Ebor Tips: York best bets, expert picks, Lucky 15 multiple selections & Placepot selections

Our experts' best bets

13:50 York - DERRY LAD (Matt Brocklebank)

DERRY LAD is clearly a bit of a character who can perform one of two ways but he's had excuses at Epsom and Galway the last twice and remains perfectly well handicapped based on his unfortunate (got no luck in the run) third at the former venue on Oaks day in June. Stall three and a strong gallop to chase here should suit, together with the flat track, and a drop of overnight rain (some in the forecast) won't do his claims any harm either.

14:25 York - VAUBAN (Nic Doggett)

Point Lonsdale would be an aptly-named winner of the Lonsdale Stakes but I think he could prove vulnerable. Preference is for VAUBAN who should have the race run to suit thanks to the likes of Quickthorn, Align The Stars and Gregory, who all look likely to apply some pressure from the front. Willie Mullins’ charge often travels powerfully and – though not at his best this season – this looks an ideal opportunity to win over two miles for the first time (on the flat).

16:10 York - BATTLE QUEEN (Ian Ogg)

Andrew Balding has saddled two runners in this handicap - both three-year-olds - and seen them finish second and third. Both were shorter in the market than BATTLE QUEEN is likely to be but she has the profile to run at least as well as her predecessors with improvement expected for this step up in trip. This consistent filly was second home in her group in the Sandringham before pushing Circe close at Newbury when little went her way. The third has won since as has sixth home Shemozzle (who was having her first run of the season that day) to give the form a solid look and the three-year-old is fancied to step up again.

Recommended multiple: Lucky 15

13:50 York – Shadow Dance

SHADOW DANCE has been progressing nicely bar a blip at Royal Ascot, which can easily be excused given it was his first run for 252 days, and he’s still pretty unexposed with just seven runs under his belt. He shaped with loads of promise last time, just struggling to keep straight on the undulations at Ripon before rallying well once he got himself balanced, and he looks on a good mark on that evidence returned to a more conventional track.

15:00 York - Camille Pissarro

It’s been a great week for the Ballydoyle team and we might see the emergence of another exciting juvenile with CAMILLE PISSARRO in the Gimcrack on Friday. The form of his last run when second to subsequent Group 1 winner Babouche is clearly working out well and he really caught the eye with the amount of ground me made up on the opposite wing to the winner there. The low numbers look the place to be on the Knavesmire this week so stall one has to be seen as a positive, especially with what looks his main danger The Strikin Viking drawn out wide in 10.

15:35 York – Bradsell

He was third in this race last year when drawn on the wrong side of the track but BRADSELL has fared much better this year (stall three) and a repeat of last year’s run will see him go close. Asfoora and Big Evs have banged heads a couple of times already this season but Archie Watson’s inmate comes here fresh after just one run this year – an impressive Listed win in France – and there’s loads of pace in the low stalls for Hollie Doyle to follow.

16:10 York – Battle Queen

BATTLE QUEEN ran a huge ran from 2 lb out of the weights when sixth in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot, faring second best of those on her side, and looked an unlucky loser last time when conceding first run to the winner at Newbury before finishing strongly to take second. She’s clearly on a good mark still and this step up in trip promises to show her in an even better light.

Timeform race-by-race verdicts

13:50 Sky Bet Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

MR MONACO is a progressive 3-y-o who should have more to offer now stepping up to 1½m so he's preferred to solid older rivals Lieber Power, who has been performing so well in the Racing League in recent weeks, Insanity and Shadow Dance.

14:25 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Group 2)

GREGORY put his Gold Cup shocker behind him when just edged out for second in the Goodwood Cup and can record his first win since making all in the Queen's Vase at Ascot as a 3-y-o. Vauban needs to shrug off a disappointing run at the Curragh but he finished in front of the selection in the Yorkshire Cup here and is an obvious threat, with Point Lonsdale another to consider with the extra distance likely to suit.

15:00 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2)

THE STRIKIN VIKING has arguably shaped best in a couple of Group 2s since his impressive debut success over this C&D so remains one to keep on the right side of. Big Mojo looks another classy sprinter for connections having defied inexperience in the Molecomb and rates the main threat ahead of the exciting Shadow of Light.

15:35 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)

As is often the case at the top of the sprinting division there's plenty of collateral form to go on. Having beaten several of these at Ascot, ASFOORA emerged with bundles of credit when a short-head second to Big Evs at Goodwood and on 6 lb better terms, she's poised to reverse the form. Believing also ties nicely in with that pair, while Bradsell may actually emerge as the chief threat.

16:10 Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies' Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

A highly-competitive handicap. POWER OF DESTINY wasn't seen to best effect when finishing only a head behind the reopposing Al Anoud at Goodwood at the end of last month and remains totally unexposed after just 4 career outings, so she gets the nod to reverse the form and come out on top. Battle Queen is another who has been shaping up well and can surely have a big say in proceedings if seeing out the extra 2f, with last year's winner Reach and Al Anoud others to take seriously.

16:45 British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes

ANGELO BUONARROTI shaped with plenty of promise when very much pitched in at the deep end on debut at Royal Ascot and can come good here having switched to the bang-in-form Ralph Beckett stable since. Ultrasoul, whose Yarmouth form has been boosted, Whirl and Realign are other once-raced types who could have plenty more to offer, while Bambalam is a newcomer to monitor closely in the betting for a stable which has knocked in a few first-time-out winners recently.

17:20 Sky Bet Mile Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

A valuable 3-y-o contest littered with unexposed types and it's MIDNIGHT GUN who gets the nod to continue his upward trajectory having still looked some way ahead of hismark starting out for this trainer at Goodwood just over 3 weeks ago. Back down in trip, he can regain the winning thread at the expense of Volterra, who can have a line put through his latest effort. Native Warrior, Mount Teide and Ebt's Guard are just a handful of others to consider, too.

Suggested Placepot permutation

Leg 1: 2 and 3

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 10

Leg 4: 1 and 9

Leg 5: 6 and 15

Leg 6: 2 and 3

Perm: 2x1x1x2x2x2= 16 lines