York Ebor Meeting Antepost Tips: Four plays including 12/1 and 10/1 selections

• Twelve races at York priced up on Sportsbook including the Ebor

• Yorkshire Oaks filly looks overpriced

• Alan Dudman takes an early look at the markets for Ebor week

---

Listen to Day One York Ebor Festival Racing Only Bettor Tips...

---

Twelve races at the start of the week priced up on the Sportsbook

One of the best festivals to look forward to this week and a fixture list that would make even Ben Affleck raise a smile at the thought of Wednesday through to Saturday, and while the York handicaps can be the avenue of hard luck stories, you'll be rewarded with a price due to the fields.

In terms of the forecast, rain could hit the track on Friday, but it's a dry week save for some on Monday and York always do a pretty good job with the surface and are even better at relaying the information.

The Lowther starts Thursday's card on the Knavesmire and the two-from-two Leovanni heads the market at 2/13.00 on the Sportsbook.

She fully deserves that price as a Royal Ascot winner having scooped the Queen Mary prize, with the blue and bronze floating past the winning line like a butterfly.

Her trainer Karl Burke seemed to be ultra-impressed too by saying: "From watching it live, it looked very smooth. James said that she travelled beautifully.

"She's got a fantastic mind, this filly. Not just for a two-year-old - for a breeze-up two-year-old she's unbelievable. So relaxed and that's all credit going forward - that will be a great help to her. I'm sure she'll stay six."

So the 6f according to Burke should be no problem and Burke has won the Lowther twice since 2019 with Living In The Past and Swingalong. She's the only unbeaten filly in the line-up, and in truth, it's pretty hard seeing her lose here.

Heaven's Gate found a great opportunity to boost the Michael Tabor coffers with a big sales' race win at Naas last time and has thirds from the Duchess Of Cambridge and Albany. She's rock-solid, tough and handles fast ground and probably wants 7f sooner rather than later, and I can see her making the running.

At 5/23.50 against the 2/13.00 on Leovanni, preference would be for the Burke filly.

Burke has two others in the race with Miss Lamai at 6s and Unspoken Love at 33s, and while it's impossible to fancy the latter, Miss Lamai would be an interesting price as a couple are likely to come out here - as Arabian Dusk ran at the weekend in France.

---

Juveniles chasing York riches in big Sales' race

With a ton of juveniles chasing nigh on 250,000 sheets for the Thursday Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes over 6f, connections clearly are thinking - why not? Let's have a go.

Ratings in the 70s and low 80s are well shy of a top race, and Maw Lam's third in the Queen Mary gives her an outstanding chance. But rated 98, she hasn't been missed in the market as favourite at 9/43.25. And while unlucky in the Hilary Needler, she's a quick filly who has come up slightly short in Group company so far.

Whether you want to play at a price in this sort of race is not for everyone, and there's a 5/23.50 price on Richard Hannon's An Outlaw's Grace - who notably has Ryan Moore booked. He looks ready for 7f and disappointed at Goodwood last time.

Even Charlie Appleby has an entry with Hallasan, and he won a Novice easily at Nottingham last time and looks a better horse since he's been gelded. The Nottingham race was won by Vandeek the previous year and he's a potential front-runner too - as he dominated from the front at Nottingham.

I wouldn't be surprised if something at a massive price outran the odds, but like many with these sorts of races, I am happy to sit out.

---

Clipper Handicap appeals for an each-way punt, but Elnajmm looks classy

The York 15:00 Clipper Handicap over 1m on Thursday is certainly more of a punting race and the Sportsbook are four places at 1/4 odds as of Monday.

The progressive Elnajmm is bidding for a third straight handicap win and carries a 6lb penalty (taking him to 102) after his Ascot performance.

He's by Sea The Stars, and for one of the stallion's sons he's got some pace, and as William Haggas is just about the best target trainer around, I am far from surprised to see Elnajmm as the 7/24.50 favourite.

The 4yo has raced just twice this season, and after Newcastle, he was talked of a Golden Mile horse, but Haggas at York is when the samovar grows hot - with the trainer ticking in at 18% and 40% placed at the track - which considering the quality of racing is deeply impressive.

It was telling post-race at Ascot in an interview that Haggas said he's getting faster and faster. Indeed, that pace was such a quality to have at Ascot as they went no gallop and he was well positioned, and on that run he'll be far better in a bigger field with speed to aim at.

A fine-looking horse too with a handsome body and well-set shoulders, I make him one of the bets of the week.

