Richard Hoiles: My 4 picks for the final day of the Ebor meeting
25 Aug
Horse Racing
Richard Hoiles
The racing broadcaster reveals his selections for York, including his tips for the Ebor and Melrose, and a stable tracker horse running at Redcar.

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The week’s racing at York culminates in the content that gives the meeting its name: the Ebor, Europe’s most valuable handicap (15:35), where SWEET WILLIAM 100/30 can complete what looks a perfectly executed plan to qualify him for a tilt at the big race.

Initially, he didn’t look an easy ride – cheekpieces were in evidence as early as his debut – but blinkers have really focused him and his wins at Newbury and Goodwood have channelled his energies in a more fruitful direction. He needed to win last time to guarantee a run here and, as that win occurred after the weights were published, he carries just a 4lb penalty rather than the full 8lb that his mark actually rose by.

Live Your Dream looks best of the rest but has to give weight away all round, leaving him vulnerable to an improver like Sweet William.

ELSEWHERE AT YORK

Earlier on in the afternoon, it will hopefully be Sweet William of a different kind courtesy of the William Haggas-trained ALHAMBRA PALACE 13/2 in the Melrose Handicap (14:25), run over the Ebor course and distance but restricted to three-year-olds.

Haggas has a good record in the race having won it last year with Soulcombe and four years ago with the admirable Hamish. Alahambra Palace has shown solid improvement since being stepped up in trip and Adam Farragher can claim a handy 3lb. Any showers between now and the off would also be a plus.

Kinross deserves to be favourite in the 7f City of York Stakes (15:00) but, at the prices, SANDRINE 28/1 has to be the selection. Second in the Lowther Stakes and third to Kinross in this very race last year on her only two previous Knavesmire runs, she has been completely ignored and has a far better chance than her price suggests.

Later on in the card (17:20), ASTRO KING 11/2 has a chance to gain compensation for his narrow John Smith’s Cup defeat. That race has thrown up three next-time-out winners and he remains unexposed at 10f which means a 3lb rise looks very fair.

The Kubler yard adopt a very scientific approach to training and have long held the belief that the metrics show Astro King could be even better at this trip than the mile he had more regularly competed over for his previous stable. After a quiet spell, the stable are also now in better form with four winners and three placed horses from their last 11 runners.

JOCKEYS FOR COURSES

We’ll start off with one rider who has excellent statistics at Cartmel:

STABLE TRACKER RUNNER

STRONG JOHNSON SP (Redcar, 19:00) was added to the tracker after being narrowly beaten at Ripon last weekend, where he was first home on his side of the track. He has dropped a long way in the weights since coming over from Ireland and looks the type that Paul Midgley can place to advantage over the next few weeks.

SATURDAY SELECTIONS:

ALHAMBRA PALACE 13/2 (York, 14:25)

SANDRINE 28/1 (York, 15:00)

SWEET WILLIAM 100/30 (York, 15:35)

ASTRO KING 11/2 (York, 17:20)

STRONG JOHNSON SP (Redcar, 19:00)