York’s excellent Ebor Festival reaches its climax on Saturday and our ITV racing tips for the day include two very backable favourites and an intriguing 50/1 shot in the handicap from which the meeting takes its name (3.35)
ITV Racing Tips – August 24
1.50 York – See The Fire to win @ 11/4
3.00 York – Audience to win @ 6/4
3.35 – Alfred Boucher to win (each-way) @ 50/1
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Balding filly a generous price in the opener given the positives
It’s something of a pleasant surprise that Andrew Balding’s SET THE FIRE can backed at odds as generous as 5/2 to win the Strensall Stakes (1.50) given she carries less weight than any of her rivals despite being the best horse in the race according to the official ratings.
She’s joint-favourite with 2,000 Guineas fifth Alnyaabi at the time of writing but receives 3lbs from that rival despite being rated 3lbs superior thanks to her sex allowance. The older horses lining up against her must give her up to 10lbs in weight despite being rated inferior by the BHA.
Her best performance to date came last time out when she was beaten a neck by Opera Singer in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes (1m2f) at Glorious Goodwood on her first run beyond a mile on good-to-firm ground.
Although she looked to appreciate the step up in trip there, the transition from that sharp track to the galloping challenge of the Knavesmire should neutralise any concerns that she’ll lack the speed.
Tip: 1.50 York – See The Fire to win @ 11/4
Gosden gelding a 6/4 godsend with Knavesmire riding in ideal fashion
The City of York Stakes (3.00) looks another race where the favourite could and perhaps should be far shorter but that just spells value to backers of John & Thady Gosden’s AUDIENCE (6/4).
BHA ratings have the five-year-old 12lbs clear of his next-best rated opponent in the race, yet he must give no more than 5lbs to any of his rivals.
A tearaway Group 1 winner over 1m in the Lockinge on his first run of the season, he scored over this 7f trip in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time out, beating the reopposing Art Power by a handsome four lengths.
Front runners and those prominent from the off have been very hard to peg back at York all week so this contest should suit Audience’s preference for making all down to the ground and give him every chance of avenging his ¾-length defeat to the ageing Kinross in last year’s edition.
Tip: 3.00 York – Audience to win @ 6/4
Readiness of 2022 Ebor silver medallist worth chancing at hefty odds
The upper reaches of the market for this year’s Ebor Handicap (3.35) are packed with improving four-year-olds including Queenstown, Fairbanks, Naqeeb and Burdett Road, while Willie Mullins intriguing former Polish and German campaigner Hipop De Loire has been well backed.
All have understandable appeal based on form or market support and trainer in the case of the latter, but at the other end of the market ALFRED BOUCHER looks well worth taking an each-way chance on at 50/1.
Two years ago Ian Williams’ eight-year-old won a £52k handicap over 2m on the first day of the Ebor Meeting then lined up in the Ebor four days later failing to land the feature by the slenderest of margins of a mark of 100 when beaten a short head by Trawlerman (now rated 118lbs higher).
Beaten 27 lengths on his return from 686 days off the track on August 10, his readiness to repeat that kind of form must be taken on trust but trainer Ian Williams’ decision to persist with him suggests a belief that the potential for a good run off 4lbs lower than his 2022 mark remains.
