Daily Pointers for York Friday After a superb couple of opening cards we’re at the half way mark of the Ebor Festival, where York’s 20-runner 1.55 race gets us up and running on Nunthorpe day, a mile and a half handicap worth in excess of £43,000 to the winner and attracting plenty of quality. Jockey Oisin Murphy could barely be in better form of late, regularly attracting the attention of the FansBet Daily Racing Report when partnering winners on 13 consecutive riding days. Here he gets the leg-up on Ed Walker’s Caradoc, a four year old by Camelot on whom he won at Windsor 11 days ago. This progressive horse carries a mandatory five pound penalty for that success, but must be a significant threat given his improving profile and the fact’s he’s won two of his last three. Now established as one of the all-time great staying champions, the star turn on day three arrives in the shape of Stradivarius in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at 2.25. Five Group 1’s so far, eight victories on the bounce, his silky smooth partnership with Frankie Dettori, a three from three unblemished York record, plus his tiger like ability to find a way to win all mark him down as a true people’s horse. Second in both Royal Ascot’s Coventry Stakes and Glorious Goodwood’s Richmond Stakes, the 3.00 York provides another major opening for Richard Hannon’s Threat to gain the victory on the big stage his talent seemingly deserves. Rated 111, the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes seems likely to be run with Threat going off a strong market leader, especially with man of the moment Oisin Murphy on board for the first time. The Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combination struck gold on the opening day of the York Ebor Festival, as their challenger Japan rallied by a head to deny Crystal Ocean in a thrilling climax to the million pound Group 1 Juddmonte International. Back for more today, they go to war with July Cup hero Ten Sovereigns in the 3.35, hoping to add the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes to the trophy cabinet. The 122-rated dual Group 1 winner has gone off favourite in five of his six career starts and is highly likely to do so here, coming up against the likes of Battaash, sent off odds on favourite when fourth in this race 12 months ago, as well as last year’s runner up Mabs Cross. The Roger Varian-trained Molatham created a big impression on debut in a traditionally warm Ascot maiden late last month, running on strongly to be denied by a neck over six furlongs. If that form looked decent at the time it looks borderline irresistible now, given the horse who beat him narrowly, Mums Tipple, came out and destroyed the opposition with a demolition job in the second race at York on day two! Up to seven furlongs now, Molatham tries his hand in the 4.15 York, a highly competitive looking 16-runner maiden. A stunning 15 winners from 43 runners meant trainer William Haggas was operating at a 43% strike-rate for the 14-day period going into day two of the York Ebor Festival, and he’ll have high hopes of maintaining his buoyant form in the lucky last on day three, preparing to unleash both Nahaarr and Fanaar in the 4.50 race. This £70,000 mile handicap isn’t short of credible candidates, none more so than Nahaarr who won his first four and was third in a good race at Newmarket last time out. PJ McDonald takes over in the saddle. By Tom Lee racing fan and broadcaster Racing Welfare Charity Bet Selected by FansBet Racing ambassador Rab Havlin, Friday's Racing Welfare £100 York Ebor Festival charity bet: No. 8 Ten Sovereigns, 3.35 York, £100 win
