York Ebor Festival Tips Day 3: Your Best Bets For Nunthorpe Stakes Day
York Friday Tips: Day 3
| Time | Race | Our Tip | Place Bet |
| 1:45pm | Sky Bet Handicap | TBC | Place Bet |
| 2:15pm | Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup | TBC | Place Bet |
| 2:45pm | Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes | TBC | Place Bet |
| 3:15pm | Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes | TBC | Place Bet |
| 3:45pm | EBF Convivial Maicden | TBC | Place Bet |
| 4:20pm | British Stallions EBF Fillies Stakes | TBC | Place Bet |
| 4:50pm | Nationwide Accident Repair Services Handicap | TBC | Place Bet |
Battaash will be the star attraction on York day 3 as the sprinting star aims for back-to-back Nunthorpe Stakes victories. There will be a new name on the roll of honour for the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup, assuming dual winner Stradivarius swerves the race in favour of the Prix Foy. That could pave the way for Nayef Road, runner-up in the Ascot Gold Cup and the Goodwood Cup this season.
Friday 13:55 York Tips: Sky Bet Handicap
The first of our tips for Day 3 of the York Ebor Festival mile and a half handicap produced a 33-1 shock winner last year in Tamreer who got the verdict in a three-way photo finish. Crackentorp returned at the same odds in 2011 with only joint-favourite Barsanti providing some relief for followers of the market leaders in the past ten years. Sir Michael Stoute trained The Fonz to win this in 2010 and struck again in 2017 with Fidaawy.
Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup
Stradivarius had won the Lonsdale Cup for the two previous seasons, bagging a £1 million bonus for his owner in the process after victories in the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup. John Gosden’s stayer heads for the Prix Foy this year ahead of an ambitious tilt at the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe.
In his likely absence, Mark Johnston’s Nayef Road could gain handsome consolation for finishing second at Ascot and Goodwood. He was only a length behind Stradivarius at the Sussex course after a gallant bid to make all the running under Andrea Atzeni.
Dubai Gimcrack Stakes
The Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes is for two-year-old colts and geldings over six furlongs. There have been some high class winners of the Gimcrack including Turtle Island (1993), Rock Of Gibraltar (2001), Muhaarar (2014) and Blue Point (2016). Threat was a winning favourite last year for Richard Hannon and Oisin Murphy. He was only the second favourite to oblige in the past ten seasons.
Sprint king Battaash looks set to make a spirited defence of his Nunthorpe Stakes crown
Nunthorpe Stakes
The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs is the highlight of Friday’s card. This race has long been established as one of the most prestigious sprint races of the season. Sharpo won this race for three successive seasons between 1980 and 1982, equalling the record set by Tag End (1928-1930).
Battaash was a brilliant winner here 12 months’ ago, quickening clear from two furlongs out to win decisively. The six-year-old looks certain to start a short-priced favourite again this season after comfortable victories at Royal Ascot and Goodwood. His main market rival is likely to be Art Power, a progressive three-year-old trained by Tim Easterby. He won the Group 3 Lacken Stakes at Naas in July, form subsequently underlined by runner-up Millisle in the Ballyogan Stakes.
EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes
The Convivial Maiden Stakes for two-year-olds carries good prize money and regularly attracts a high class field. Last year the race was won by Molatham, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Jim Crowley. He went on to win the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer. He started a well-backed 2-1 favourite, the third market leader to oblige in the past eight years after Wentworth (2012) and Rivet (2016).
Nationwide Accident Repair Services Handicap
This is a competitive handicap over a mile for three-year-olds which was first run in 2013. Mojito (2017) is the only outright winning favourite to date with Arcanada (2016) starting co-favourite. My Dream Boat sprang a 33-1 surprise here in 2014 with last year’s renewal won by 12-1 chance Pogo, trained by Charles Hills and ridden by Kieran Shoemark.
York Day Three Betting Offers
York Day Three betting offers are likely to revolve around the Nunthorpe Stakes and Battaash. Coral offered new customers 33-1 about Battaash winning the 2018 King George at Goodwood to a £1 stake. He is likely to start odds-on at York so be prepared for similar offers. There may also be enhanced place terms available on the competitive handicap races at York this week.
York Tips Tomorrow
The Ebor Handicap is the big betting race of the York Festival and the highlight of the closing day. Hamish has been aimed at this race since winning the Melrose Handicap last year while Fujaira Prince won in the style of a potential Group horse at Royal Ascot. There is also Group race action in the City Of York Stakes and the Strensall Stakes on a top class card.