Paddy’s 5 best-backed horses for York
Wednesday
15:00 Voltiguer Stakes – Continous
16:10 Stayers Handicap – Robert Johnson
Thursday
15:35 Yorkshire Oaks – Bluestocking
Friday
15:00 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes – Kylian
Saturday
15:35 Ebor – Sweet William
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Wednesday 15:00 – Continous
Continous was a pretty good two-year-old remaining unbeaten in two, including in a Group 3 heat at Saint-Cloud in September.
He’s yet to win this season, but still brings some high-class form to the table – his campaign began with a third to The Foxes in the Dante Stakes here, a race considered by many to be the most significant English Derby trial.
He then disappointed in the French Derby before a fine second to Epsom Derby runner-up and King George third King Of Steel on his last start in the King Edward VII Stakes.
He kept on well that day at Royal Ascot and if the money is correct, a victory here could set up a tilt at the season’s final English Classic, the St Leger, over a couple of additional furlongs.
Wednesday 16:10 – Robert Johnson
Trainer Phil Kirby is best known for the exploits of Lady Buttons over Jumps, but this five-year-old has been backed to do some damage to the books on the Flat.
Possibly a late-maturing sort, Robert Johnson won a small handicap at Catterick last year before returning to Kirby from handler Rebecca Menzies. After a couple of pipe openers early this year, he completed the first of five handicap wins this term again at Catterick.
His subsequent successes have come at Thirsk twice, Musselburgh and, possibly most significantly, at York last month when he justified favouritism by three lengths.
His last run was another great effort when finding only Temporize too powerful in an extended 2m 4f handicap at Glorious Goodwood and some punters clearly expect him to go well back over the course and distance that he won going away at in July.
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Thursday 15:35 – Bluestocking
Quite how Bluestocking got beaten in the Irish Oaks remains a mystery as Ryan Moore produced a miraculous ride on Savethelastdance to overhaul her towards the finish and leave connections broken-hearted.
Canny Ralph Beckett goes for some compensation here and if she produces a performance like the one at The Curragh, she’ll take an awful lot of beating and with a rematch with Savethelastdance looking likely, this is one of the most anticipated clashes on the Knavesmire.
Before nearly becoming a Classic heroine, this Camelot filly was beaten twice by Warm Heart, first going down to her by a wafer-thin head in the Listed Fillies’ Trial at Newbury in May.
Her second defeat to that rival came in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and was more comprehensive as she was three and three-quarter lengths away in third. But that performance can be upgraded as she didn’t get a clear run on the turn over two furlongs out.
Friday 15:00 – Kylian
Backers have really got behind Kylian on his first step up to 6f after a very decent effort at Glorious Goodwood where he was a length and a half in third behind the fastest juvenile in the UK, Big Evs.
Not only was he staying on with purpose that day, but it was the first time that he had encountered soft ground in public which only adds to the merit of the performance.
This fellow was quite costly to punters at the beginning of his career as he had obviously shown some ability on Karl Burke’s gallops being sent off favourite for his first two outings, but getting chinned on each occasion, albeit by a neck at Carlisle in June.
Those who kept the faith were rewarded with a four length success at Newcastle later in the same month before he was even more impressive with a six-length demolition job of his rivals in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown the following month.
Being beaten by Big Evs is no disgrace and big things are obviously expected.
Friday 16:10 – Sweet William
One of the most competitive handicaps in the calendar, you probably require a Group horse to win this heat and the fact that Sweet William has an entry in a Group 2 at Ascot might partly explain why he has been so well backed.
But it could also be that he has won his last three starts, beginning with a Novice Stakes at Doncaster before following up in two handicaps at Newbury and Glorious Goodwood.
He was always doing enough on that last outing on the South Coast and 4lb extra has certainly not deterred punters from getting stuck in.
Paddy’s 5 best-backed horses for York
Wednesday
15:00 Voltiguer Stakes – Continous
16:10 Stayers Handicap – Robert Johnson
Thursday
15:35 Yorkshire Oaks – Bluestocking
Friday
15:00 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes – Kylian
Saturday
15:35 Ebor – Sweet William
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
READ MORE
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest horse racing tips
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- When is the Ebor Handicap? York date, start time, runners and betting
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