2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday Preview – DS
2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday Preview
We managed to land a lovely 22/1 winner last weekend with Faustus at Newbury. I think I am being made pay for making that Faustian Pact because there has been biblical rain on almost every day of my ‘week off’ down in the West of Ireland. Being stuck indoors was not in my plans and neither was doing a Saturday preview. However, I have nothing better to be doing so here we are. 2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday tips are below.
1.50 – Strensall Stakes (Group 3)
First up on Saturday is a 9f Group 3 and a field of nine will go to post. The one I am interested in at a working man’s price is the Marco Botti trained Royal Dubai. This 4yo made hay in Dubai earlier this year, winning a pair of handicaps including one at today’s niche trip of 1m1f. His last win over there came off 100 and since he has returned to the UK, he’s had two runs in stakes’ company.
The first of those came in a G3 at Epsom (8.5f gd/sft) in June and he ran a lovely race to finish second behind Royal Scotsman, running on well late. He then stepped up into G2 company at Ascot (8f gd) and he was far from disgraced in fourth, beaten just a length for the win by Quddwah and close up behind Ancient Rome, both of whom ran with credit in G1 company on their next starts.
Royal Dubai has form figures of 251 at 8.5f to 9f. The fifth came on his first crack at Group 2 level and he while he was beaten 6L for the win by Naval Power, he wasn’t that far behind the likes of San Donato and Sean, both rated around 110.
Royal Dubai is rated 108 so on paper, it looks like a tough assignment conceding 10lb to the 114 rated filly See The Fire. However, 3yos have a pretty poor record in this race so at odds of 16/1, Royal Dubai is the e/w selection.
2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday Tip: Royal Dubai e/w @ 16/1 nap
2.25 – Melrose Handicap (Heritage)
With the likes of Spaceport, Mo Ghille Mar, Going Remote and Tabletalk in the field, there should be a strong gallop on. In the hope that they get racing too early, I am going to take a chance on Sun God, who will hopefully be held up for a late run. Trained by Hughie Morrison, this son of Fastnet Rock has yet to tackle a trip this far but his pedigree suggests it is well worth a crack.
He is a half brother to Sumo Sam, a winner at 14.5f, and his dam is a half to 18.5f flat winners Stag Horn and Star Rider. This fella didn’t cut much ice in maidens as a 2yo but he did get off the mark in a handicap off 68 on his last start of 2023.
Progression
His progression has continued in handicaps this year. He finished a close second on his seasonal return off 77 at Newmarket before posting creditable efforts on the July course at HQ over 10f and at Glorious Goodwood over 11f. He looked a bit awkward in the closing stages of that race but he kept on pretty well and he was only a couple of lengths behind the winner.
My theory is that the return to a more conventional, and more importantly, left-handed track could show Sun God in a much better light. His sole win came when going left handed at Lingfield and this will be his first time to go that way round since.
Luke Morris is 2/13 with five top four finishes for this yard. Hughie Morrison won this in 2014, he had the third in 2020 and hopefully, Sun God can hit the frame for him in 2024 at odds of 22/1.
2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday Tip: Sun God e/w @ 22/1 (5 places)
3.00 – City Of York Stakes (Group 2)
A race in which it is tough to make a case for anything at a big price. Art Power is an admirably consistent sort but I would imagine all roads lead back to Ascot for Champions Day for him when he is likely to get his preferred softer ground. I’d like to see Kinross win for personal reasons but as far as having a bet goes, it’s a no from me.
2024 York Ebor Meeting Saturday Tip: no bet
3.35 – Ebor Handicap (Heritage)
The big one and you could make a realistic case for nearly every one of the 22 runners. I was very tempted by the Adrian Keatley trained Kihavah. A dual course winner, he shaped like this sort of trip would be right up his street when second off 97 here over 12f earlier this year. He’s 2lb lower now and he could outrun his current odds of 33/1.
However, I am instead going to take a punt on Wise Eagle. He had lost his form for a while since finishing a fine second to Coltrane at Ascot in May 2023 but when he loomed up menacingly in the G3 Silver Cup here last month over this C&D, it looked like he was back to something like his best.
He ended up in third that day, 3L behind the winner Alkasib (now rated 111) and 1.5L behind Al Qareem (rated 111). The 109 rated Salt Bay was 4L behind Wise Eagle in fourth. Adam Nicol’s charge did get a 4lb hike for that excellent effort, from 103 to 107, but I still think he can be competitive off that mark.
I think he’ll be suited by sitting off a strong pace in a big field and his career form figures at 1m6f read 112111183 (on good to firm they read 11). He proved he acts on this track last time, it looks like he has been trained for this race and with odds of 28/1 on offer, Wise Eagle is the each way selection.
