York tips: Newsboy's picks and 1-2-3 for every race on Saturday at York on ITV

The historic York Festival comes to a close for another year on Saturday and ace tipster Newsboy has penned his final column of the week. He has produced detailed analysis of every race race in his not-to-be-missed column.

The feature prize is the hugely competitive Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, which was attracted a 22-runner field, while the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes, upgraded to Group 1 for the first time this year, has a quality field headed by Rosallion.

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1.50 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes

SKUKUZA gets the vote to resume winning ways after a blip at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Ed Dunlop’s son of Blue Point wasn’t seen again in 2024 after a fine second in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot last June but, after 310 days on the sidelines, has taken his form to a new level this term.

My selection returned with creditable efforts in handicaps at Haydock Park and Newcastle in the spring before lifting a similar event over a mile at the Curragh on the Irish 2,000 Guineas undercard in May.

Skukuza then moved up in grade for the Listed Celebration Stakes back in Co Kildare the following month and went in again with a two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Alakazi.

It was no surprise to see the four-year-old uppermost in the betting for the Golden Mile on the South Downs 22 days ago - Skukuza went off the 5-1 second favourite in a field of 15.

In the event, Ryan Moore’s mount performed well below market expectations, making the running until beating retreat through the final two furlongs to finish ninth behind Rhoscolyn.

It’s likely the rain-softened ground was to blame for that disappointment and, back on a faster playing surface, Skukuza can show his true colours. Bowmark disappointed in the Prix du Jockey Club but is still lightly raced and feared, in company with Gladius and Bullet Point.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 SKUKUZA, 2 BOWMARK, 3 GLADIUS

2.25 Sky Bet Melrose Handicap

DAIQUIRI BAY is expected to take a step forward on his first attempt at a mile and six furlongs.

On the back of a third at Newbury last October on his sole start at two, the New Bay-sired chestnut ran away with a 10-furlong maiden at Chester in May before a neck second under a penalty at Doncaster the following month.

Sent into handicaps by Alan King, my selection moved up to a mile and a half for the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot 13 days later and kept on late in the piece for an eighth placing behind Merchant.

Bearing that finishing effort in mind, it was perhaps surprising to see Daiquiri Bay back at 10 furlongs at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but he was anything but disgraced in returning fourth to Best Secret, beaten just under six lengths at the line.

Both his style of running and his pedigree - dam Strawberry Martini was a winner at two miles - suggest the extra yardage will suit Rossa Ryan’s partner. If it does, a British Horseracing Authority mark of 93 is there for the taking.

Of his opponents, Tarriance, Golden Handshake and Many Men are improving three-year-olds who merit a second look.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 DAIQUIRI BAY, 2 TARRIANCE, 3 MANY MEN

3.00 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes

ROSALLION rates a worthy favourite to land the fourth Group 1 prize of his career.

While his status as an elite miler was established in 2024 by a second in the 2,000 Guineas and wins in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Richard Hannon’s stable star hasn’t had the rub of the green this season, meeting with three defeats in the top tier.

After a return-to-action third to Lead Artist in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, Rosallion went under by an agonising nose to Docklands in Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes.

And then there was the tactical anarchy of the Sussex Stakes, in which Rosallion and Sean Levey flew home but found 150-1 skinner Qirat still a neck up at Goodwood’s winning post.

Rosallion was a late scratching from last Sunday’s Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville after bruising a foot and now tackles seven furlongs for the first time since capturing Longchamp’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagadère in October 2023.

But the trip shouldn’t be an issue for this strong traveller, now reported “sound as a bell” by Hannon, and a change of fortune awaits.

Never So Brave heads the list of threats, with Quinault and Maranoa Charlie taken to fight it out for the bronze medal.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 ROSALLION, 2 NEVER SO BRAVE, 3 QUINAULT

3.35 Sky Bet Ebor Handicap

ASCENDING is on the up and will give it his best shot as he seeks to net another big prize.

While Henry de Bromhead is better known for winning Cheltenham Gold Cups, Champion Hurdles and the Grand National, he’s got a remunerative side hustle as a Flat trainer. And Ascending, who has yet to hit the bullseye in seven attempts over hurdles, is a fine example of the Co Waterford handler’s skills operating under the summer code.

A one-time winner for Clive Cox, the son of Awtaad doubled up when scoring at Dundalk for de Bromhead in November last year. That handicap success came over two miles, but Ascending stepped back to a mile and a half to capture the Cork Derby, a big-money similar event, in May on his reappearance.

