Wednesday racing tips: Best bets and odds for day one at York's Ebor Festival

Independent

2 hours ago

Ombudsman (York, 15.35) – 1pt win @ 2/1 William Hill
Lambourn (York, 15.00) – 1pt win @ 5/6 William Hill
Brazen Bolt (York, 13.50) – 0.5pt each-way @ 12/1 Bet365
Wise Eagle (York, 16.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 4/1 William Hill
Woolhampton (York, 16.45) – 0.5pts each-way @ 18/1 Bet365
The Independent's horse racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge has had a solid record in major festivals, 9.82pts in profit in his outing at Glorious Goodwood, and he now turns his eye to Ebor Festival.
Jonathan has made his betting tips using the best odds from the best horse racing betting sites. Here are his picks for day one at York.
There's no finer racecourse in the world than York. It's four day Ebor Festival never disappoints and is up there with Royal Ascot as one of the best events on the Flat racing calendar.
15.35 York Racing Tips
This year is no different and the feature on the opening day is, as ever, the Juddmonte International Stakes (15.35). This Group 1 contest that has seen some of the sport's great names such as Sea The Stars (2009), Frankel (2012) and Baaeed (2022) get their noses in front.
It's a race where the season's top three-year-olds take on older horses and was officially rated as the best race in the world in 2024. The trainer of the two most recent three-year-olds to win it is Aidan O'Brien and, having not declared entrants Lambourn or Whirl, he relies on one representative, in key player Delacroix.
The only blot on the son of Dubawi's copybook this term was his defeat in the Derby, when sent off as the favourite but patently did not act around Epsom. He certainly did handle Sandown in the Eclipse, where his jockey Ryan Moore was reported to have changed plans four times in the contest, before finishing with a wet sail to nab Ombudsman on the line. He would be a record-extending eighth winner to hail from Ballydoyle.
There is clearly very little to choose between the pair and the Gosdens must think they have a decent chance of reversing placings, given that their Night Of Thunder colt was not quite at his best in the Eclipse.
However, the four-year-old's impressive two length success over Anmaat in Royal Ascot's Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, where he repeatedly could not find a gap before winning going away, was one of the best performances we've seen this season.
Both Sandown and Ascot are stiffer tracks than the Knavesmire, which is like a billiard table and we're siding with Ombudsman to exact revenge. You can certainly argue that the Eclipse was not run to suit him and, with a Godolphin pacemaker entered in Birr Castle, he should get a nice toe into the race, if that runner is allowed to dictate.
Unless they go to too fast, Ryan Moore is likely to want to make it a stiffer test by taking things on some way out. There's a fascinating race in prospect and you certainly can't discount Group 1 Sheema Classic winner Danon Decile, who raids from Japan, nor See The Fire.
15.00 York Racing Tips
By the time of the day's feature, the Blue Riband winner Lambourn will have done his stuff, because he's been switched to the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (15.00), where he drops to Group 2 company and faces six opponents, three of who are his stablemates.
Aidan O'Brien looks to have found another good opportunity for the Chester Vase and Irish Derby winner, over his optimum trip. He'll be a short price but he has at least 5lb in hand on the rest of the field and more than that with all but one of them. It would be a surprise if he is beaten.
Wednesday Ebor Festival tip 2: Lambourn (York, 15.00) – 1pt win @ 5/6 William Hill
13:50 York Racing Tips
There was plenty to like about how Brazen Bolt did his job when seeing off a big field at Glorious Goodwood, in what were pretty grim conditions.
His pilot, the very useful 5lb claimer Warren Fentiman, said he was worried about the slower ground there but he's back on what should be more solid ground in the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (13.50) and, having won here over 5f on his penultimate start, we know he acts at the track.
He's come back to much better form this season for his trainer, Ruth Carr and the extra half furlong might actually help to eke out a bit more. He could still be ahead of the handicapper and his double-digit odds on betting sites make him worth an each-way play.
Wednesday Ebor Festival tip 3: Brazen Bolt (York, 13.50) – 0.5pt each-way @ 12/1 Bet365
16:10 York Racing Tips
Trainer Adam Nicol has done a super job with his dual purpose performer Wise Eagle in recent seasons. Stamina is very much for forte of the eight-year-old, who gets 2m2f on soft ground in this code.
The extended two miles of the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (16.10) should be spot on for him and this consistent performer warmed up for it with one of his better turf performances last time out at Musselburgh, when he was fourth behind Kihavah in a race that looks very solid.
He has won on good to firm ground, he's also won when fresh and in cheekpieces, so he has a few things going for him. This time he also sports a first-time tongue-tie and it could be a good time for us to get involved. He looks another sporting each-way play.
Wednesday Ebor Festival tip 4: Wise Eagle (York, 16.10) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 William Hill
16:45 York Racing Tips
There's one other of interest on the card on day one and that comes in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Fillies' Handicap (16.45). A big field has assembled for the race and some would say it's madness tipping when, at the time of writing, they go 8/1 the field.
However, the Rod Millman-trained Woolhampton looks an interesting runner at a big price. The Camacho mare has yet to win this season and and one look at the horse racing results show she's not been at her best recently. However, she's now dropped 10lbs this term and you only have to go back to the form of her two Windsor runs in June to begin to think that she looks potentially well treated again.
Her best two efforts have, admittedly, been on testing ground but she's also won when it's quick. She could make the long trip from Devon worthwhile if she can pick up some prize money and she is a sporting each-way suggestion with an intriguing 18/1 price available on betting apps.
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