Last year’s winner Highfield Princess heads the market ahead of the Nunthorpe Stakes, the feature race on Friday, day three of the Ebor Festival at York.
John Quinn’s six-year-old may be one of the oldest in the 16-strong field, but according to William Hill is best placed to land the 5 furlong sprint again, at 2.37.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: August 24th, 9:30 A.M. (BST)
Jason Hart will ride her, as he has done for much of her 35-race career, which most recently saw her win the King George Stakes at Goodwood earlier this month, the fifth Group 1 of her career.
Bradsell, half her age, is her nearest challenger. Archie Watson’s colt got the better of Highfield Princess in his last outing, the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. That was the 5.00 shot’s first win at Group 1 level and he has every chance of the double under Hollie Doyle.
At two-years-old, Big Evs is the youngest in the race but at 7.50 has every chance for Michael Appleby. Andrea Atzeni takes the ride for the first time in what will be the colt’s fourth race, his most recent being a Group 3 victory at Glorious Goodwood.
Regional (10.00) and Dramatised (11.00) are also in with a chance of placing. Regional has won his last two, including over tomorrow’s course and distance but will be making a big step up in grade. Dramatised had an awful run in the King’s Stand but will hope to regain the form that saw her second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Frankie Dettori rides Twilight Calls (17.00) and it is 19.00 bar.
The festival reaches its finale on Saturday and though there may be no Group 1 races, the 1 mile 6 furlong Ebor Handicap with its £300,000 first prize brings enough prestige.
The field will be cut to 22 runners, but of the 39 still entered, John & Thady Gosden’s Sweet William is the clear favourite at 4.50. Robert Halvin has ridden him to three victories this season, over three different distances and grounds.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: August 24th, 9:30 A.M. (BST)
Dettori’s final big Ebor race will be aboard Absurde (9.00) for top jumps trainer Willie Mullins, who also has 11.00 chance Jackfinbar. Absurde was second under Dettori in Royal Ascot’s Copper Horse Handicap but did not have such a good run in a novice hurdle at Galway earlier this month.
Ryan Moore rides Real Dream (9.00) who was victorious over this distance at Ascot last month, while Oisin Murphy is aboard Live Your Dream (11.00), the winner of the Heritage Handicap at Newmarket. 15.00 bar.
