Ebor Festival Preview: Five handicappers to follow

Hoofalong - Symphony Group Handicap, 13:55 Wednesday

There’s a lot of pace drawn all over the track here and, given the drying conditions this week, there’s a good chance of a very fast time, possibly by a horse coming from off an overly-fast pace. Orion’s Bow and Edward Lewis deservedly head the market, however HOOFALONG is back in the headgear combination (hood and blinkers) which saw him win at Musselburgh last summer and he has run well over this C&D in the past. He has been below-par on both efforts this term but has dropped in the weights as a result and he looks overpriced at 33/1 with a talented apprentice claiming 7 lb.

Seamour - FINE equinity Handicap, 16:15 Wednesday

It can’t be long before this race is rebranded the Silver Ebor, with most of these entered in Saturday’s big race but unlikely to have made the cut. One exception is SEAMOUR who, at no.24 on the list, is almost guaranteed a run in the Ebor, but who looks set to run in this 2m handicap instead (or possibly as well). He did best of the prominent racers when fifth in the Ebor 12 months ago and shaped well on his return when third to Dal Harraild over a mile and three quarters here in May. He produced a respectable effort from a wide draw in the Northumberland Plate last time, taking a while to get going, and may prove more effective now back over this two-furlong longer trip. Magic Circle deservedly heads the betting, but his best form has come on more testing ground and at more than twice the price, the 12/1 shot Seamour is worth chancing.

Branscombe – Betway Nursery Handicap, 16:50 Wednesday

BRANSCOMBE was beaten over 40 lengths when last of six at Newbury last month, but that was on heavy ground and it must have come as quite a shock on his first try over this six furlong trip. This half-brother to Yalta won a minor event at Sandown (by a length from Global Passion) in June and was second in a similar contest at Wolverhampton next time. He has been below form on his last two starts but is the type to bounce back quickly and the combination of first-time blinkers and a very light weight should see a better performance – he looks overpriced at 40/1. The 25/1 chance Zap, a course and distance winner in May, also looks too big for a yard that has won three of the last five renewals, including with a 33/1 shot in 2012.

Oh This Is Us – Clipper Logistics Handicap, 15:00 Thursday

The last few renewals of this 1m handicap have been won by classy horses coming off a strong gallop and a chance is taken on OH THIS IS US following the same pattern at 16/1. He would have been worthy of a place in the Hungerford at Newbury on Saturday given his progression over the past year, which has seen him land a handicap at Bath in April and a listed race at Haydock in May, before being unlucky not to also win the Diomed Stakes at Epsom in June (short of room at a crucial stage). It’s easy to forgive his slightly below-par effort in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and he was too keen in the early stages of the Lennox Stakes last time where he was held up off a steady gallop and found his momentum checked a couple of times before running on under hands and heels.

Battersea – Ebor Handicap, 15:35 Saturday

Second-guessing which horses will run in Saturday’s big handicap is no easy task, with several at the top of the weights possibly taking up alternative engagements elsewhere this week, most notably in Friday’s Lonsdale Cup. BATTERSEA, though, has only one entry at York and last year’s fourth looks set to bid for retribution at 20/1. He won a mile and three quarter handicap at Meydan in 2016 and made a respectable return from off eight months off when sixth in the Sagaro Stakes (two miles) at Ascot last time, having a hopeless task from his position on what was his first start since a gelding operation. Battersea came from further back than the three ahead of him in last year’s renewal of this race and that effort – off 2 lb higher – proved that he has no problem with carrying a big weight in a classy handicap.

Read Simon Rowlands' Ebor Sectional Preview