2023 York Ebor Festival Ante-Post E/W Double – DS
2023 York Ebor Festival Ante-Post Double
It is fair to say that we had brilliant weeks at both Galway and Goodwood. Three winners at 16s, 33s and 25s and a few nice places to further fill the coffers. The 2023 York Ebor Festival is next in Dave Stevos’ sights and he has a couple of ante-post selections that might be worth backing e/w as singles and also in an e/w double. Find out who he is backing below.
25 August – 3.35: Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)
At odds of 40/1, Get Ahead is a fascinating contender stepping up into G1 company for the first time. Trained by Clive Cox, this progressive filly has yet to run a bad race this season. A listed winner at Haydock in May (6f gd/fm), she has also gone very close in G2 company at Chantilly (5f gd).
On her last outing this half sister to Chaldean ran in the G3 Coral Charge at Sandown (5f gd). She was poorly drawn in stall 9 and it was a race that didn’t suit hold up sorts. The record books will show she only finished 6th but it was an excellent effort in the circumstances.
She was only 3l behind the winner Equality but she was just a neck behind Raasel and Annaf. The latter horse previously placed for us in the King’s Stand at huge odds and Raasel ran a massive race to finish third behind Highfield Princess in a G2 at Goodwood on his last start.
Course Form
This daughter of Showcasing has been freshened up by Cox since that Sandown race. She ran very well in a C&D Listed race back in May of last year so perhaps Cox has targeted this race for her first try at the very top table. She was held up in that race here but didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs so we know for sure she handles this track.
Get Ahead has an official rating of just 102 and that leaves her with a lot to find with the top rated ones. However, once these sprinters start getting older and stronger they can improve massively and in any case, I think that rating underestimates her. Annaf and Raasel are both 110 horses in my opinion and she is just as talented as those two.
My hope is that the likes of Bradsell, Highfield Princess and maybe even Art Power go off at a breakneck gallop. That will suit Get Ahead nicely and if the front runners get a bit tired, she has the late turn of foot required to run on strongly in the closing stages. Odds of 40/1 look too generous about this consistent filly, hopefully she can land the e/w money.
2023 York Ebor Festival Ante-Post Tip: Get Ahead e/w @ 40/1
25 August – 3.00: Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2)
Last year in the Lowther we almost landed a monster winner with Queen Me at 40s. She is trained by Kevin Ryan and owned by Jaber Abdullah and they team up here with an extremely promising colt in Jehangeer.
He found just Army Ethos too good on his debut at Ayr and that horse went agonisingly close in the Coventry next time out. On his second start at the same track he made no mistake, winning like a very good horse.
Ok, the margin of victory was only a neck but it was a whole lot cosier than that. He was still a touch green when Tom Eaves asked him to go and win his race but once the penny dropped the result was never in doubt. The horse he beat into 2nd has won a novice since and the horse in third, Golden Trick, won next time up at Chester then landed the Ballyhane Stakes in fine style at Naas on Sunday.
Well Bred
This son of Kodiac is bred to be a stakes horse. He is a Kodiac full brother to G1 winner Hello Youmzain, a half to G3 winner Royal Youmzain and a half to G3 placed Hala Hala Athmani. His trainer Kevin Ryan has a fine record in this race too. He’s won it three times since 2012 with Blaine, Astaire and Emaraaty Ana, and Gis A Sub finished second for him in it in 2021.
This obviously represents a fair step up in class but he has already got form in the book with horses that have run well in big races. Both his starts to date have come on good ground and the weather forecast suggests that he should get that type of ground in a couple of weeks. However, if it does rain, his brother Hello Youmzain handled an ease so hopefully this lad is cut from the same cloth. At odds of 33/1, Jehangeer is the e/w selection.
