York Ebor Festival Day 4 Tips 2023: Check out all the best bets for Saturday's racing
We have all our Ebor Festival Day 4 Tips available for Saturday's stunning card at York, as our man Steve Chambers has delved through the form to try and point you in the right direction of a few winners. Check out his best bets for the action on Saturday on the Knavesmire, where he has a fancy for the big race, the Ebor Handicap at 15:35...
Sir Michael Stoute's NOSTRUM's bubble was well and truly burst at Gooodwood when the classy three-year-old was beaten by Epictetus in the Thoroughbred Stakes, but the Freemason Lodge inmate has been handed an ideal chance to return to winning ways in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York at 13:50 on Saturday. Understandably, he's a very short price for this event, but he shaped like a real class act when winning a Listed event at Newmarket on his previous start and a return to quicker ground for this event should see him at his best. The likes of El Drama and Jimi Hendrix will be notable rivals, but they have to give 7lbs to the three-year-old market leader and he can make that count here.
John & Thady Gosden's MIDDLE EARTH appeared to relish the step up in trip at Newmarket last time out as the son of Roaring Lion broke his maiden tag at the third time of asking with victory in a novice stakes over a distance of 1m 4f. Stepping up in trip again for the Melrose Handicap at 14:25, the likely progressive performer has been handed an eye-catching mark of 93 for this contest and he could be one that is more than capable of improving on that in the latter part of the season. It's a hugely competitive event with a host of three-year-olds on the upgrade, but Middle Earth shapes like a potential top notch stayer in the future and he can claim victory for a first rate yard on his first handicap outing.
Sir Michael Stoute last trained the winner of the Ebor Handicap back in 1996 when Clerkenwell claimed glory, but the legendary handler can recapture the coveted, valuable staying handicap crown on Saturday as he can saddle REAL DREAM to victory at 15:35. One of the least experienced performers in the line-up, the lightly-raced four-year-old was a decent third behind Scampi at York earlier in the season and that pair will do battle again here, but Real Dream is slightly better off at the weights. However, it was an impressive win of an Ascot handicap that showed he was an Ebor type and while an 8lbs rise will mean he has more to do he looks the type to continue on an upgrade. There's no doubting that Sweet William is a deserved market leader and looks a class act, but Real Dream could be the value alternative in a cracking renewal.
There's a devilishly difficult 6f handicap to follow on from the Ebor and some of your old favourite sprinters do battle in a real punting hum-dinger and the likes of Great St Wilfrid Handicap one-two Aberama Gold and Summerghand are prominent figures in the betting, while Orazio is another that features prominently in the betting. One at a big double-figured price that could play a part is Andrew Balding's KING'S LYNN, who was last seen finishing way down the field in the Stewards' Cup off a mark of 107. Dropped 3lbs for that run, the former Group 2 Temple Stakes winner takes his chance off 104 here and he's not been that low in the handicap for a couple of years and now not under the ownership of His Majesty The King he could well land a blow at decent odds. He hasn't got his head in front for over a year, but he's a class act on his day and he could at least bag a place here.
