Totesport Ebor at York Race Preview and Tips

Sir Mark Prescott is the ultimate pastmaster when it comes to pulling off coups in valuable handicaps, and his Elusive Dream has been backed into 9/1 from 14s with William Hill for the Totesport Ebor at York on August 23. Prescott has placed the son Rainbow Quest to good advantage the last twice, landing a two-mile Listed race in Germany last month before sending his charge over to Galway for a 14-furlong contest, in which the five-year-old duly bolted up by 14 lengths. Elusive Dream, a top-priced 16/1 with the sponsors at the time of writing, also holds an entry in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on August 12, but one suspects that he will swerve that engagement and head straight to the Knavesmire looking potentially very well treated. Sir Mark also has Kiswahili entered, but the four-year-old would need to improve an awful lot between now and August 23 to have a realistic chance. The best price of 33/1 bet365 and Hills looks about right. William Hill have also reported money for the Aidan O'Brien-trained Hitchcock, whose odds have contracted from 16s to 14/1. The three-year-old was short of room close home when beaten a length and a half into third behind Kevkat in the competitive Guinness Handicap at Galway, which was a sound effort. The son of Giant's Causeway hasn't raced over farther than a mile and a half thus far but, although his pedigree doesn't suggest that the Ebor trip will be within his stamina range, he certainly shapes as though it will not pose a problem for him. The stable won this with a member of the Classic Generation in 2001, Mediterranean, so know what it takes to prepare one for this contest. Luca Cumani has two of the first four in the betting, including the clear favourite Glistening, who is generally a 6/1 chance but as short as 5/1 with Sporting Odds. Stablemate Soulacroix is 10s with most firms but Sporting Odds go 12/1. Geordieland looks potentially well handicapped off a mark of 108 after chasing home Yeats in the Goodwood Cup last time. Jamie Osborne's charge is also offered at a best-priced 12/1 by Sporting Odds, while River Alhaarth is generally a 12/1 chance, and both Greenwhich Meantime and the lightly-raced Signatory are available at 14s.