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Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for York Sky Bet Ebor Festival Saturday August 24
Our form expert has three selections for the final day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York on Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday, August 24
1pt win Champagne Prince in 2.25 York at 9/1 (General)
1pt e.w. Sea King in 3.35 York at 25/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Jehangeer in 4.10 York at 20/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
Sea the light in the Ebor
The £500,000 Sky Bet Ebor looks tricky, to say the least, at York on Saturday, nothing obviously well-handicapped in the race with plenty having already shown their hand.
That might not stop top weight Relentless Voyager running well, as he looks your typical Ebor horse given he's progressing quickly, as a rating of 108 would suggest after just 10 career starts.
He looks sure to go well, but it won’t be easy giving weight to the field and I'd rather have an each-way go on SEA KING for Sir Mark Prescott, who last won this race 30 years ago with Hasten To Add, at a big price.
The five-year-old son of Sea The Stars is well experienced after 17 starts and there have been bumps in the road along the way, not least when he was beaten four times at relatively short prices either side of being gelded.
However, time and patience has seen Sir Mark get to grips with him and there’s no doubt he is fulfilling his potential now, winning at Ripon and Ayr this season as he has registered his three career-best runs.
The best effort of the lot was last time at Ripon when he was third over 1m4f, still having running left in the tank as he was short of room behind Iron Lion (Sea King gets a 4lb pull with him here) and Friday’s winner Shadow Dance.
It was an eyecatching run that suggested he is thriving and that the blinkers have squeezed more improvement out of him, while on that evidence a strong gallop at 1m6f should be ideal.
He’s proven as far as 1m5f, while his dam, Pamona, was a Listed 1m6f winner at York herself, so there is a good chance this race will unlock further improvement.
It’s difficult to say the same thing about plenty of his rivals and at big prices he looks an each-way bet.
The Verdict: Back SEA KING in the 3.35 York
Champagne to flow in the Melrose
Earlier on, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s CHAMPAGNE PRINCE looks to be improving as he goes up in trip which is ideal now he tries 1m6f for the first time in the Sky Bet Melrose.
The grey son of Lope De Vega ran a cracker in the Shergar Cup Classic as he stepped up half a mile to 1m4f and might’ve even won had he had a stronger gallop to tow him into the race.
His talented dam was a 1m6f Group 3 winner and the nature of this race, including the likely strong gallop and extra distance, should very much play to his strengths.
The Verdict: Back CHAMPAGNE PRINCE in the 2.25 York
Ryan to hit top ‘Geer at York
Finally, it could pay to keep the faith with Kevin Ryan’s JEHANGEER who flopped at Goodwood last time in the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap.
The tall son of Kodiac, a full-brother to the yard’s Group 1 winner Hello Youmzain, has taken his time to start to fulfil his potential, but he certainly took a massive step in the right direction when winning a six-furlong Thirsk handicap smoothly in early July.
He had been gelded since his last run and had undergone wind surgery, too, the procedures looking to have done the job given how strong he was at the finish.
That might’ve been the main reason he stepped up to seven furlongs at Goodwood, but nothing went right there, his tardy exit from the stalls eventually seeing him forced wide and he then seemed to hate the track as well.
He remains a nice prospect, though, and back on a flat course like York in a big-field six-furlong race we could well see the best of him.
Jim Crowley is an eye-catching jockey booking, his tender hands looking likely to suit this horse and he has a good record on the few occasions he has ridden for Ryan, winning 5 from 27 at 19%.
The Verdict: Back JEHANGEER in the 4.10 York
Preview posted at 1530 BST on 23/08/24
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