A Group 1 dash for the cash is the highlight on day three of York's Ebor Festival where the best sprinters from far and wide will line up for the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes. The King George Qatar Stakes 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th all line up again today, but unlike at Goodwood, there is a nice swing in the weight that favours the placed horses. Will Big Evs be able to make light of the swing in weights? Can Asfoora right the wrongs of Goodwood, or can Live In The Dream blitz them from the front as he did last year when taking this very race? It will be interesting to see how much rain they get and if it will get into the ground.
But if the rain doesn’t come will the track ride as fast as it did for the first two days? Here is the runner-by-runner betting guide to help narrow down the main betting angles, along with my NAP of the day on the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup. Read to the end to find out who I think will gallop his rivals into submission today. Get all the best horse racing odds for York here at the best horse bookmakers .
Here's my runner by runner guide for Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes. The power from down under has already added more to the sprinting division this season since arriving in the UK. Having had an introduction run at Haydock back in May (Live In The Dream 2 nd ) and ran well for a long way on soft ground (winning form in soft in Australia), so shouldn’t mind the rain if it arrives.
But this Ozzie sprinter made no mistake when a comfortable winner of the Group 1 King Charles III at Royal Ascot with many of his main rivals today in behind. He was unlucky not reel in Big Evs in the closing stages a being bumped one furlong out at Goodwood. There is a swing in the weights that favour Asfoora, and with a clear run it's easy to see him making it 2-1 against Big Evs.
A top-class sprinter who is getting better with age. ✅Group 1 winner ✅In top form ✅Has winning form on soft ground in Australia Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Asfoora with talkSPORT BET 🐎 Big Evs is the definition of a pocket rocket. He was fancied to take this last season as a two-year-old, but with the winner Live In The Dream going off at a breakneck gallop, Big Evs could not show his true self and finished a disappointing 8 th .
He’s two from three this season and comes in here on top of his game, but there is a suspicion that the same faith of last season may be awaiting Big Evs with Live In The Dream and Ponntos set to upset his rhythm. He will continue to progress but may do too much too soon here. ✅Frighting speed ✅Still not finished progressing ❌Could only finish 8 th in last season's running ❌Will be taken on for the lead Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Big Evs with BetMGM 🐎 Very much a horse on the up here, Bradsell made an impressive comeback at Deauville this month when winning stylishly off a 329-day break.
Bradsell has some top form to his name, notably when beating an on-song Highfield Princess in the Group 1 Kings Stand as a 3-year-old. Now set our minds back to the 2023 running of the Nunthorpe Stakes and you will see just how well Bradsell ran in a race that would not have suited where he was positioned but did still manage to grab 3 rd . He looks an even better horse this season, and if he is to come on from his seasonal comeback then there is every chance that Bradsell can bag his second Group 1 success.
Fascinating runner. ✅Impressive on his comeback ✅3rd in last season's running ❌ Needs to get a better position than last season Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Bradsell with Spreadex 🐎 This son of Mehmas has raced no less than 21 times in his career, but she is light raced over the minimum trip with two wins from four starts. Her win in a Group 2 at the Curragh showed that even though she has had a lot of racing, the drop-down to the flying five has been the making of her as she pulled away to win by over one length with ease.
It was onto Goodwood next where she missed the break and did extremely well to get to within 3⁄4 of the length of Big Evs and Asfoora. Granted she doesn’t miss the break here she will be guaranteed a strong pace to run down, and with that extra staying power to call upon here, that makes her a big player. ✅Thriving over 5f ✅Will have a strong pace to run down ❌Missed the break last time out Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Believing with VBET 🐎 Last season Sprint Cup winner has been running well this season without winning, notable when 2 nd in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The stiff natural of Ascot played to his strengths over 5f, but back on a track like York, he may get going too late. His best hope here would be for the rain to get into the ground, and this to be turned into a stiff 5f. If the rain doesn’t come, then it is hard to see him getting seriously involved on a track that suits blazing speed.
✅Will come into it with more rain ❌Has shown his best form over 6f Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Regional with Sky Bet 🐎 Last season's 40/1 tear-away winner would have had this as his main target this season after his failed stint at Breeders Cup glory. He has run with credit so far this season on ground that would have been less than ideal. It’s highly unlikely that he will get away like he did last season, especially with Ponntos in the field.
Even though it would be great to see Adam West pull off back-to-back Nunthorpe wins with Live In The Dream, I see it hard for him to get the job done this season. But he’s not without an each way chance if he doesn’t get dragged into a pace battle. ✅Last season's runaway winner ❌Will face a strong battle for the lead Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Live In The Dream with Paddy Power 🐎 Starlust may lack what it takes to win at Group 1 level just yet, but he has shown his best form at York with three visits to the Knavesmire resulting in 2 wins and a 2nd place.
