Saturday racing tips: York best bets and odds on Ebor Handicap day

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It’s the final day of the Ebor Festival and there are plenty of puzzles to solve on the Knavesmire when it comes to Saturday’s racing tips.

An interesting opener to the final day on the card and regulars will know I’ve been with Damysus on a couple of occasions this season and he looks a leading player again here, with headgear now drafted in to aid his cause.

Irish raider Geryon looks to have claims, while cases can be made for several others and I’m going to make one for RIDARI, at a price on betting sites.

It’s his first run since joining the excellent George Scott’s yard. The four-year-old son of Churchill has a good record on slow ground, having recorded two of his three wins on good to soft and very soft going. Both of those came over 1m but he has no problem with this slightly longer trip.

He has a good draw in stall two and a definite case can be made for him on his best form from his early days in France. He also has a good record when freshened up and with 70 days since his last French start, he ticks that box too. He’s only had 11 starts, so is arguably not yet fully exposed and he may just have been overlooked in this field. I’d recommend a small stakes each-way play.

York tip 1: Ridari – 1pt each-way @ 16/1 (bet365)

Ultra competitive and the usual big field for the Melrose, which sees Infraad dominate the market and handicap newcomer LIMESTONE partnered by Ryan Moore for trainer Joseph O’Brien.

You may recall that I sided with this talented three-year-old when he won the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. That was over a similar trip and on fast ground, but he proved he really does see this out as he raced towards the front end and on a track that places greater emphasis on stamina than this one.

He was progressive on the climb through the ranks to that success but then was not as effective when dropped back to 1m4f in Group 1 company in France last time.

Now we see his trainer drop him back in grade for his first foray into handicap company and he really ought to be good enough to have a big say in this race, given he has three Group 1 entries in the remainder of the season, including the St Leger.

He looks well treated from this mark on his best form to date and after just seven starts is not yet exposed. He also handles slow ground, so he has plenty of boxes ticked and I think he’s capable of winning this.

York tip 2: Limestone – 2pts win @ 9/2 (Unibet)

Unless there is a significant drying of the ground, you’d have to be at least a bit concerned for the favourite Notable Speech. I was with him on his preferred quicker surface at Royal Ascot but I think we now have sufficient evidence to suggest that he doesn’t perform to his best there.

If it dries out to the fast side of good, he’d have a very good chance, but if it stays on the soft side, then he can be taken on with one who can act with some cut in TEN BOB TONY.

He won the Queen Anne at 50/1, proving himself well up to this grade and I think he’s already shown that he is perfectly happy over an easy 7f on slower ground, as evidenced when he preceded his Ascot win with Group 3 success at Epsom on good to soft.

He was pretty close to his best when fourth to Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes last time and he looks a cracking each-way bet at 8/1 in a field where we’ll get three places on horse racing betting sites.

York tip 3: Ten Bob Tony – 1pt each-way @ 8/1 (Ladbrokes)

A race to relish and, as ever, there are many in with chances, not least the ante-post favourite Tarriance for the in-form Andrew Balding/Colin Keane combination

Joseph O’Brien has booked Ryan Moore for the leg-up on Emit and he is well treated on his best form and could be heavily involved.

Willie Mullins has a good recent record in the race and handicap newcomer Love Me Tender represents him, along with MR HOLLYWOOD. The former will have to prove he can get this far, as up to press he’s only raced at up to 1m2f. If anyone can get him to see it out then this trainer can but a look at his pedigree indicates it may not be easy.

However, the selection, of whom we know a bit more, is proven over staying trips and he won’t mind whatever ground conditions are described as on the day. He’s on a handy mark and arrives fit and firing after winning over hurdles at the Galway Festival. He’s drawn wide but three of the last four winners of this race have come from stall 20 or wider, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too concerned.

Mullins has only been able to work with him for three starts but it’s clear from his previous CV that he has a touch of class and there has been some money for him during the week. We can still get 14/1 on some betting apps at the time of writing and that still looks worth taking on an each-way basis.

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