Kevin Blake's York tips: Ebor Festival day two picks

Day two of the York Ebor Festival takes place on Thursday and is headlined by the Yorkshire Oaks; Sky Sports Racing's Kevin Blake has put up three selections on the card on the Knavesmire

Sky Sports Racing’s Kevin Blake reveals a trio of picks as York's Ebor Festival rolls on into day two on Thursday.

The Ebor Festival at York rolls on into day two on Thursday and while the main events will provide world-class action for us to enjoy, it is the supporting card that might well offer the best betting opportunities.

The Sir Kevin Sinfield 7 In 7 Grand Finale Handicap (3:00) is yet another brutally-tough handicap puzzle to solve, but William Haggas may have the answer in the shape of BULLET POINT . The five-year-old won this race last year off a mark of 100, enjoying a smooth trip around from a good draw and winning with some authority.

However, his career hasn't continued on the upward curve as might have been expected since then, with a trip down to Australia ending in disappointment followed by a six-month absence. Since his return, it wouldn't be at all surprising if his connections have been working backwards from this race.

He shaped with subtle promise in two runs in valuable handicaps earlier this season and then returned from another 12 weeks off to run a fine race in defeat at the Shergar Cup, finding just one that had got loose on the lead too good for him. He gets to run off the same mark of 101 here and while the draw hasn't been quite so good to him this year as it was last year, he still looks to have leading prospects.

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The next contest of interest is the Mews Hotel Ossett EBF Stallions Nursery (4:45). Three weeks ago, this column put up the Hugo Palmer-trained MIA FANTASIA in a valuable nursery at Glorious Goodwood. To say he had a troubled passage would be underselling it! He got next to no luck in running and shaped much better than the bare result.

The case that made for him that day remains relevant, with him having overcome his inexperience to win in good style at Carlisle on debut before not quite being sharp enough to be as competitive in what has proven to be a smart novice contest at Ascot that was won by the subsequent Vintage Stakes winner Dr Rascal. A mark of 79 seems very fair indeed and he is sure to have benefited from the experience he gained at Goodwood. He looks likely to run a big race.

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The final race of interest on the day is another very tough handicap, the British EBF Fillies' Handicap (5:20). Again, cases can be made for so many of these, but I'm going to venture down towards the bottom end of the weights and side with the Ed Walker-trained SECRET HISTORY .

The three-year-old has already won three times this year, with her most notable victory coming in a valuable seven-furlong handicap at Newmarket in July.