A neck margin from Satin earned Ascending a 2lb nudge up the weights when he took on 19 opponents for the Ascot Stakes Handicap over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot in June.

The extended distance proved no problem to Billy Lee’s mount - Seamie Heffernan is in the plate today - as the six-year-old gamely beat Nurburgring by a neck.

There’s a further 3lb rise to deal with here, but Ascending keeps pulling out personal bests and his way of travelling - plus the fact that he has got his head in front over shorter - suggest he’ll cope with coming back to a mile and three-quarters here.

A full-field Ebor makes for a fiendish puzzle, with Almosh’her, Hipop De Loire, Majestic Warrior and Siege Of Troy just four horses capable of having a say in proceedings.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 ASCENDING, 2 ALMOSH’HER, 3 HIPOP DE LOIRE

4.10 Sky Bet Constantine Handicap

STRIKE RED goes well at York and has a sound chance of bettering his second in this race 12 months ago.
From six visits to the Knavesmire, Richard Fahey’s stable stalwart has scored twice over this afternoon’s course and distance and turned in another sound effort in a typically competitive 19-runner handicap here two starts ago when a close sixth to Elmonjed.

That effort needs marking up as Billy Garritty’s mount raced in rear before making his ground towards the near side - the action was unfolding towards the far rail - and coming home with gusto to be beaten two necks, two short heads and half a length, with runner-up Jubilee Walk and fifth home Pocklington also in the bunch.

A week later, Strike Red took in the Stewards’ Cup on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival and gave another good account with a second to Two Tribes, running on willingly to the line but going under by two and a quarter lengths.

A 7lb turnaround in the weights will bring the pair much closer together and Red Strike, who has won from today’s British Horseracing Authority mark of 95 in the past, is weighted to register a third victory over York’s six furlongs.

The shortlist is, unsurprisingly, a long one - and Two Tribes, Pocklington, Chief Mankato and Northern Ticker are at the top of it.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 STRIKE RED, 2 TWO TRIBES, 3 POCKLINGTON

4.45 Julia Graves Roses Stakes

DICKENSIAN is capable of putting his opponents through some hard times. Although no more than lukewarm in the betting for his debut at Musselburgh in April - he went off the 10-1 fifth choice in a field of seven - Kevin Ryan’s youngster got his career off to the perfect start, making all to beat Clear Force by a length and a quarter.

Dickensian didn’t perform to that level when sixth to Wise Approach at Ascot 17 days later but there was very little with his second to Havana Hurricane in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes back there in June - Shane Gray’s mount was beaten a length and a half by the winner but led home the group of 14 runners who raced towards the near side.

A step to Group 3 company for the Qatar Goodwood Festival’s Molecomb Stakes came next and Dickensian showed plenty of early boot before fading into third behind Lady Iman.

That Group-placed form will be sufficient to put him in the firing line and if, as is likely, there is more to come, this speedy youngster will take some catching on the prevailing ground.

Charlie Appleby’s pair Military Code and Silent Applause are entitled to respect while Revival Power is also capable of making a bid for the podium.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 DICKENSIAN, 2 SILENT APPLAUSE, 3 REVIVAL POWER

5.20 Sky Bet Steve Birch Finale Handicap

WESTRIDGE is hard to get away from in the final race of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

It’s a case of ‘handsome is as handsome does’ with the John and Thady Gosden trainee - while he’s gazing up at the stars, the son of Blue Point keeps running forward.

Westridge, a Windsor novice stakes winner in June 2024, did exactly that when doubling up in a handicap on Thameside 12 months later.

Second to Wisper at the same course on his penultimate outing, the four-year-old was back in business at the Qatar Goodwood Festival last time out.

Never far from the action under Billy Loughnane - Ryan Moore is at the controls this afternoon - my selection made his ground to hit the front at the furlong marker and bounded clear, again looking skywards, to humble Naqeeb by three and a quarter lengths.

The handicapper was never going to take that performance lying down and Westridge is 8lb higher on a mark of 100 here.

But this quirky sort is a fair way from the bottom of the barrel and is taken to win again.
Marhaba Ghaiyyath, Castle Stuart and, at bigger odds, Ron O all have the form to get involved.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 WESTRIDGE, 2 MARHABA GHAIYYATH, 3 RON O