Kevin Blake of Sky Sports Racing has laid out three selections he believes could prove rewarding as the Ebor Festival at York continues into its second day on Thursday. While the headline races will undoubtedly deliver top‑class action, Blake argues that the real betting value often lies in the supporting contests, where the fields are more open and the odds more attractive.
The first race Blake highlights is the Sir Kevin Sinfield 7‑In‑7 Grand Finale Handicap scheduled for 3:00 p.m. This race is a classic example of a tough handicap puzzle, where the weight assignments and race conditions can make the outcome difficult to predict. Blake points to William Haggas’s five‑year‑old, Bullet Point, as a strong contender.
Bullet Point captured this same event last year carrying a weight of 100 pounds, benefitting from a favourable draw and delivering a decisive win. Since that triumph, the horse’s form has been mixed.
A venture to Australia ended disappointingly, and a six‑month spell away from the track followed. Upon returning, Bullet Point has been gradually rebuilt, showing modest promise in two valuable handicaps earlier in the season.
After another 12‑week break, he ran admirably at the Shergar Cup, only being beaten by a front‑runner who drifted off the lead. For Thursday’s race, he will again carry a weight of 101 pounds.
Although his post‑position draw isn’t as advantageous as it was last year, Blake believes Bullet Point still possesses the class and stamina to contend for the win, especially if the pace suits him. The second pick Blake discusses is the Mews Hotel Ossett EBF Stallions Nursery at 4:45 p.m. Three weeks prior, Blake’s column featured Hugo Palmer’s Mia Fantasia in a valuable nursery at Glorious Goodwood.
That outing was a lesson in perseverance: the horse struggled to find a rhythm in the race, yet his underlying form suggested much more than the finishing position indicated. Since then, Mia Fantasia has continued to develop.
He debuted with a stylish victory at Carlisle, then faced a step up in class at Ascot, where he finished respectably in a competitive novice race that was ultimately won by Dr Rascal, a future Vintage Stakes champion. Blake assigns a weight of 79 pounds for the York contest, a figure he deems fair given the colt’s proven ability and the experience he has gathered at Goodwood.
The combination of a modest weight and a mile‑plus trip should suit his running style, and Blake anticipates that the colt will be poised to deliver a strong performance, potentially securing a valuable win for his connections. The final race Blake examines is the British EBF Fillies’ Handicap at 5:20 p.m., another demanding handicap that often produces surprising results.
Among the numerous candidates, Blake leans toward the lower‑weight end of the spectrum, backing Ed Walker’s three‑year‑old filly, Secret History. This mare has already claimed three victories this season, the most noteworthy being a lucrative seven‑furlong handicap at Newmarket in July, where she carried an extra four pounds and still prevailed. Her connections then opted to test her over six furlongs in a high‑profile fillies’ handicap at Glorious Goodwood; she ran creditably, finishing third, but appeared to be stretched by the sharper pace.
Returning to a seven‑furlong distance should play to her strengths, allowing her to settle and unleash her turn of foot in the latter stages. Blake believes that, with a favourable weight and a trip that matches her proven capabilities, Secret History stands a strong chance of adding another win to her impressive record. Overall, Blake’s day‑two recommendations focus on horses that have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and class in recent outings, even if they have faced setbacks or challenging conditions. By targeting races where the weight assignments and distances align with each horse’s proven attributes, Blake aims to uncover value that might be overlooked by casual observers.
Bettors who pay close attention to these nuances—such as recent form, weight changes, draw positions, and the specific demands of each race—could find rewarding opportunities throughout the remainder of the Ebor Festival.