Thursday ITV Racing Tips: Best bets for York's Ebor Festival on day two
york racecourse
Back to the Knavesmire for day two of the Ebor Festival and the Planet Sport tipsters have another bunch of top selections on Thursday, August 24.
The Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks (1535) is the feature race on the second day of the festival, but ITV also have the Group 2 Lowther Stakes plus three other top contests in their programme.
We will start off with a quick run through our tips, with the reasons why we've picked them further down the page. We've also picked selections for the two races that ITV aren't covering.
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(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)
Thursday's York selections (ITV races in bold):
14:25 (York) Ambushed
15:00 (York) Northern Express
15:35 (York) Warm Heart
16:10 (York) Sea Theme
16:45 (York) Expert Choice
17:20 (York) Nigiri
13:50 (York) Star Of Mystery
Star Of Mystery is another who will appreciate returning to better ground in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes.
She looked pretty smart in winning her second two starts, powering home by 11 lengths in Haydock novice before supplementing that success with a cosy four-length verdict upped to Listed company at Newmarket.
That latter victory saw her sent off the 1/6 favourite for the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, but nothing really went in favour of Charlie Appleby's charge with pre-race rain hardly ideal and just three rivals affording her little chance of early cover.
The Kodiac filly duly took a keen hold from the off and her early exertions told in the finish as Persian Dreamer swept by to beat her a length and three-quarters.
Back on better ground and with a nine-strong field this time, Star Of Mystery can recoup losses.
14:25 (York) Ambushed
Ambushed is the pick in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes, with his Newcastle win last time working out well.
Archie Watson's charge made no impact on his initial run but proved good enough to beat Ballymount Boy a neck on his second attempt at Newcastle, with the runner-up boosting the form with second place in the Richmond at Goodwood subsequently.
There were a couple of previous winners in behind that day too, so Ambushed is worth an each-way bet at likely generous odds.
15:00 (York) Northern Express
Northern Express performed well over a mile at the track back in May and should be suited by the return to that trip in the Clipper Handicap.
He has run some creditable races in defeat over seven furlongs since, not least when third at Royal Ascot in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.
15:35 (York) Warm Heart
Warm Heart could spring a surprise by trumping stablemate Savethelastdance in the Pertemps Yorkshire Oaks.
This Group One affair looks somewhat trappy, with the Irish Oaks first and second, Savethelastdance and Bluestocking, seemingly better on softer ground while Al Husn is not certain to stay the mile-and-a-half trip.
Warm Heart has shown her best form on quicker conditions, beating Bluestocking by a head in a Listed heat at Newbury in May before again accounting for that filly in Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot, increasing her margin of victory to three and three-quarter lengths as her old rival finished third.
That win came on good to firm ground and while Aidan O'Brien felt she merited a shot on very testing ground in the Irish Oaks, the daughter of Galileo failed to handle the conditions and was beaten upwards of five lengths in fifth.
She is very clearly the Ballydoyle second string, but up until her Curragh Classic disappointment, Warm Heart had been thoroughly progressive and it would not be the first time an O'Brien-trained favourite had been beaten by a lesser-fancied stablemate.
16:10 (York) Sea Theme
Sea Theme thrived for a step up to 12 furlongs at Doncaster on her most recent run and she again tackles that trip in the British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes.
Third over 10 furlongs on her initial outing, she relished the distance when pulling three lengths clear on soft ground on Town Moor.
Ease in the ground does not appear to be a necessity as she ran well enough on faster first time out and her Group One entry later in the year is perhaps an indication of the regard in which she is held.
