Templegate’s best ante-post bets and complete York Ebor preview with blockbuster meeting a punting paradise
TEMPLEGATE looks into his crystal ball in a bid to throw up winners at York's blockbuster Ebor Festival.
It's the biggest week of the year on the Knavesmire and a true punting paradise.
Here, our top tipster picks out the big horses he fancies for the week and names a few worth chucking in ante-post bets now.
Templegate says…
IT will be all aboard the Paddington express again at York next week.
The superstar three-year-old — who has notched FOUR Group 1 wins on the spin — is set to take centre stage in the £1million Juddmonte International on day one of the Ebor Festival.
But Frankie Dettori will be out to derail Aidan O’Brien’s ‘Iron Horse’ after landing the plum ride on brilliant Royal Ascot winner Mostahdaf in Wednesday’s Knavesmire ten-furlong thriller.
Frankie, who has his last-ever ride in Britain on Champions’ Day at Ascot on October 21, is sure to be flying high next week.
As well as Mostahdaf, the legend is due to ride Emily Upjohn in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks and Royal Ascot hero Gregory in the Lonsdale Cup on Friday and possibly Sweet William, 4-1 favourite for the Ebor a week today.
It will be a fabulous four days of top-class telly action at the last big Flat Festival of the season. Here are some of my fancies shooting for glory next week:
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TOWER OF LONDON
Wednesday: Great Voltigeur
AIDAN O’BRIEN hasn’t had a lot of joy at Ebor meetings lately but this smart Galileo colt has a massive chance in the Voltigeur.
He’s run just six times so far, picking up a Down Royal handicap with plenty in hand in June.
He was then upped to Group 3 level where Ryan Moore committed a rare rick when dropping his whip in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.
Trainers to follow
IT’S no shock JOHN GOSDEN tops the Ebor meeting trainer charts over the past decade.
Johnny G — and now ably assisted by son Thady — has had 19 winners from 80 runners at York’s big meeting in the last ten years and shows small profit at SP, which takes some doing.
WILLIAM HAGGAS is only one winner behind — but a quid on all his runners would have left you £25 down.
Backing CHARLIE APPLEBY has been wise with a 23 per cent strike-rate and a profit of just over a tenner to SP.
SunRacing’s ANDREW BALDING and MICHAEL DODS are also in profit.
But some trainers have left punters feeling blue despite having a few winners.
Backing all RICHARD HANNON’s runners would have left you £42 in the red while blindly following Ballydoyle maestro AIDAN O’BRIEN would have you £57 down.
But the biggest loss goes to RICHARD FAHEY who has had six winners at the past 10 Ebor meetings – from a massive 171 runners.
You’d be £91 down having a nicker on all of them to SP.
That made the difference in a head defeat to Castle Way in what looked a decent renewal.
There’s the option of upping him to two miles for the Lonsdale Cup on Friday and he’d be respected there too.
But he has no shortage of pace and is clearly up to this standard . . . as long as Ryan keeps hold of the pro-cush this time!
KINGS GAMBLE
Wednesday: Acomb Stakes
RALPH BECKETT’s Kingman colt is a really hot prospect after an eyecatching debut win at Newmarket earlier this month.
It’s not tilting at windmills to suggest this Group 3 is a suitable next target after he tanked along at HQ.
The winning margin could have been more emphatic than just under two lengths.
He gave the impression that stepping up to seven furlongs will bring improvement and he definitely looks up to this level.
PEROTTO
Thursday: Clipper Handicap
MOVING to Roger Varian has given a new lease of life to this five-year-old who is in fine form.
He matched that with a good seventh in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood.
The ground was a bit soft for him and he didn’t get much luck in running either before coming home four lengths behind the winner.
He showed his wellbeing with a smooth win at the Shergar Cup last week.
It’s also worth noting he ran well when second on his only start at York in his juvenile days.
HIGHFIELD PRINCESS
Friday: Nunthorpe Stakes
YOU don’t have to be a genius to work out that John Quinn’s Highfield Princess should defend her Nunthorpe title.
I’m really looking forward to her trying after her smooth win in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.
She ran right up to her best twice within a week at Royal Ascot. I fancy her to turn King’s Stand form around with Bradsell as the Knavesmire suits better.
Jockeys to follow
FRANKIE DETTORI — who else? — leads the way with 20 winners over the last decade at a 19 per cent strike-rate.
However, beware, as you’d be a tenner down backing all the Italian’s mounts with a quid at SP.
WILLIAM BUICK has just an 11 per cent winning strike-rate at the meeting for a nasty £26 loss.
Of the other top jocks, RYAN MOORE has just a 10 per cent srike-rate and shows a £36 loss on all his rides in the last ten years.
JAMIE SPENCER (-£52) and ANDREA ATZENI (-£33) have also been costly.
It could pay to stick with OISIN MURPHY. He has a top book of rides next week and is £29 in profit at the meeting.
Pick of the others is SEAN LEVEY who has an impressive 22 per cent strike-rate for a profit of £7.
Big Evs is a bigger threat if he is supplemented for this rather than the Gimcrack.
He was fantastic when winning the Molecomb in a fast time and, being a two-year-old, will get over a stone in weight from Highfield Princess.
AMLETO
Saturday: Melrose Stakes
YORKSHIRE born and bred William Haggas won this handicap 12 months ago with Soulcombe and Hamish landed it back in 2019.
The yard also came out on top in 2012 with Guarantee too — so wily William knows what it takes.
Amleto looks perfect for this and took a massive step forward when second on his handicap debut at Glorious Goodwood last time.
Winner The Goat got away from him in the bottomless ground but this son of Sea The Stars ran on well and should like the step up to a mile and six furlongs.
Soft ground would suit but his supersire dad went on quicker surfaces too and there’s more to come.
SEA EAGLE
Saturday: Finale Handicap
THIS classy colt came back from almost a year off to run a decent race at Goodwood.
He had been gelded ahead of that handicap debut and missed the break.
Tom Marquand didn’t ask too many questions of this three-year-old who stayed on nicely.
That was over a mile and, with the benefit of that run and a modest-looking handicap mark, Haggas’ colt can take a big step forward should he turn up in the closing handicap of the meeting over a mile and a quarter.
There are other targets too if he’s kept to a mile.
REAL DREAM
Saturday: Ebor
WE can’t miss out the race that gives the meeting its name and Real Dream looks ideal for the challenge.
Sir Michael Stoute’s hope was impressive stepped up to this trip when winning at Ascot last time. He seemed to have a lot left in the tank.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
He ran well at York's May meeting when third over 1m4f but this trip suits a lot better.
This will be just his seventh run so there will be lots of improvement and he handles any ground.
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