Kevin Blake's Tips for Ebor Festival: Sky Expert Picks

According to Skysports.

Background

STARLUST, trained by Ralph Beckett, has a unique profile and a strong racing history, including a close third-place finish in the Nunthorpe Stakes two years ago. The five-year-old horse is known as one of the best runners at five furlongs, and his past form shows that he is capable of competing at the highest level. With support from experts like Kevin Blake, hopes for a good performance at the Ebor Festival are growing.

Why this is important

The Ebor Festival in York is one of the most prestigious horse racing events in England, and the Nunthorpe Stakes is a major highlight of the festival. With changeable weather, race results can be very unpredictable, giving outsider horses like STARLUST a chance to shine. Kevin Blake's choice to back STARLUST shows confidence in the potential of this horse, who has an impressive racing history.

Main Points

• Kevin Blake's Tips for Ebor Festival: Sky Expert Picks.
• Kevin Blake gives his tips for day three of the Ebor Festival at York, highlighting the excellent odds on the Nunthorpe Stakes and discussing promising newcomer Oklahoma.
• Kevin Blake's Ebor Festival tips: Sky Sports Racing expert picks out 33/1 Nunthorpe Stakes fancy on day three | Racing N.

The third day of the Ebor Festival in York will take place this Friday, where the main event will be the Nunthorpe Stakes. Kevin Blake, an expert from Sky Sports Racing, is back with two options on the Knavesmire card. The Ebor Festival will have reached the halfway mark as you read this, and hopefully the event has worked in your favor so far, but there's still plenty of exciting action to come. The Nunthorpe Stakes at Coolmore City Of Troy (3.35pm) is the most anticipated event of the day.

As we already know, the sprinting divisions in Europe have become very unpredictable over the last few years. High-priced winners often emerge and leave bettors confused. Considering that the weather had changed with the arrival of rain before this race, the possibility of the unexpected happening became even greater. With that in mind, I looked for the most interesting outsider and my choice fell on STARLUST trained by Ralph Beckett.

To say that this five-year-old horse has a unique profile might not be enough. Let's go back two years, where he was one of the best five-furlong runners, finishing a close third to Bradsell in this race, having bad luck while having a chance in the Prix de l'Abbaye, and taking his biggest win in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. After a solid fourth-place finish in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, he was retired to become a stallion in Australia, but his owners were unhappy with his fertility levels and made the unusual decision to return him to training with Ralph Beckett.

Cases like this don't always lead to the revival of a successful racing career, but they can happen. There is enough promise in Starlust's progress from race to race to suggest that it is gearing up for a big showing. He needed a race back at Carlisle and the King Charles III Stakes didn't go well for him, but he showed more form when wearing the visor for the first time with a never-close fourth-place finish in a Listed race over this course and distance last time out. It's worth noting that he's shown particular interest against York in the past, including when the ground was damp, so if he's going to compete at Group 1 level again, today might be the perfect opportunity to make him a big-money option.

The British Stallion Farms EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes (16:45) is one of the most valuable maidens on the calendar and has attracted the attention of many of the top runners. However, one of the new or undiscovered runners will have to be very good to beat the Aidan O'Brien-coached OKLAHOMA. This horse, a son of Wootton Bassett, is a descendant of Hydrangea and he showed a very promising debut finishing second to the exciting Giant Sequoia, with a number of subsequent winners behind him. He was priced very short of trying his luck in the second maiden at Killarney, but could only finish third in what had proven to be an excellent race. The addition of cheekpieces and a bigger track will help him immensely and he is expected to be tough to beat even in this tough competition.

What happened next

With the Nunthorpe Stakes race fast approaching, attention will be on STARLUST's form and how he stacks up against other horses, including newcomer Oklahoma. If STARLUST manages to show a good performance, this could open up new opportunities for him in future races, including the possibility of participating in other major events such as the Breeders' Cup. A strong performance at the Ebor Festival could enhance his reputation and future opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ebor Festival?

The Ebor Festival is a horse racing event that takes place in York, England, and is one of the leading racing festivals in Europe.

When is the Nunthorpe Stakes held?

The Nunthorpe Stakes is held on Friday during the Ebor Festival, and is scheduled to take place at 15:35.

Who did Ralph Beckett train?

STARLUST is a horse trained by Ralph Beckett.

What makes STARLUST unique?

STARLUST has a unique profile as it has been one of the best five furlong runners and has achievements in major races such as the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Why does weather affect race results?

Changing weather, such as rain before a race, can increase the likelihood of unexpected results in a race.

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