A FULL field of 22 runners makes the opening contest of the York Ebor Festival – the Symphony Group Handicap (1.50pm) over five-and-a-half furlongs – an enticing encounter.
One of the many runners looking to break a winless streak here is JM JUNGLE.
The hardy four-year-old hasn’t hit the frame yet this season but is now on a nice mark of 88 and could be set to return to one of his favourite tracks with a bang.
York has been a happy hunting ground for John & Sean Quinn’s sprinter and I’m particularly drawn to his impressive third in this contest last year, finishing just half-a-length shy of the winner off four pounds higher than his current mark.
The five-pound drop this season has come from runs better than the final placings suggest, including a staying-on seventh at this track back in May.
With a suitable mark and no question marks over the track he looks a good shout in the World Pool win and place markets.
Another other angle in could well be Geoff Oldroyd’s three-year-old POCKLINGTON, who is having his first outing since wind surgery after Royal Ascot.
He ran well enough for four furlongs in the Commonwealth Cup and the wind op may well be just what he needs to build on that effort.
Despite finishing 10th of 14 runners there, he still beat home four horses rated 100 or higher and a mark of 96 here shouldn’t be his limit.
His form behind three Group winners at Newbury also can’t be ignored and the drop in trip around the easier five-and-a-half at York should help.
This unexposed contender has every chance of making his mark against a lesser field than he has faced so far this term, and I like him too in the World Pool win and place markets.
Don’t forget about SHAGRAAN, either,asone who comes here off the back of an impressive victory and could be a nice third string to the bow.
He has been consistently in the frame this season and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case again here, so I’d recommend combining JM JUNGLE, POCKLINGTON and SHAGRAAN in a World Pool Quinella (pick the first two home in any order) or Swinger (pick two horses to finish in the first three) to hopefully get the Ebor Festival off to a winning star.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Jm Jungle (Win and Place) 1.50pm York
Pocklington (Win and Place) 1.50pm York
Jm Jungle, Pocklington, Shagraan
(Quinella/Swinger) 1.50pm York