York Ebor Festival Day Three predictions: Walker to bag another York prize
Enda McElhinney
York Ebor Festival Day Three: Best bet, each-way selection and treble
Recommended bets include:
It is all about speed at York on Friday afternoon as some of the best sprinters in the world take on the challenge of the Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs on the Knavesmire.
Here is everything you need to know for day three, including the day's best bets.
Day 3 – Key info
First race: 1:50pm Heritage Handicap
Feature race: 3:35pm Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes
The action continues at York's Ebor Festival on Friday afternoon with a seven-race card headlined by the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes over the flying five-furlongs.
Best bet of the day
Do Or Do Not to win the Gimcrack Stakes (3.00pm) @ 6/4
This does not present itself as being a strong renewal of the Gimcrack Stakes, with none of the eight runners having scored at stakes level.
Do Or Do Not is one of two maidens in the field but he could well remedy that now for Ed Walker and Tom Marquand, both of whom enjoyed big-race successes here on day two.
This Space Blues colt has finished second in the Coventry at Royal Ascot and the July Stakes at Newmarket over this trip and moved well for a long way in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood over 7f last time before finishing third.
That form has already been boosted and, back down at 6f, York may play to his strong-finishing tendencies.
Best each-way bet of the day
Marhaba The Champ each-way in the Heritage Handicap (1.50pm) @ 20/1
Marhaba The Champ is priced as an outsider of the 11-runner field in this opening race. The ex-Kevin Ryan-trained six-year-old is a dual winner at York, including this race in 2023.
He was well beaten last year but is rated 6lb lower now and was back on song when second at Doncaster last month.
He pulled clear with the winner and was giving away a stone-and-a-half when beaten a neck. He has moved to Sophie Leech since and could outrun his odds following that change of scenery.
Day 3 acca
We are providing an accumulator suggestion for each day at York's Ebor Festival and our Day Three treble pays 224/1 with LiveScore Bet.
Bet 1: Arizona Blaze to win the Nunthorpe Stakes (3.35pm) @ 5/1
Adrian Murray is managing the career of Arizona Blaze nicely and the Sergei Prokofiev colt landed the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last month on his first start at 5f this year. He has a likeable profile as a sprinter and boasts form at York.
Bet 2: Wonder Star to win the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies' Handicap (4.10pm) @ 4/1
William Haggas' string are in scintillating form right now and Wonder Star could be a major player for him in this Class 2 contest. An Ascot maiden winner in May over this trip, things didn't go to plan at Newbury in Listed company a mere week later but she ran very well when second to a solid older horse at Glorious Goodwood and may have more to come from 2lb higher on her second handicap start.
Bet 3: Big Leader to win the Mile Handicap (5.20pm) @ 13/2
The Geoff Oldroyd-trained Big Leader brings an unbeaten record into this after three wins from three so far. He did plenty wrong but really showed a good attitude for a winning handicap debut at Thirsk this month and this contest was pinpointed afterwards. He is only 3lb higher this time and has more to give.
The latest Ebor Festival odds are available on LiveScore Bet
