York Ebor Day 2 Tips: 13/2 NAP heads Thursday’s fancies

It was a joyless first day of the Ebor Festival for me, but I remain optimistic about my four York Ebor Day 2 tips - which includes a 13/2 NAP.

13:50 - Heavens Gate @ 5/2

Opening the show at York on Thursday is the Lowther - a Group 2 over six furlongs for two-year-old fillies.

Leovanni, who won the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot in June, heads the market at time of publication, but I have some doubts about her.

That Ascot form, which immediately raised questions with the second and third returning at 50/1, hasn't really worked out so far and she's burdened with a three-pound penalty as a result of her success. She also steps up in trip for the first time.

I prefer the claims of Aidan O'Brien's HEAVENS GATE, who has plenty of experience at this distance, including her own appearance at Royal Ascot.

She 'only' managed third in the Albany, but that form reads very well. The winner was already a Group 3 winner before repeating the feat in Berkshire and the runner-up has since won twice, including a statement victory in a Group 2 in France just last weekend. There's a lot more depth to that form.

I'm hopeful the selection can get the better of the current favourite and frankly I'll be disappointed if she can't beat the other seven runners.

15:00 - James McHenry e/w @ 14/1

After being gelded late last season, JAMES MCHENRY has been a model of consistency - and that's exactly what I look for in these big-field handicaps.

Edward Bethell's four-year-old returned to action in May, winning a Carlisle handicap off a mark of 87 in good style, and subsequently emerged from a trio of competitive contests off a five-pound higher rating with plenty of credit.

His latest effort, when a narrow runner-up to the reopposing La Trinidad in the Summer Cup at Thirsk, was a clear career-best, yet the handicapper has left him alone. I think that's generous.

While this mile-long handicap represents another step up in class, I see no reason why he won't be bang there again which makes him a solid each-way proposition.

This is an Extra Place Race, with 5 on offer instead of 4 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

15:35 - Content @ 3/1

The feature on Day 2 is the Yorkshire Oaks - a Group 1 for fillies and mares over 1m4f - and while it doesn't rate a vintage renewal, it looks competitive with a chance given to all eight intended runners.

However, the one that appeals most to me is CONTENT for Ballydoyle.

The three-year-old Galileo filly has taken a bit of time to come to hand this season, but her third behind Bluestocking and the reopposing Emily Upjohn in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh in June was a return to form and I thought she was unlucky not to win the Irish Oaks at the same venue a month later.

She was held up as usual by Ryan Moore and travelled comfortably throughout the race, but she was all dressed up with nowhere to go for well over a furlong after push started coming to shove around the bend and it was ultimately too late when she finally got a gap.

That performance can be marked up and with a lack of racing room less likely to be an issue in this smaller field, I strongly fancy her to reverse the form with You Got To Me who was only under a length in front of the selection in the end.

Emily Upjohn will be very hard to beat if at her best, but she's only come close to that level in one of her last five starts so can't be trusted, while John & Thady Gosden's other runner Queen Of The Pride has to prove she's up to Group 1 standard.

Receiving nine pounds from the aforementioned two thanks to the weight-for-age allowance, I'm bordering on bullish about Content here.

16:10 - Fairy Glen @ 13/2

Saving the best till last, I hope, I'm with FAIRY GLEN in this Listed event over 1m4f for fillies and mares.

I've spent a fair bit of time studying this and I keep arriving at the same conclusion - there's far too big of a price difference between the selection and current favourite Sea Just In Time.

Don't get me wrong, the latter makes appeal. She's bred in the purple, holds Group 1 entries and is trained by a master, especially on the Knavesmire. However, I'm also failing to see what she's done to justify such short odds? Am I missing something? Part of me thinks I must be. Maybe I am. Long week...

Her debut at Newmarket in May was spectacular, but she followed that up with a lacklustre effort in Listed company at Glorious Goodwood when 1/2f - and her latest win at Kempton was solid but hardly spectacular.

Let's look closer at that form. Giving away seven pounds, on the Polytrack over 1m4f, she beat John & Thady Gosden's Beeley by a length. It was all hands and heels from Tom Marquand and there's no doubt more to come, but ultimately she did what a 2/5f shot should do.

Now consider that prior to that Beeley was a widening six lengths behind Fairy Glen, under the exact same circumstances. You certainly wouldn't believe that looking at the current market.

Simon & Ed Crisford's filly is unexposed, too. She's only had four runs (compared to Sea Just In Time's three) in her career to date and she's improved for every single one. I see no reason why she won't come forward again.

At the quoted price, she's NAP material.

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