Nick Luck’s blog: Shanroe can prove Real deal in Ebor

The fourth and final day of the Ebor Festival at York looks set to be another cracker with Europe’s richest handicap, the Ebor itself the headline act.

Take a look at who Nick Luck fancies below…

York

REAL WORLD can further enhance his burgeoning reputation with victory in the Strensall Stakes on the final day of York’s Ebor Festival (1.50pm). This horse has been a complete revelation since switching to turf and returning to the UK and followed up his Ascot romp with a cosy success at Newbury. What made that latest win so impressive was that he was stopped in his run at a crucial point yet was able to gather momentum and run down the leader with a turn of foot usually reserved for Group One horses. He looks a worthy 5/4 favourite.

IMPERIAL SUN gets the nod in the Melrose handicap (2.25pm) at 11/1. A half-brother to St Leger winner Harbour Law, he is predictably getting better the further he goes, but the Gosdens have not exposed him fully trip-wise, and it is highly likely that he will be even better now upped to 14 furlongs. An absolute thumping of a solid 77-rated horse at Wolverhampton last time could convince you that he remains a fair way ahead of the handicapper.

PRIMO BACIO can put recent disappointments behind her by winning the City of York Stakes (3.00pm) at 5/2. She returns to the scene of her devastatingly impressive victory at the Dante meeting, subsequent to which she has really had no luck at all in a golden edition of the Falmouth Stakes while the ground went badly against her in the Rothschild at Deauville. There is likely to be plenty of pace on here courtesy of Safe Voyage and stablemate Highfield Princess, which will set the race up perfectly.

SHANROE can give Irish trainer Karl Thornton another memorable day by taking the Ebor (3.35pm) at 16/1. Although a seven-year-old, this gelding is completely unexposed on the Flat and appears to still be improving. While I’d like a little rain in an ideal world, there was something irresistible about the way he hit the line in a key trial for this race at the Curragh last time, beating two really smart horses in Pondus and Camphor. He takes a little time to wind up, but they normally get racing too early in this race and he should be finishing off well when others have done their running.

Check out our Bet Calculator to work out your potential winnings for today’s racing