York Day 1 Tips – Preview and Betting Tip for each of the ITV Races on Wednesday
The 2021 Ebor Festival gets underway this week and the Juddmonte International is the feature race on day 1. Henry has picked out his best bet from the four ITV races which could make up a nice lucky 15 bet.
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1:50 York
The opener on Day 1 is a tricky handicap over the minimum 5f trip. Twilight Calls heads the market at 7/1 which shows how competitive the opener is.
The one I’ve landed on is PENDLETON EW (9/1). He has shown strong form this season over both 5f and 6f but I think 5f is his trip. He’s not short of speed and he was progressing well this campaign prior to his disappointing run at Ascot last time out. I’m happy to draw a line through that run and he’s had a nice break now to freshen him back up. He returns to York where he has won before and he’s a good each way price in what is a wide open race to begin the week.
2:25 York
Next up on ITV is the Group 3 Acomb Stakes for 2 year-olds over the 7f trip. Five runners are set to go to post and personally I wouldn’t be surprised whatever horse wins. Dubawi Legend looked really good on debut winning by 5l against some useful opposition and he is the market leader here. Hugo Palmer certainly thinks a lot of him and it’s easy to see why.
Noble Truth is the Godolphin representative and Charlie Appleby’s 2 year-olds always have to be respected especially at this time of year. He stepped forward from his debut effort where he finished third to win well at Newmarket on his latest start eased down by 2l. It would be no surprise to see him get his head in front again here.
From a price perspective though I’d prefer IMPERIAL FIGHTER (7/1). Andrew Balding is having a stellar campaign and he has had plenty of 2 year-old winners throughout the season. His 2 year-olds always tend to improve for their first outing so it was very encouraging to see Imperial Fighter winning on his debut at a unique track like Goodwood. He stayed on strongly that day over this 7f trip and he was doing all his best work at the end of the race which is encouraging. You would have to expect further improvement to come here on his second start and I think he’s overpriced at 7/1.
3:00 York
The next race from York is the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, a 1m4f contest for the 3-year-old colts. It is arguably the last trial for the final Classic of the season, the St Leger.
I personally don’t think we will see the St Leger winner in this race but Kemari heads the market and he’s looking a useful prospect in his first three starts. He drops back in trip after winning over 1m6f last time out and I worry he may get done for pace back down to 1m4f on a speedy track like York.
Sir Lucan was flattered last time out at Goodwood when coming from off the pace to pick up the pieces to grab second in the Gordon Stakes. High Definition is an intriguing runner and it’s interesting Ryan Moore remains loyal but you can’t back him on all known form.
The one for me is THIRD REALM NAP (6/1). Third Realm actually beat future Derby and King George winner Adayar in the Lingfield Derby trial three starts back. He then went to the Derby and finished a reasonable fifth but the Derby was a funny race. He then had a nice break and was freshened up for Goodwood. He finished third there albeit behind Sir Lucan but Roger Varian said that race was a stepping stone for the remainder of the season. He should now be spot on for this and I’m hopeful he can display his useful turn of foot and have too much pace for this lot.
3:35 York
The final race from York on ITV is an absolute belter. It’s the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes over the 1m2f trip. Unfortunately, St Marks Basilica was ruled out on Monday but he has a worthy replacement in Love for the Coolmore team.
Mishriff heads the market and all known form this season he is a worthy favourite. He finished ahead of Love last time out in the King George and if the rain doesn’t come down he’ll be tough to beat.
Love is an intriguing runner. She was so impressive her last season when winning the Yorkshire Oaks and she’d be hoping for similar rattling fast ground conditions here. She’d have had to improve from his first two runs this season but there is every reason to think she might well of. The main concern for me is the stable form. Aidan O’Brien has only had 3 winners from his last 31 runners and a lot of them have been well beaten. That has to be a niggling concern in such a competitive race.
Alcohol Free is an intriguing runner here but I don’t think she’ll stay this trip. The addition of Love has to be a negative for her as Coolmore will now try and make this more of a stamina test rather than a speed test which would have been the case if St Marks Basilica was running.
The one for me is MOHAAFETH (6/1). William Haggas comes alive at this time of year and comes alive for this Ebor meeting at York. He looked a 3-year-old of the highest quality winning his first four starts this season in impressive fashion. That including a victory at Royal Ascot where he travelled up strongly before showing a nice turn of foot to win well. Obviously, his last effort was a little disappointing, he finished third here at York in a Group 2 but I just don’t think that race was run to suit him at all. They went slow and he was held up off the pace. Crowley had him still off the pace with 2f to go and personally I think he used too much energy to make up the ground before flattening out in the final half of furlong. I think Crowley will have learnt a lot from that and ride him differently here. The stronger pace will suit and I think he’s capable of a bold display at a nice price.
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