He requires a lot more here to get involved, and even with his course and distance record it’s hard to see Starlust getting seriously involved. ✅Good course and distance win record ❌Lacks the class right now Star Rating: ⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Starlust with Betfred 🐎 This could be a stroke of genius by Kevin Ryan to drop Washington Heights down to 5f for the first time. He has yet to win at York, but he has been beaten no more than 1⁄2 when tackling the Knavesmire over 6f.
For a horse who travels powerfully throughout his races, this setup might be exactly what he is looking for now. Kevin Ryan went close to winning this with a similar type back in 2006, so it's not beyond the realms of impossibility that Washington Heights can play a part here. ✅Strong traveller ✅Drop in trip should suit ❌Down the field on only Group 1 attempt Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Washington Heights with talkSPORT BET 🐎 A horse that loves to be delivered late in her races has failed to live up to the heights that she once promised to hit.
She won the Group 2 Clipper Stakes last season over 6 furlongs, but since that she has failed to put in any notable performances until she was tasked with a drop to 5 furlongs at Ayr. That was her first run over the minimum trip and it worked the trick as she got up in the nick of time to dead heat with Beautiful Diamond. That would have done her confidence the world of good, and if she kicks on again from that then she may be able to pick off some of her rivals late on and nick a place.
✅Back to winning ways last time ❌Need to up her game again Star Rating: ⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Azure Blue with BetMGM 🐎 Clarendon House is starting to get a reputation of a horse who does whatever he feels like. He has a rating of 111 which doesn’t leave him with much to find with the principles, but he has a horrible way of racing. You never know what Clarendon House is going to turn up, and if the one that ducked out to his right and raced like a horse who was having his first day at the track over course and distance last time out, then he has no chance.
Would it be the biggest shock in the world if he gave the principles a fright? No, but it is very unlikely. ✅Has the rating to run well ❌He can’t be trusted to put it together on the big stage Star Rating: ⭐ 🐎 Bet on Clarendon House with Spreadex 🐎 A likeable mare that has performed well this season resulting in a Sandown Group 3 win, as well as an unlucky 3 rd behind Believing at a Curragh Group 2 where the door was shut close on her at a vital stage. She ran well in the 2023 running of the Nunthorpe to finish 4 th and if she has a bit more luck in running here, she may be able to match that performance, if not better it.
An interesting runner who should appreciate how this race will be run. ✅A good 4 th in last season's running ✅Race should be run to suit ❌Need a clear career best to win Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 🐎 Bet on Makarova with VBET 🐎 Even though she was an impressive win of her only start over 5f at Meydan, this is surely a step too far. This is her first run on turf in the UK and add in that in with that she hasn’t run since March 30 th , there is enough there to pass over her today.
✅1 form 1 over 5f ❌Lacks a recent run ❌Well beaten in a Meydan Group 1 Star Rating: ⭐ 🐎 Bet on Frost At Dawn with Sky Bet 🐎 Blink and you will miss him. Ponntos is a multiple winner all over Europe, but has yet to land a serious blow in four UK starts. He is the clear pace in the race and may be the one who is about to cost the likes of Live In The Dream and another front-runner who cares to try take him on up top.
Likely to run well for a long way, but from what we know on his UK runs, he will be crying enough at the business end. ✅Multiple wins in Europe at Graded level ❌Likely to go off too quickly for his own good Star Rating: ⭐ 🐎 Bet on Ponntos with Paddy Power 🐎 Has improved 71 to 93 this season, but as much as it would be a fairytale for Kate McGivern to place let alone win with her first Group 1 runner, it’s hard to see that happening today. She has been set a huge task here.
✅Hard to find any ❌Not up to this level Star Rating: ⭐ 🐎 Bet on So Majestic with Betfred 🐎 Many have leading chances coming in here, but none more so than BRADSELL. He made up for lost time when winning his first time up this season in France, which should set him up nicely for today. There is no reason why he will not come on for that comeback run, and this former Royal Ascot Group 1 winner can go two places better than he did in last season’s running.
There are plenty of dangers with Asfoora and Believing topping the list in that order. Markarova can also run well at a big price. You know what they saying is when its a 2m flat races/bumper, just back Willies.
But today is the day we take on his runner Vauban (two hard races in 4 weeks) with the POINT LOINSDALE . This is a big step up in trip for the Ballydoyle runner, but he strikes me as a horse who will relish every yard of this 2m1⁄2 furlong trip. He ran well in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud to finish a one paced 3 rd , but it was the run prior to that sparked our interest for this marathon trip.
It was over just shy of 1m6f that Point Lonsdale put in staller staying performance to pull readily clear of his rivals (Alsakib 3 rd ) to win by over 6 lengths. I only see this trip bringing out even more improvement today, and with that I see Point Lonsdale being hard to beat. Bet on Point Loinsdale with BetUK Andrew Halligan My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube's The Finishing Line Podcast .
Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you're a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer. You can follow Andrew on X ( @Halligan88 ).
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