York Tips: Saturday Best Bets for the Ebor Festival 2024 from Architect

See The Fire, 1pt WIN, 11/4

An excellent turnout for the Group 3 Strensall Stakes. SEE THE FIRE (best price 11/4) has produced some excellent efforts in defeat since winning on debut, including when a neck-second in the Nassau Stakes last time out and has every chance of going one place better.

Andrew Balding’s filly went close to taking the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on her final three-year-old start when finishing third and has subsequently improved with each start this season since finishing down the field in the 1,000 Guineas on her return. 

Coincidentally, all four of her starts this season have been in Group 1 company, and having not been beaten far when fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, she improved on that showing to finish a creditable fourth in the Coral-Eclipse behind City Of Troy.

It was her latest start that saw her turn in a career-best performance, though, as she made relentless progress from the rear of the field to push Opera Singer to within a neck. Given how far back she came from in that contest, that was an unbelievable effort under the circumstances.

She tops the pile on ratings, form, as well as her additional sex allowance. This is a significant drop in grade, and her team has been in excellent form this week. A repeat of her latest display should be more than sufficient to see this daughter of Sea The Stars lower this field.

Too Bossy For Us, 0.5 pts E/W, 10/1, 5 places

The Melrose is never the easiest of races to dissect, but I’m drawn to the claims of TOO BOSSY FOR US (best price 10/1), who has taken his form up a notch since going handicapping and can make an impact under Jim Crowley with five places generally available.

This son of Golden Horn beat a 92-rated horse on handicap debut at Ascot and has placed in two starts since behind Align The Stars. He’s kept on well in both of those races, and a 4lb rise for his latest second shouldn’t prevent another positive showing, with more to offer.

Shouldvebeenaring, 0.5 pts E/W, 10/1

The unpenalised Audience is undoubtedly the one to beat, but others in the field will ensure he doesn’t have his own way, so at the odds, the value could be with SHOULDVEBEENARING (best price 10/1) who has the ammunition to cause some damage.

Richard Hannon’s consistent charge placed in two quality Group 1s, the Sprint Cup and Prix de la Foret, towards the end of last year and pushed subsequent Group 1 winner Mill Stream to within a nose when second in the Duke Of Clipper here in May earlier this year.

This four-year-old has proved he’s capable at a higher level when everything clicks, and he warmed up for this with a Group 3 win at Deauville seven weeks ago. He also won the Premier Yearling sales race at this meeting two years ago. 

He remains unexposed at this distance and his turn of foot should see him come with a late rattle under the Oisin Murphy drive. With plenty of pace to aim at with the likes of Art Power and Audience in the line-up, it would come as no surprise to see him competitive.

Burdett Road, 0.5 pts E/W, 9/1, 6 places

The feature race of the week, the Ebor Handicap, appears to have been the primary target for Grade 2 hurdle winner BURDETT ROAD (best price 9/1), and there’s good reason to believe he’s extremely well-handicapped.

Although he was forced to miss Cheltenham and Aintree, his trainer insisted that this meeting would be his ultimate target on the Flat and he was having his first start in this sphere for 11 months when fifth at Ascot last month.

He wasn’t given an overly hard ride under Silvestre De Sousa, as he was held up in rear and saw out his race very effectively, hitting the line in an assertive manner to get past three rivals. The way he shaped in that race suggested a step up in trip would suit. 

A winner of the Golden Gates at Royal Ascot last year, James Owen’s dual-purpose youngster finished a fine third to Passenger in a Group 3 race at Windsor last year, and given the first, second, and fourth are all now rated 110+, an initial mark of 101 might have underestimated him.

Providing we don’t get too much rain on the Knavesmire come post time, the ground should be spot on for him and he’s been handed a nice slot in stall three. With various firms paying four places, he’s the sort of horse I think has the right profile to produce a huge performance.

Six places are generally on offer. 

Naqeeb, 0.5 pts E/W, 10/1, 6 places

The extremely well-bred NAQEEB (best price 10/1) must be considered a major player for the feature, having performed admirably when a head-second under a big weight at Newbury last time out.

William Haggas has aimed him at this race for a very long time and the way he went through his race last time when stepped up to two miles suggests a strongly-run contest on this course would play to his strengths. 

He is refitted with headgear and his mark has only gone up a couple of pounds. Drawn ideally in 11, Jim Crowley should be able to get a nice position in behind the pace and I’ll be surprised if he’s not in the mix at the business end. 

Six places are widely on offer and advised.

Mr Lightside, 1pt WIN, 3/1

MR LIGHTSIDE (best price 3/1) has looked like a completely different model since being well beaten on his debut, winning his next two starts before a close-up third in a Group 3 last time out and should be hard to beat. 

Mick Appleby’s improving sprinter stepped up significantly from his impressive Nottingham success when beaten less than a length in Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes. 

That form has worked out well, with the winner (Big Mojo) running well in the Grimcrack here yesterday and the fourth (Celandine) winning the Lowther Stakes.

It could be argued that this son of Earthlight would have finished a good second without being bumped by the winner and third towards the finish when still in with every chance. 

This looks easier, though, and the form of his Nottingham win has recently been advertised when the third-placed horse Diligently won the Premier Yearling Stakes this week.

His vital speed should be beneficial on a course that is prone to horses being on the speed. Rossa Ryan maintains the partnership, and if the pair can seize the initiative early doors, another victory could await him.

Sir Busker, 0.5 pts E/W, 11/1, 5 places

William Knight is doubly-represented in the final race of York’s Ebor Festival with Dual Identity and SIR BUSKER (best price 11/1), but I’m most interested in the latter, who is a class act and is taken to enhance his fine record here.

The eight-year-old has been winless in more than two years, but he’s worth recollecting that his last victory came over C&D in a Group 2 contest. The last time he competed at this course saw him finish third in the Group 1 International Stakes at this meeting. 

He’s never run a bad race here, with his record reading 2413, and his only previous handicap start on the Knavesmire was when he finished a neck-second off a mark of 107, albeit over a shorter trip. Rated as high as 116 last year, and despite still running good efforts in defeat since his last win, he’s down to a mark of 100 with Brandon Wilkie’s claim taken into account.

Following a more than four-month break, his latest close-up fourth in a warm conditions race at Goodwood was solid, and that should have sorted out his fitness ahead of this contest. He’s drawn very well in stall eight and should get the ideal setup, so he offers nice value. 

Five places are generally on offer and advised.