Friday sees the Ebor Festival roll into its third day as punters flock to the Knavesmire (or settle down in front of the TV) for another quality afternoon of racing entertainment.
Speed is the name of the game in the feature event of the Nunthorpe Stakes, as the best of the 5f performers hit top gear. At the other end of the spectrum, the Lonsdale Cup places a premium on stamina, whilst the Gimcrack for the juveniles regularly falls to an emerging star.
Throw in cracking handicapping fare and an intriguing maiden, and we have another day to savour – all the better with a punt or two to spice up the action, and here’s where our cash is going in three of the events on Day 3.
2:25 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes, 2m½f, Group 2
Unlike many Group class contests on the British racing calendar, Aidan O’Brien has just one win in this event for the stayers, having drawn a blank since the 2007 success of Septimus. However, the Ballydoyle maestro is responsible for the 2024 favourite in the shape of the appropriately named Point Lonsdale.
A five-time winner at Group 3 level or above, this son of Australia was last sighted finishing third in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud over 1m4f. His place at the head of the market stems from his previous performance, when powering to a six-length rout of the field in the 1m5½f Ormonde Stakes at Chester, with the reopposing Alsakib and 2023 St. Leger runner-up Arrest in behind. He tackles 2m for the first time here, but he didn’t look to be stopping at the line at Chester and may even improve for the additional distance.
Another runner from an Irish powerhouse comes next, as William Buick takes the ride aboard the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban. A Grade 1 winner over hurdles, this Rich Ricci-owned runner has scored four times on the level, including in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes. Undoubtedly a talented performer, he must improve on his 2024 efforts to land this prize. A fourth-placed effort in the Ascot Gold Cup was fairly respectable, considering he failed to see out the trip, but his 8¼l third over 1m6f at the Curragh was more disappointing. Nevertheless, if anyone can bring a horse back to his best, Mullins can.
Having won four of the past six editions of this (three with the mighty Stradivarius), anything hailing from the John & Thady Gosden operation is worth a second look. The four-year-old Gregory flies the flag for the Newmarket yard this time around.
Following a perfect three-from-three start to his career, this son of Golden Horn has yet to live up to that potential and arrives without a win in five runs. Focussing solely on his 2024 form, he looked in need out of the outing on his return in the Yorkshire Cup and patently failed to stay the 2m4f of the Ascot Gold Cup. Last time out at Goodwood was much more like it when he fared best of those to race up with the pace to finish third to Kyprios.
Of the others, Alsakib won nicely at this track in July but has work to do with Point Lonsdale on their Chester running, and Night Sparkle is consistent but possibly a shade below the required standard.
The biggest threat to the market leaders may come from the sole three-year-old in the field, Align The Stars. Holding a St. Leger entry, this Charlie Johnston runner arrives seeking a four-timer and showed an admirable attitude when toughing it out at Goodwood last time. On the downside, he’s up markedly in class, and no three-year-old has won this since Double Eclipse in 1995.
A fascinating contest overall, but we agree with the market in rating Point Lonsdale as the most likely winner. Whereas Vauban and Gregory have come up short in similar events this season, Point Lonsdale remains unexposed over staying trips, and that run at Chester suggested 2m might be right up his street.
Recommended Bet: Point Lonsdale to win at 9/4 with bet365
3:00 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, 6f, Group 2
Mick Appleby enjoyed a stellar time with his sprinters at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, and two of his Sussex stars are on show on Friday afternoon. First up, Big Mojo, who bids to back up his Molecombe Stakes success in this event. He’s up 1f in trip and slightly in class here, but did very well to win at Goodwood, having missed the break and been stuck out wide. The son of champion sprinter Mohaather currently shades favouritism, but this looks a red-hot race.
The unbeaten Shadow Of Light goes for the boys in blue of Godolphin, who have taken this twice in the past eight years. A cosy winner on debut at Yarmouth, he built on that when much too good at Newmarket last time and looks a horse on the up. However, the overall quality of his form is tough to assess, and this is a huge step up from Class 4 Novice company.
Wathnan Racing’s The Strikin Viking is another to note, having only been run down close home in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes over this trip last time, whilst the once-raced Andesite falls into the could be anything category and goes for Karl Burke, who has a solid record in juvenile sprint contests.
Super Sprint winner Caburn is underestimated at around the 16/1 mark and would be our each-way pick in the race, but we will once again return to the yard of Aidan O’Brien for our selection.
By Wootton Bassett, the strapping Camille Pissarro is a half-brother to Group 1-winning sprinter Golden Horde and has shown plenty in four starts. An easy winner on debut at Navan, he went down by just a head in a Group 3 at the Curragh. Sent off favourite for the Coventry Stakes, he did too much when making the running on the far side, but still only went down by 4¼l. However, it is his run in the Anglesey Stakes last time which catches our eye. More patiently ridden that day, he finished well down the outside to get to within a length of Babouche. With that Ger Lyons runner powering to a 1½l win over Whistlejacket (who in turn won a Group 1 in France last weekend), the form looks the best on offer in this field.
Recommended Bet: Camille Pissarro to win at 11/2 with bet365
4:10 Coolmore Wooton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, 5f, Group 1
The feature event of the day provides the latest instalment of one of the most compelling sprint rivalries of the season as Aussie mare Asfoora and Mick Appleby star Big Evs butt heads for a third time. The score stands at 1-1 heading into the race, and the duo dominate the head of the market.
Starting with the mare, Asfoora was zero from four in Group 1 company in her homeland, but, as we have seen so often, Australian sprint form is second to none. Travelling to Britain for the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, she promptly produced a devastating kick to reel them all in for a 1-length success, with Big Evs back in third.
Fast forward to the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, and hopes were high that Big Evs could turn the tables on 2lb better terms with his Ascot conquerer. And in the end, he did…but only just. Striking the front under Oisin Murphy, the three-year-old looked home and hosed at the furlong pole as Asfoora suffered a troubled passage in behind. However, once in the clear, the mare shot home to go down by a rapidly diminishing short head.
This is far from a two-horse race, with Archie Watson’s Group 1 winner Bradsell warranting plenty of respect. Successful in the 2023 King’s Stand Stakes, he then won the race on his side of the track, when third overall in this event. Missing the start of the season through injury, he returned with a Listed success at Deauville and is a threat to all.
With winners at 28/1 and 40/1 in the past six years, this race isn’t averse to a shock result. If there is a big surprise this year, the William Knight-trained three-year-old Frost At Dawn may be the one to provide it. Predominantly raced out in Meydan, this filly is flying a little under the radar but looked blisteringly quick when pulling clear of a decent field in a Group 3 event in March on her only previous 5f outing. Arriving fresher than most and likely to be suited by the quick conditions, she’s worth considering for a small each-way punt at around the 50/1 mark.
However, our main bet in the race is Asfoora. Too good at Ascot, she emerged as the best horse in the race at Goodwood and is fully 6lbs better off with Big Evs under these conditions. Main market rivals Big Evs and Bradsell were both beaten in the 2023 edition and may be playing for places behind the Aussie speedball.
Recommended Bet: Asfoora to win 2/1 with BetVictor
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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