (15:00).
The Betfred Derby form is very much in the spotlight in this race with the first, second and seventh reopposing, but all of Christmas Day, Maltese Cross and Pierre Bonnard look strong stayers at the trip and they could be vulnerable under these conditions.
On a fast track, on good ground, with autumn campaigns in mind - and with Christmas Day and Maltese Cross both carrying 5lb penalties – it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the winner come from a different line of form other than Epsom and Superior Choice fits the bill nicely.
The son of Dubawi is out of a Group 1-winning mare in Loving Dream, who landed the Prix de Royallieu over 1m6f, and while stamina could be a strong suit for him as well going forward, he crucially displayed gears at Hamilton last time.
Off a slow gallop he totally outclassed his rivals in the Listed Glasgow Stakes with a strong finishing effort, displaying a neat turn of foot to seal the deal and win comfortably, looking every inch a Group-class performer in the making.
Last year Arabian Force was narrowly beaten in the same race at Hamilton and was then beaten just a length in third in the Voltigeur, but Superior Choice looks a much more exciting prospect at the same stage and looks the best bet on day one.
The Verdict: Back SUPERIOR CHOICE in the 15:00 York
Jet can take off in the Acomb
Earlier on the card O'Brien will be hoping to get one on the board before Constitution River runs, as well, when Haffner goes for glory in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.
He is another one I have doubts about on this track, though, as the son of Justify was outpaced by Dr Rascal in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and it could be we have to wait until he goes out in trip to see the best of him.
He doesn't look one to be too afraid of and if it’s not Haffner it looks wide open with several of these open to significant improvement.
The one I think it’s worth taking a swing at is Tom Clover’s FUEL THE JET under Neil Callan, as he won a good pointer for this race at Newbury despite racing inefficiently off a slow gallop.
A finishing speed of 107.5% only tells half the story, as the son of Space Blues was very keen in the early stages and it’s to his great credit he was able to knuckle down and see off Cilician in the final furlong.
I think he can take another significant step forward here in better company off what looks likely to be a stronger gallop and the Newbury form is probably better than what it was rated after they went slow early.
Indeed, the third and seventh have come out and won subsequently, with several others running well in defeat, while the same Newbury race was a springboard for Acomb winners Chaldean and Gewan in recent years.
He’s 25/1 because he’s trained by Tom Clover with O’Brien dominating the betting, but these are the type of Group races the smaller trainers have a chance in and with the Clover yard in good form he’s taken to outrun his inflated odds.
The Verdict: Back FUEL THE JET in the 14:25 York
Apollo mission in the opener
The opening Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap over five furlongs and 89 yards is typically competitive but the veteran APOLLO ONE does stick out as being particularly well handicapped.
It could be his eight-year-old legs aren’t as quick as they used to be, but at 20/1 I’m happy to pay to find out off a career-low mark of 91.
The handicapper has dropped him a stone this year, but he still looked well capable in this type of race when a close-up third off 98 at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting and it could be lobbing off 6lb in two runs is an overreaction.
On his back form he is thrown in; he's a Group 3 winner who has been second in Wokinghams, Stewards' Cups and a Portland (over this kind of trip) off much higher ratings, the hurly burly of big-field handicaps suiting him well.
Last time Danny Tudhope went easy on him at this track once his chance had gone and that might just be a positive for Colin Keane now he takes over.
Since his last victory, two of his best three runs have come when Keane has been in the saddle, the Juddmonte jockey finishing second on him in last year’s Portland and in Listed company at Southwell in November, where he was beaten less than two lengths by Royal Zabeel off level weights.
That opponent won the Great St Wilfrid off 104 last Saturday, so I can’t resist Apollo One off 91 at big prices from a good-looking draw towards the far side.
The Verdict: Back APOLLO ONE in the 13:50 York
Pirate can dance in for Balding
Finally, THE DANCING PIRATE has a very good chance in the closing Sky Bet Nursery Handicap over six furlongs.
The son of Blackbeard is from a very quick family that trainer Andrew Balding knows inside out and it looks significant he’s pointed him at such a competitive race at York.
Balding has a terrific record in York nurseries, winning five from 16 runners at 31.25%, including at this meeting thanks to Harrow, Gushing Gold and Stellar Sunrise.
The Dancing Pirate shaped well in a Goodwood nursery last time, drawn on the opposite side of the track to the winner and in the van all the way, travelling well, before he was swamped late on when not persevered with.
Things didn’t quite pan out for him, but it would be no surprise if he proves his mark of 83 is lenient at this track, from stall two, with Oisin Murphy on board again and first-time cheekpieces applied.
The Verdict: Back THE DANCING PIRATE in the 17:20 York
Preview posted at 15:55 BST on 18/08/26
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