The most likely winner of tomorrow’s Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (3.35 p.m.), the most valuable flat race handicap in Europe, is Sweet William. John and Thady Gosden’s four-year-old gelding is going for a four-timer and he will land a £300,000 first prize if he achieves it.
Those canny enough to have bagged fancy prices on the favourite can feel pleased with themselves, but odds of no bigger than 7-2 are not for me in a 22-runner handicap in which lots can go wrong for any horse. Furthermore, while Sweet William is certainly not ground dependent, his best run came last time out at Glorious Goodwood on heavy ground, so the likely fast ground may not be ideal.
As usual, I would prefer to look away from the favourite for value, especially with the sponsors offering eight places. Andrew Balding has aimed SCAMPI at this big prize ever since the horse raced to victory in mid-May in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap at York.
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