4 Outsiders For The Ebor

Saturday’s feature comes from York, where the Ebor Handicap is sure to headline our ITV Tips.

The big race has now been upped to £1 million in prize money, which means there’s an ultra-competitive field ready to rock and roll on the Knavesmire.

Luke Parkinson has had a look through the runners and riders and picked out four outsiders who could get involved at the business end.

Mustajeer

This Ger Lyons-trained gelding was fourth in the Ebor in 2018, but returns back to the Knavesmire this year with that little bit of extra know-how on his side.

His trainer has mentioned that he was ridden to see if he could get the trip last year, but knowing he’ll now handle that fine, surely that means a more positive ride this time around.

Mustajeer has been trained with the race in mind and given he’s ran with credit in Group races this season, most notably when third behind Magical in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, he’s certainly got the class to win a big pot like this.

Punters may worry about him sweating up pre-race, but that seems to be a regular trait of his, and might reward you with some extra value if nothing else.

Wells Farhh Go

Tim Easterby flagged up in the Racing Post that he thought Wells Farhh Go has a great chance in the Ebor this weekend, admitting the race had been the plan for a long time.

He’s certainly a horse that knows plenty about York with four of his eight racecourse starts coming at the track, including two victories.

His latest outing there at York was when finishing fourth in the Group Two Great Voltigeur last August, and that could prove to be fairly useful after the second that day, Cross Counter, went on to win the Melbourne Cup.

As for Wells Farhh Go, he was last seen when finishing eighth of eight in the Goodwood Cup, but that might have been a step too far for him and his win in the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket in June is of more interest heading into the Ebor.

Red Verdon

Eight of the last seventeen winners of the Ebor had run at York before, suggesting that it could be a handy strategy to follow those that have been to the Knavesmire previously.

Red Verdon is one of those that fits that bill, going one better by becoming a course and distance winner on his most recent appearance when winning the Group Three Silver Cup.

To throw in another stat, five of the last seventeen Ebor winners had won last time out, so that makes the double figures on Red Verdon look worth backing.

Barsanti

There have only been two horses win the Ebor at less than 11/1 since 2008, so don’t let the price put you off having an each-way play on Barsanti.

He’s been consistent in some top races of late, without getting his head in front, but that may well come on the Knavesmire.

He’s finished third in all three of his starts this season, all of which have come in Listed races at Ascot, Goodwood and Newmarket respectively.

The seven-year-old hasn’t been disgraced in any of them and his previous record of 1212 at York certainly makes him worth a shout for the reliable duo of Andrea Atzeni and Roger Varian.