Wednesday ITV Racing Tips: Best bets for York's Ebor Festival on day one
York racecouse
It's day one of York's Ebor Festival and the Planet Sport tipsters have a bagful of red-hot selections to get you onto a winning path on Wednesday, August 23.
The Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes (1535) is the feature race on the opening day of the festival, but ITV have also crammed in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (1425), the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes (1500) and two other top contests into their programme.
We will start off with a quick run through our tips, with the reasons why we've picked them further down the page. We've also picked selections for the two races that ITV aren't covering.
If you fancy a punt or two, check out the
Planet Sport race centre which will show you all the live odds, racecards and results.
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Good luck and please gamble responsibly.
(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)
Wednesday's selections in full (ITV races in bold):
14:25 (York) Ballymount Boy
15:00 (York) Castle Way
15:35 (York) Paddington
16:10 (York) Grappa Nonino
16:45 (York) Pillow Talk
17:20 (York) Ziggy’s Queen
13:50 (York) Korker
If Korker can get away on terms in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap, he could take some beating for Karl Burke.
The four-year-old has plenty of ability but his tendency to start slowly can prove costly, as it did when chasing home subsequent Listed winner Regional back in May.
He has appeared a bit better in that respect of late though, so perhaps his time is approaching.
14:25 (York) Ballymount Boy
Ballymount Boy found only Prix Morny winner Vandeek too good at Goodwood, so his chance in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes is obvious.
Winner of a Hamilton maiden at the second attempt, he outran his 25/1 odds to be beaten just a length at the Sussex track on what was very testing ground.
Quicker conditions are a question mark here, but moving up to seven furlongs looked likely to suit.
15:00 (York) Castle Way
Castle Way is the pick in what appears to be a tricky renewal of the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.
A case can be made for any of the five runners, but preference is for Charlie Appleby's charge following his narrow Bahrain Trophy success at Newmarket last time out.
Having his first start since winning the Listed Newmarket Stakes at the Guineas meeting in May, Castle Way had to dig deep to repel the challenge of Tower Of London, holding on by a head at the line over a mile and five furlongs.
Castle Way does not look an out-and-out stayer while market leader Gregory triumphed over 14 furlongs at Royal Ascot, so the Almanzor colt might just be too sharp over this mile-and-a-half trip.
15:35 (York) Paddington
Paddington can keep the Group One bandwagon rolling with victory in the Juddmonte International Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old has been a force of nature this term, leaving a low-key juvenile campaign behind him with six consecutive victories - the last four all being at the highest level.
The Siyouni colt has shown he is equally as capable from a mile to 10 furlongs in the process, easily switching between the two distances to supplement his Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes wins with Eclipse glory, before dropping back a to a mile to land the Sussex Stakes.
Proven on heavy to good ground, the only slight question mark would be an ultra-quick surface, but Paddington is so unflappable he seemingly takes whatever comes his way in his stride.
He faces a new challenge in Mostahdaf - and he should not be underestimated - but Paddington is very difficult to oppose, even at his likely skinny odds.
16:10 (York) Grappa Nonino
Grappa Nonino can follow up a recent Curragh success in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap.
He prevailed over a mile and six furlongs earlier this month, but moving back up to an extended two miles is a positive and he sneaks in off a lowly weight, even with his 5lb penalty.
