York Ebor Festival day 3 tips: Educator can edge it in the opener
Two days down, two to go. We’ve reached the third day of York Ebor Festival, which is a premier flat racing meeting that takes place annually at York Racecourse in North Yorkshire.
The second day of the Ebor Festival turned out to be a typcially tough day for punters, though it was nice to land the each-way bet in the feature race of the day, which was of course the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks as Warm Heart got the job done at odds of 8/1. It’s time to delve back into the form book. Can we make it three days of winners on the bounce? There’s only one way to find out.
Betting tips for day three of the York Ebor Festival
Yesterday’s four bets returned just the one winner, but at odds of 8/1, that was more than enough to secure profit for the day betting to level stakes. Let’s hope for something similar today. Let’s get stuck in:
13:50 – Sky Bet Handicap
The opening race on York’s Friday card is a Class 2 handicap over the best part of one mile and four furlongs. 14 runners are due to go post, so it’s not easy. Having won each of his last two, Balance Play is popular in the early market, though Ralph Beckett’s runner needs to pull out more now up in the weights and in a better race, which is far from guaranteed.
The one that I like is Educator, who runs here for William Haggas in the hands of Tom Marquand. Not all that often have we seen a Haggas horse go unfancied in the betting at the big meetings this season, but that’s what we have here as Educator is currently available at odds of 16/1 in the early betting.
This horse comes here having run some decent races of late, while he ought to be suited by the likely stronger pace that he’ll encounter here. Having finished a very close second in a similarly competitive contest at Kempton back in June, the four-year-old could easily go well here, especially if the first-time blinkers help him to pull out just a tiny bit more. At 16/1, with four places generally on offer, he’s my idea of a decent each-way bet in a race of this nature.
Best bet – Educater (each-way) @ 16/1
16:10 – Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap
Just after four in the afternoon, after the wave of group action, we have another tricky little handicap race, ahead of which, several seem to have chances based on one line of form or another.
Rowayeh is quite strong in the early market, though while the filly is likely to appreciate the return to this sounder surface following the soft ground at Goodwood, she’s yet to prove himself at this level, which makes 5/2 looks rather skinny if you ask me.
Top-weighted Amanzoe lost his unbeaten run last time out when finishing second over course and distance, but she didn’t lose much in defeat, running a good race. She’ll need to be ready after 371 days off, which is a big ask, while she will have to give weight away all round from her increased handicap mark, which again, will be anything but simple.
For my money, Sirona is a sound each-way bet here. The booking of Ryan Moore looks significant, while this is a horse who arrives here off the back of a solid second over a mile at Newmarket last time out.
When finishing second last time out, the three-year-old ran on strongly at the death, suggesting that this step back up to one mile and two furlongs ought to suit, especially as she’s no longer running in very hot Listed contests. From a mark of 94, this horse looks to be capable of seriously challenging at this level, so don’t be surprised if she lays down a bold bid under the top rider. I certainly won’t and that’s exactly what I’ll be betting on her to do at odds of 8/1, which may not stick around for long.
