ITV Races

York Ebor Festival Day Three Tips: Mark Milligan has a trio to back on Nunthorpe Day

York
Mark Milligan has three selections at York on Friday

Mark Milligan has gone through Friday's York Ebor Festival card and picks out his three best bets on the day...

  • Gregory the bet in stayers' race

  • Godolphin juvenile highly promising

  • Stoute filly could prove very well handicapped


14:25 York - Back Gregory

The sprinters and stayers both get their turn to shine on day three of York's Ebor meeting, and while I don't have a strong view in the feature 5f Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes later in the card, I'm very keen on Gregory's chance in the 2m Group 2 Lonsdale Cup.

Highly progressive last season, winning his first three starts before going on to run with credit in the St Leger, John & Thady Gosden's charge ran a cracker when third to Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup last time, quickly putting a flat Royal Ascot effort behind him.

Some may use his seasonal return at this track as stick to beat him with, when only third in the Yorkshire Cup (with Vauban ahead of him), but there's every chance he needed that run and it's highly likely he just finds 1m 6f too sharp nowadays anyway.

His Goodwood form marked him out as one of the best 'second flight' stayers around behind the mighty Kyprios and I'm expecting him to prove that with a win here.

This is a good race, though, so Gregory is unlikely to have things all his own way, with Point Lonsdale and the aforementioned Vauban heading the list of potential threats.


15:00 York - Back Shadow Of Light

Charlie Appleby and William Buick took the 6f Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes with Noble Style in 2022 and I'm hoping they can repeat the does with the highly promising Shadow Of Light this time around.

An impeccably bred son of Lope De Vega, Shadow Of Light looked a good prospect when making a winning debut at Yarmouth last month, travelling fluently before being produced to lead a furlong from home.

He confirmed that promise when following up at Newmarket last time, again travelling with plenty of power before readily settling matters late on.

He's looked every inch a pattern race prospect so far and I'm confident he can take this step up in class in his stride.

The opposition is headed up by Big Mojo, who represents the Big Evs connections.

Mick Appleby's juvenile improved markedly when taking the Molecomb at Goodwood last time, though whether he'll be quite at home over the extra furlong of this test remains to be seen.

I was with The Strikin Viking in the Richmond at Goodwood, and though he couldn't get the job done there, he still ran really well to finish second having been up with the strong pace throughout.

Wathnan Racing's promising colt could well emerge as the biggest threat to Shadow Of Light.


16:10 York - Back Power Of Destiny

As mentioned, I'm swerving the Nunthorpe but am very keen on Sir Michael's Stoute's Power Of Destiny in the 1m 2f fillies' handicap that follows it.

This daughter of Sea The Stars was off the mark at the second time of asking when taking a maiden at Haydock in June, and that's a race that's worked out really well.

She's finished runner-up on both starts since then, with her latest outing the most eye-catching of that pair.

Power Of Destiny still looked a work in progress there, as you'd expect for one making just her fourth start, and didn't find things panning out ideally, either.

She didn't get the best of runs through but was sticking on really well late in the day and I suspect she's a well-handicapped filly from a mark of 88.

Power Of Destiny will need to be a bit more professional in this bigger field, but she's trained by a master when it comes to preparing fillies in particular, and you'd have to think this race has been on the radar for some time.


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