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Ebor Day at York

I've thoroughly enjoyed the racing at York this week. For me, the highlight was watching Love stamp her authority on the Yorkshire Oaks and I'm looking forward to seeing her in the Arc. I hope the ground won't be too soft there and we get to see a real cracker between herself and Enable, among others. Pyledriver was hugely impressive too in the Great Voltigeur and if he is targeted at the Leger, I think he will be hard to beat.

Moving on to tomorrow's action, I think there are a few standout bets through the card. In the Ebor Handicap at 3.40, I think Verdana Blue has an outstanding chance. She was a gallant second in the Ascot stakes, a race in which the form is working out quite well for those that were involved in the finish. The third in the Ascot event, Summer Moon, won earlier this week while the fourth, Smart Champion, was a very unlucky third when selected by this column at Glorious Goodwood. Incidentally, Rochester House (fifth at Ascot) was second in that same Goodwood race. Furthermore, the drop in trip is likely to help the Nicky Henderson mare and the Ascot run was her first run since the Christmas hurdle at Kempton so she is entitled to improve.  

In the Group 2, City of York Stakes at 3.00, Threat is worth giving another chance over what might be his ideal trip. He won a Group 2 at the course last season and I thought he travelled like a very good horse in the Group 1 St James' Palace Stakes at Ascot on his seasonal reappearance. There was a point when he was going as well as anything in that race before clearly not getting home over the stiff mile. He doesn't meet anything near the calibre of Palace Pier in this contest and while it is a trong Group 2, he might still prove to be a genuine Group 1 horse over this trip. The Hannon horses have really hit form in the last few weeks aswell and tomorrow might well be his turn. 

1pt win Verdana Blue (9/1 General) York 3.40 

1pt win Threat (8/1 General) York 3.00

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