1Pt EW Lucky Beggar @ 14/1, Symphony Group Handicap (Class 2), 13:55 York

The Ebor festival is one of the highlights of the British Flat Racing season. Set in the beautiful walled city of York, this week will see a number of form lines crashed together, whether it’s the colts against the fillies or 3yr olds (and in the case of Acapulco 2yr olds) taking on their elders, the next four days is set up for some high class racing and what a way to start then with a devilish 20 runner class 2 5f sprint handicap. Namely the Symphony Group Stakes, and we are going to try to decipher this puzzle to get you off to a winning start at the meeting.

The ground is set to be on the easy side of good by the first race and indeed may dry out further, either way the clerks of the course have deemed it to be fair racing conditions.

Hunstmanns Close went well in the Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood and is going the right way showing versatility underfoot, but having never won over 5f and despite being on the same mark he is passed over (not lightly) for others with a view to seeking out greater value. Kevin Ryan has won this two years in a row and saddles, Bogart and Distant Past in a bid to make it three in three, with both not without a chance. We like the chances of Dutch Masterpiece having shaped well last time out and with Pat Smullen in the seat it would be no surprise to see him come out on top –  however he is unreliable and despite having won at Group level in 2013 he may once again may come a cropper to one or two of these in what is a very open renewal.

Lucky Beggar is 7lbs better off than when he went down by 3l to Robot Boy three races prior to this contest. He runs off a mark of 98, the lowest rating since he was a 2yr old. He opened this season at 104, and last won over 5f at Newbury on gd-sft off a mark of 102 in 2014. He has looked marginally better with each race this season and with another 1lb off from his last race, Frankie in the saddle and the in-form Charlie Hills training, this looks a tasty combination. He is primed for a big run from a favourable stall (15) and is decent value off a dangerously low mark – we think it’s worth pouncing on him before he takes another hike in the weights and this look like a contest which he is more then capable of making his presence felt.

1Pt EW Lucky Beggar @14/1, York 13:55 (Bet365, five places)

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