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Friday racing tips: Best bets and odds for day three at York’s Ebor Festival
Racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge brings us his horse racing tips for Friday, focusing on day three at York’s Ebor Festival.
Friday’s York Racing Tips
- Arizona Blaze (York, 15.35) – 0.5pts each-way @ 6/1 (Ladbrokes)
- Comical Point (York, 15.00) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 (Bet365)
- Wonder Star (York, 16.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 (William Hill)
- Fifth Column (York, 17.20) – 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 (Bet365)
As The Independent’s horse racing correspondent I am once again looking at the leading runners and riders on day three of Ebor Festival.
I make my betting tips for Ebor using the best odds from the best horse racing betting sites. Here are my picks for day three at York Racecourse.
Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes tips (15.35)
The Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (15.35) is Friday’s York feature and it’s a race that has seen some of sprinting’s greats blaze the trail up on the Knavesmire, Battaash being the most recent dual winner, in 2019 and 2020.
This Group 1 contest over the minimum trip has again drawn a stellar field, including Lady Imam, who tries to become just the second juvenile since 1992 to win it.
She receives lumps of weight from all but fellow two-year-old Spicy Marg and, after winning the Molecomb in fine style at Goodwood last time, she’s been made the pre-race favourite.
Unexposed by comparison to many in the field, she’s only been beaten once and her trainer Ger Lyons blamed himself for that Curragh reverse, when she found one too good over 6f.
She is a precocious talent but it has been easy to get sucked in with similar apparently thrown in juveniles over the years and it could pay to take her on with a proven performer, in whose price there could be better value.
On 2024 form, Asfoora would be in with pretty strong claims but she’s not been showing up quite as well in her last three starts and preference is for Arizona Blaze, whose has been in the form of his life of late, going very close in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup (6f, good to firm) at Royal Ascot and then beating the reopposing Mgheera by two lengths when on only 2lb better terms at the Curragh in a Group 2 over 5f last time.
He has plenty of pace, as that race showed then but he also gets 7f, so he’ll not be stopping come the business end and he looks one to keep on the right side of for now.
Friday Ebor Festival tip 1: Arizona Blaze (York, 15.35) – 0.5pts each-way @ 6/1 (Ladbrokes)
Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes tips (15.00)
It’s interesting that connections of the favourite Do Or Do Not have chosen this route because, after his latest Group placed effort at Goodwood, trainer Ed Walker said he’d go for something easier this time.
This Group 2 contest doesn’t exactly fit that bill but he is clear on official ratings and they now go for cheekpieces to try end break his maiden. He’s a short enough price to do so and given we have eight runners it might pay to look for some each-way value.
After he was too free in that same Goodwood contest last time, Comical Point might represent that value. He’s 12/1 on betting sites at the time of writing, having won a Salisbury maiden on debut and then making significant improvement when fifth in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
It looked like 6f would suit him going into Goodwood but he did too much too soon and finished last of the field. Oisin Murphy will surely try to settle him and perhaps get him some cover to do so this time and the trainer-jockey combi knows how to win this, having done so last year with Cool Hoof Luke. He could sneak into a place for us if back on song.
Friday Ebor Festival tip 2: Comical Point (York, 15.00) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 (Bet365)
Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies' Handicap tips (16.10)
Another competitive contest. Brielle could go very well at a price here for local trainer David O’Meara, while Cape Flora has gone up 11lbs for romping home clear at Leicester last time and breaking the track record in the process. She could be well treated but she’s up against some more battled-hardened performers this time.
Zgharta is much respected but the one I like best is Wonder Star, whose Ascot maiden win saw her see her off a subsequent Listed winner.
She was probably a bit too free herself when beaten in Listed company at Newbury next time and she came back really well when a close second at Goodwood last time.
She’s on an upward curve and could be ahead of the handicapper and she looks a big player at 9/2 on betting apps at the time of writing.
Friday Ebor Festival tip 3: Wonder Star (York, 16.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 (William Hill)
Sky Bet Mile Handicap tips (17.20)
It’s a case of saving the best for last on day three as there looks to be a cracking each-way play here in Fifth Column.
John and Thady Gosden’s charge won his first two starts of the season after being gelded and, having been drawn on the wrong side in Royal Ascot’s Britannia Handicap, he beat everything on his side of the track, though finished seventh.
That was a cracking effort and he underlined that with a career best win over a mile at Newmarket’s July meeting next time. He was probably too keen in the soft ground at Goodwood last time but he’s back on a sound surface here and that looks the key to another big effort from him in a top handicap.
At 8/1 he has a decent chance of winning this and is very much a big each-way player.
Friday Ebor Festival tip 4: Fifth Column (York, 17.20) – 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 (Bet365)
Ebor Festival free bets
William Hill are offering existing customers the chance to claim a free bet for Ebor Festival at York this week.
All customers have to do is opt-in on the promotion and place a qualifying bet on any horse race at Ebor Festival with odds of evens or greater.
Once your qualifying wager has settled, you’ll be credited with a free bet to use on any horse race at Ebor. Free bets are active until the final race of the festival at 17.20 on August 23.
New customers can claim the William Hill sign-up offer using our link below before depositing £10 and betting £10 on any sports market with evens or greater to unlock £30 in free bets.
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