Antepost Racing Tips: Show some Love for 10/1 Ebor contender on Saturday

Saturday, 14:45, York, Sky Bet Melrose Handicap Tip: Back Mythical Bay EW four places @ 12/113.00

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Mythical Bay (Ire)

• J: Oisin Murphy
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 472-12311

There's nothing quite like being out in the York sunshine in August with the baked turf beneath the old sprigs.

The Melrose Handicap, the Ebor for the young, is worth more than a ripple of recognition and is always a good punting race. It is not easy, but neither should it be with a stack of unexposed three-year-old stayers.

We've got the four places on the Betfair Sportsbook on Tuesday to play with, and I'd be pushing more towards an each-way bet, so that rules out the 4/15.00 on Goodwood 1m4f winner Infraad. The market never misses pricing up a William Haggas handicapper.

Limestone for Joseph O'Brien at a half a point bigger comes with the Ryan Moore tax too as he's already been booked.

Mythical Bay is 18 on the list, although the last four editions have comprised field sizes of 12, 16, 13 and 13.

A winner at Newmarket over 1m6f last time, he's proved his stamina of sorts, despite a slightly steady pace off a finish speed of 104%, and his trainer Andrew Balding knows a thing or two about the race with three Melrose winners since 2020,. I like Mythical Bay's profile as a horse who promises to get a little further.

He bolted up by 4L at Newbury earlier in the season in softer ground, and perhaps that's where his fortune lies with some rain, but he seemed to handle quick ground fine at Newmarket and for a stayer, he possesses quite a smooth travelling style and craves a pace to tuck in and get cover - for he has been ridden like that in two successes.

We have 12/113.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook and, from 92, his improvement has not reached its ceiling.

Saturday, 15:35, York, Sky Bet Ebor Handicap Tip: Back Love Me Tender @ 10/111.00

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Love Me Tender (Ger)

• J: William Buick
• T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
• F: 114-

Willie Mullins, not content with cleaning out the trophy cabinet at the Cheltenham Festival, has claimed Ebor riches with two winners in the last three seasons with Absurde and Ethical Diamond.

Love Me Tender is just about the most interesting runner of all time for me with the profile and for the owners H O S Syndicate, who know a thing or two about winning this race.

A few weeks ago Love Me Tender was 33s, I guess with the potential of not making the race. But now on the list in the top 30, a mark of 96 and a potentially low weight, it would be some plan to not run any sort of prep and go into an Ebor with the confidence to win it.

The market certainly thinks so.

His last run was in a Listed race in Europe for previous trainer and legendary Peter Schiergen, running over 1m2f at Chantilly.

Love Me Tender had previously won both of his starts in Germany but delving into that Chantilly contest shows it is hot form.

The winner Azimpour is now rated 111. The second that day Swingeur is 100, the third Familly 106 and the fifth is now rated 110. In between the latter two in fourth was Love Me Tender, so have the connections been protecting his mark and not showing their hand to preserve 96?

The form at Chantilly is too hot to ignore and the owners buy well, which in the crazy world of bloodstock isn't often the case.

Saturday, 16:10, York, Sky Bet Constantine Handicap Tip: Back Poatan EW @ 20/121.00

At 7/18.00 the field, this looks a sprint worth taking a bit of a swing at some big prices. My old chum Pocklington loves the track and at 12/113.00 is a fair enough EW play.

He hasn't set the turf alight this season and has perhaps struggled with his three-figure rating, and back down to 98 is on my list as he finished third in the race 12 months ago off 95.

Poatan at 20/121.00 has only had one outing this term, a run over 5f in the Scurry Stakes at Sandown.

If was officially "good" in June for the Scurry dash, but times suggested more good to soft and Poatan wasn't able to match the speed of the others early, was in rear, was checked and had to switch wide.

All told that was a fine return for a first outing of the season and first since being gelded.

A winning novice at Windsor on fast ground saw him clock the fastest final furlong and the only runner under 12 seconds - so it backs up the impression that Sandown for a comeback and allowing for rustiness was just too much of a speed test.

He's off 99 and this looks more his bag. He was also third in the Doncaster Sales race last term behind Calendar Girl and Song Of The Clyde. The latter held a rating of 100 at one stage and Calendar Girl ran for the first time this season to score recently at Haydock in a Listed contest.

At 20/121.00 he appeals along with Pocklington.

Now read racing tips and previews from Mark Milligan here!