---

Yorkshire Oaks and a filly that can improve

With Bluestocking declared for the Juddmonte International, rivals will be breathing sighs of relief as the race has opened up.

And with a misfiring Emily Upjohn at 3/14.00, she looks vulnerable, the mare hasn't looked the same this year in her two other starts.

Lava Stream was a filly I fancied in the Irish Oaks last time, as she'd performed so well at Royal Ascot in the Ribblesdale, and while she looks overpriced at 14/115.00, I wonder if she'll be happier going back to 1m2f as she travels so well.

One at a decent priced here is Dermot Weld's Sumiha at 10/111.00.

It takes a bit of a leap of faith in terms of form, as she needs to improve plenty with just four starts to her name and a rating of 102. But she meets Emily Upjohn, who potentially is on the downgrade, and more exposed fillies.

Sumiha has been described as a late-maturing type by Weld, and she won the Munster Oaks last time (a Group 3) that was impressive on the clock, to mark her down as nowhere near her ceiling.

She's another Sea The Stars, and while I am a sucker for anything of the stallion, Weld must have thought stamina is (and was) her strong suit as she has raced three times in her light career already over 1m4f. She certainly didn't look short of pace either when winning her Maiden at the Curragh on her only start as a three-year-old, and like most from the stallion, appears to have a good mind and temperament.

You Got To Me and Content were 1-2 from the Irish Oaks, but and they are 5/23.50 and 9/25.50, but the 10s has pulled me in with Sumiha as she is still improving and could be even better in a good race, with ground sure to suit.

And to continue my "love in" with the great Sea The Stars - the sire at York over 1m4f is 18% win and 36% placed.

If you are backing on the Sportsbook ante-post, there are three places available before entries stage, so here's hoping she gets included.

---

Maghlaak can give more over 1m4f

Onwards and upwards with Friday's action at York, and another four are priced up on the Sportsbook for the penultimate day with the usual mix of handicaps and Group action.

The 13:50 had 27 entered at the time of this preview, and Maghlaak was 12/113.00 and sixteenth on the list on a mark of 89, so will get in with a maximum field of 20.

Maghlaak was one I had down as a potential Hunt Cup horse two seasons' ago along with a good friend, and we've often been on Maghlaak watch - although the chat has been dimmed of late.

However, Charlie Hills has had other ideas and his first try at 1m4f was a fair enough effort and opens up a few more avenues.

I've often thought he needed soft ground (which is complete contrast to his mother who wanted it rattling fast), but it was good at Ascot and he's acted on good to firm in the past, so I am not so tied to that theory.

He ran in first-time blinkers at Ascot and while he looked a little awkward, I thought he stayed well, and back on a nice flat track will suit him.

At 12/113.00, he's certainly got one of these handicaps in him from 89 and backing antepost we have four places on the Sportsbook.

The only negative is the Charlie Hills form with just 19 winners all season at a mere 9% and stable form not exactly red-hot either coming into this week. But I think Maghlaak is well treated since coming back from his gelding operation and he's still lightly-raced.

---

Fairbanks the Ebor number one pick

Followers of my Daily Multiple column will be aware of my affinity with Fairbanks - a horse I've won and lost on this season, and the loss was most recent and a painful one.

But I've bidied with time with the George Strawbridge owned stayer, as this has always looked the perfect race for him.

He failed to convert a golden opportunity last time at Goodwood, but the winner Align The Stars is good, and there was no disgrace in just failing there, although I was surprised he didn't trade shorter than his 4.47/2 in-running price.

I think there's an argument to say he could be tricky, as blinkers have been used, so too the visor. And he's won both starts with first-time headgear - so there's scope for another set of something to be applied, although I don't think he lacks heart in a finish.

But with Fairbanks you get a horse who stays well, can be ridden forward (I think best when dominating) and off a mark of 100 where he fits my sort of profile.

A good draw will be most welcome and looking at past evidence, you wouldn't mind a high number. At 7/18.00 on the Sportsbook, he could drift a little.

I was really impressed with him at Newmarket in July, and his regular jockey Oisin Murphy said: "With the blinkers on I wanted to ride FAIRBANKS further forward than I did, but he only jumped fairly so I didn't want to rush him up. It was a muddling tempo and he over raced around the bend, but he relaxed when I stopped fighting him.

"I didn't want him to be crowded with the blinkers on, so I sent him on a good way out and he was going to take a lot of beating from there. He could creep into the Ebor off his rating."

So I haven't been alone in Ebor dreams.

I'll be back for the Big Race Verdict for York on Wednesday and good luck.

---

Now read more from Betfair's team of writers here for York

---