Motivado and Tominator are the Ebor value

The Ebor is the most valuable flat handicap in Europe and the race over one mile and six furlongs headlines the final day of top-class horse racing on the Knavesmire in York.

Only one Ebor favourite has saluted the judge since the turn of the century - 7-2 market leader Purple Moon won in 2007 for the team of Luca Cumani and Jamie Spencer - but that relatively barren run could end thanks to Motivado.

The four-year-old son of Motivator has been backed into around 4-1 Ebor favouritism because, according to the official handicapper, he has the race at his mercy.

Motivado took out a Glorious Goodwood handicap by five lengths from A Boy Named Suzi, a wonderfully consistent gelding from the James Eustace stable who has finished in the first three places on each of his last 11 racecourse appearances, and he could have won by a wider margin.

Held up at the rear, Motivado was driven forward by Luke Morris at the three-furlong pole and won going away like a very good horse. His 13 opponents did not stand a chance.

The Ebor is an early closing race but Motivado`s four-pound penalty for winning at Glorious Goodwood has got him into the field for the prestigious event. If the handicapper could reframe the Ebor weights he would put Motivado on nine stone, four pounds but he cannot and, therefore, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained charge gets in six pounds light.

Prescott won the Ebor in 1994 when Hasten To Add, ridden by the baronet`s great friend, George Duffield, landed a huge ante-post gamble as four-year-old carrying just over nine stone. The giant grey won at a starting price of 13-2.

Bookmakers have sleepless nights when Prescott lays out one of his horses for a valuable handicap such as the Ebor and it seems that the baronet, admired throughout the racing game for his ability to place his runners in the correct contests, has got Motivado into the race brilliantly.

Because most on-course bookmakers have not laid Motivado there is an excellent chance that he will drift on the Knavesmire before shortening up just before the jump.

The really big odds about Motivado have disappeared so, if you want to be part of the gamble, perhaps wait until the first few shows come through from the track and see if you can get the top fluctuation during betting on the course.

Three of the last four Ebor winners have returned at 25-1 so, if you like having a small-stakes stab at long prices, the 14-furlong contest is a good one in which to do so.

Tominator is interesting at around 18-1. Reg Hollinshead`s five-year-old grey won the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last year and, although he has been below his best on both of his starts this year, his most recent run caught the eye.

Out the back for more than three-quarters of June`s two-mile race at Haydock, Tominator made steady headway five furlongs from home but did not get a clear run in the final stages.

Tominator`s hold-up style means that he will need some luck in running but the Ebor will be run to suit him and, at such big odds, he is the alternative to the worthy favourite.

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25/08/2012     © Frixo 2024