Hurricane set to blow rivals away in opener
IF PUNTERS were hoping for an easy start to the Ebor Festival, think again, as the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap (1.50pm), featuring 22 runners hurtling down York’s straight course, looks a tricky puzzle to solve.
It often pays to throw a couple of darts at these big field handicaps and the two I’ve come down on are HURRICANE IVOR and LIVE IN THE MOMENT.
The former is trained by William Haggas, who can do little wrong at the moment having reeled off a 4,252/1 four-timer on Saturday and he’ll be hoping his son of Ivawood can keep the purple patch going.
You can put a line through his run at Goodwood last time as the ground was too soft and six furlongs stretched him.
Instead, it’s better to concentrate on his two previous performances at Sandown and Ascot.
The four-year-old dead-heated at Sandown and then was only just touched off by the rapidly improving Significantly at Ascot.
The better ground here will help, and he might just be a horse that thrives over this five-and-a-half-furlong trip.
He looks a solid each-way play at 9/1 with William Hill.
Live In The Moment was one of the most improved horses in training last season, rattling off five wins and a second in six starts, including two victories at York.
He’s now rated 23 pounds higher than the first of those wins, but he made a pleasing reappearance at Chelmsford and we still might not have got to the bottom of his ability.
At 12/1, he looks another who is worth backing each-way.
If you’re getting involved in the World Pool Quinella with Tote.co.uk or via the App, then the one to add is COPPER KNIGHT.
Although now a seven-year-old, Tim Easterby’s grand old servant has been in good form this season and got his first win for nearly two years here back in May.
He ran well at Doncaster last time and is still well-handicapped on his old form.
POINTERS
Hurricane Ivor 1.50pm York
Live In The Moment 1.50pm York
Quinella: Hurricane Ivor, Living In The Moment, Copper Knight