Ebor Festival Thursday tips: Lots to like about One Word More

David Metcalf | August 17 2016

What are the top Ebor Festival Thursday tips for this year’s prestigious flat meeting from York? Our horse racing expert has picked out his best bets for day two of the action at the Knavesmire…

One Word More the Clipper Logistics Stakes answer

One Word More has posted a series of solid efforts this season in big field handicaps, and can gain a deserved success in the 1m Clipper Logistics Stakes (15:05) at the Ebor Festival.

This Tim Easterby trained gelding ran a cracker when second of 17 to Rene Mathis in last year’s Bunbury Cup at Newmarket off a mark of 102 and is now able to race off 2lb lower.

It gives the six-year-old every chance from a handicapping perpsective and he comes into the race on the back of three eye-catching efforts.

Course form a big plus

After finishing a never nearer third to Always Smile in a Listed class 1 handicap over course and distance, One More Word looked an unlucky loser a when a 3/4 third of 15 to Home Cummins at this venue.

Jockey Rachel Richardson dropped her whip approaching the final furlong and it was to One Word More’s credit that he managed to finish so close.

The son of Thousand Words has since gone on to finish a fine seventh of 19 to Franklin D in an ultra-competitive 1m contest at Glorious Goodwood, when encountering all sorts of traffic problems and getting badly hampered inside the final furlong to be beaten four lengths.

Those runs suggest that One Word More is in the form of his life, and weighted to bag a big pot like this. Another plus is that he runs the track well, having finished in the frame on four occasions from six starts at it.

Fair Eva can enhance Classic claims with Lowther success

Elsewhere at the Ebor Festival, in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes (14:30), Fair Eva looks a worthy red-hot favourite to land the hat-trick and cement her position at the head of the betting for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

The Roger Charlton trained filly is currently 4/1 favourite with Coral for the fillies’ Classic following two impressive successes.

In the last of those at Ascot, the two-year-old daughter of Frankel tanked along in midfield before cruising into the lead a furlong from home and quickening right away to slam Kilmah by four lengths in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes.

It was breathtaking display which marked Fair Eva as a potential star in the making, and it will be a major upset if she doesn’t win this en route to much better things. Fair Eva should thus be considered a banker among Ebor Festival Thursday tips.

Abingdon has plenty going for her in Galtres

Abingdon lost little in defeat when runner-up last time out, and can get back to winning ways in the Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (16:20).

The filly stuck to the task well to be beaten two lengths by Fireglow in a Listed contest at Newmarket and it was an excellent effort trying to give 3lb to the winner, who was rated 5lb her superior going ito the race.

Prior to that run, Sir Michael Stoute trained three-year-old Abingdon had won both her starts this season in the manner of a progressive sort who needed keeping firmly onside.

The daughter of Street Cry also looks to have been brought along steadily by Stoute and remains opens to stacks more improvement after just four starts. This looks a nice opportunity for Abingdon to notch a third career success, then.

Jadaayil handicapped to strike

In the 7f handicap that brings proceedings to a close (16:55), Jadaayil can cash-in on what looks a lenient mark to land the spoils for in-form trainer Charlie Hills.

The filly has not been since since landing a maiden at Newmarket back in April but the form of that race has worked out well with the second, third, and fourth having all won since.

Given that the runner-uo Summer Icon is now rated 87 and the fourth home Clear Water 90, it makes the unexposed Jadaayil look potentially thrown-in on handicap debut off an opening mark of just 84.