York stage the most valuable Flat handicap in Europe on Saturday 25th August in the Sky Bet Ebor which is sure to attract a maximum field of 20 for the 1m 6f contest. That could be bad news for clear ante-post favourite Stratum ( a top price 6-1 with several bookmakers ) who needs 17 horses above him in the weights to drop out in order to secure his place on the Knavesmire. With so much money at stake that possibility looks doubtful at this stage so it could pay to look elsewhere for an ante-post bet on the big handicap.
Godolphin-owned runners look to have a serious chance of emulating their previous winners All The Good and Willing Foe as both Game Starter and Hamada are guaranteed their place should connections decide to run and between them have won their last seven races. With the former not having seen a racecourse for almost a year it could be the Charlie Appleby-trained Hamada who ends up the main hope for the powerful organisation following wins this season at Wolverhampton, York and Newmarket.
The Cape Cross gelding is now 20lb higher than his mark at the start of the season however and probably needs to improve again if he is to keep his unbeaten record for the season. John Gosden’s Royal Line makes plenty of appeal if lining up but the son of Dubawi has not been seen since running out an impressive winner of Epsom’s Great Metropolitan Handicap back in April and may require plenty of cut in the ground if he is to appear among the final entries.
At the 20-1 available with several bookmakers the early value in the race may lie with last year’s winner Nakeeta who looks to have been trained with this race in mind all season by his shrewd handler Iain Jardine. Only 4lb higher than when beating Flymetothestars 12 months ago the seven-year-old has since finished a creditable fifth in the Melbourne Cup and ran his best race of the season last time when beaten less than four lengths in a valuable Newbury handicap.
