York Day Three

The Nunthorpe Stakes may well be the feature race on the third and final day of the Ebor meeting, but from a betting and tipping standpoint, the one mile handicap at 2.35 interests me more and despite the solid claims of top weight Humungous and likely favourite Annemasse I am very sweet on the chance of KINGS POINT especially if the ground continues to dry out.

You can forget his last two runs at Haydock and Goodwood, at the former he raced far too freely in front and is a better ‘presser’ horse and before that in the big mile handicap at the Glorious meeting he fell out of stalls and lost 15 lengths at the start and did well to finish as close as he did.

Now looking decidedly well weighted on his very best form I expect a big run at a big price especially if the word ‘firm’ appears in the going description by the final day.

With a fast pace virtually assured he is preferred to the likes of outsider Sir Xaar and progressive Docofthebay.

And so onto the Nunthorpe (3.10) in which Reverence will do well to repeat his victory last year with the ground massively against him and the outstanding value here lies with AMADEUS WOLF.

Kevin Ryan’s charge was a ready made winner of the Duke of York Stakes here in May but has since run below par in two hot contests, but the stable feel he is returning to his best at home and you dismiss him at your peril.

Remember, he has an outstanding course record, also won the Gimcrack as a two-year-old, and remains relatively lightly raced of one of his age.

Red Clubs, second to the Wolf in the aforementioned Gimcrack, should also go well, but winning with him does seem difficult to do and I would rather back him back at his beloved Ascot and bigger dangers, if we get the forecast fast ground by Thursday, have to be Wi Dud, Enticing and Goodwood winner Moorehouse Lad.

Enticing has to be feared if she can reproduce her closing fifth in the King’s Stand Stakes when she was given a horrible ride by Jamie Spencer.

That day she bounced out of the stalls, but for some reason was pulled right back by Spencer sharing last place about two and a half furlongs out before finishing with a mighty rattle. It is not over zealous to say that with a better ride she would have won.

Following on from that run the ground was too soft for her at Ayr and she is reported in tip top conditions to run a mighty race at a nice price with so many doubts over so many of her rivals.

In the remaining races, in receipt of the 3lbs she gets from Yoursothrilling I think that VISIT will be very hard to beat in the Lowther Stakes (2.05). Michael Stoute’s filly has been working with great zest at home in recent weeks since her success in the Princess Margaret and connections expect big improvement on this better ground.