Ruby Walsh: My tips for the York Ebor festival

Ruby casts a glance over the week's racing in York, where Willie Mullins still has some prospects waiting to get in to the big race on Saturday...

Wednesday

15:35 – Juddmonte International

This is a hard one to get a handle on what exactly is going to happen. Obviously Alpha Centauri is the stand-out three-year-old of her generation, while the colts have been beating each other. The one that has been improving is Latrobe.

All of his runs in the early part of the year have seen an improvement, and that climaxed with the win in the Irish Derby. He’s had a break since then but I just think that in an eight-horse race at about 16/1 he could be the each-way value in a very open contest.

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Poet’s Word is good honest horse, Roaring Lion just got up to win the Eclipse, Saxon Warrior’s been disappointing. There doesn’t look to be a stand-out in it, so Latrobe could be the value.

15:00 – Voltiguer Stakes

Kew Gardens is on for a hat-trick here and I fancy him to do it. He was very good at Royal Ascot, he’s won a Grade 1 since, he’s a big galloping horse and the trip is sure to suit him. This’ll be a good stepping stone for the St Leger.

Thursday

13:55 – Lowther Stakes

The Albany Stakes form is working out red-hot here. Fairyland was third in that, the first and fifth-placed have won too, there’s a lot of form horses coming out of it. Fairyland in this will hopefully strengthen the Albany form here.

15:35 – Yorkshire Oaks

Potentially the race of the week.

I thought James Doyle was brilliant on the likely favourite Sea of Class at the Curragh, he timed it to absolute perfection there.

There’s a big long straight here which should suit too, but I think Magic Wand had the ground beat her at Epsom, she was good at Ascot, and then she never turned up at the Curragh for whatever reason and ran very disappointingly. If Sea of Class doesn’t win here, Magic Wand could be the one.

Friday

14:25 – Lonsdale Cup Stakes

Max Dynamite won it in 2015, and he’s a possible runner for Willie Mullins here, but you’d think you’re running for the place here because Stradivarius has been brilliant all year. He’s won the Yorkshire Cup, he’s won the Ascot Gold Cup, he’s won the Goodwood Cup, and if he wins here he’ll win a million.

He’ll be very hard to beat, he’s top-class, and it’s there for him to lose really. If Max runs, he’ll have a fair bit to make up on Stradivarius.

Saturday

15:40 – Ebor Handicap

Stratum is still third reserve for this. It’s going to be tight, who knows what happens within three days. It’d be great if he gets in but if he doesn’t we’ll just have to look somewhere else.

Anyone who’s still listed in there now is intending to run, so he’s going to need some luck. Whiskey Sour is going to run for us anyway.

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