The pick of the prices on Day 3 at York....

Thursday, 21st August 2025

The pick of the prices on Day 3 at York….

Selections for Day 2 at York….

In ATC today….

…. I swing the bat in the big handicaps on Day 3 at York….

I’m on AKECHETA in the 1.50 at – up at 8s….

…. and I’m on KNIGHTS GOLD at 14s & 12s in the 5.20….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below….

Read on….

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AKECHETA at the general 8s is my pick in the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap (4.10)….

She was behind Wonder Star at Goodwood last time (that one reopposes tomorrow at almost half the price)….

…. but she wasn’t beaten far and was easily the best of the horses that raced off the pace that afternoon….

She was wide in the early stages – which didn’t help her cause either….

It’s fair to say that the eventual winner raced wide too (very wide) – but that one was given a very different (and enterprising) ride by Tom Marquand….

…. and ended up towards the inside of the track with the other principal finishers….

It was Akecheta who came from furthest back and widest in the closing stages – fairly streaking home in the final furlong….

For me she’d have been in front 50 yards past the winning post and with a better passage tomorrow she can go close off the same mark of 90….

Her win to run ratio is nothing to write home about – striking once in a dozen goes….

…. but she’s highly thought of at home at home in Ireland….

…. she’s been consistently targeted at quality races….

…. she’s certainly progressive over 10f – judged by her last two showings over the trip at Epsom and Goodwood….

…. and connections are happy to roll the dice with her again in another top British handicap – they clearly think she can land one when things fall right….

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KNIGHTS GOLD can outrun quotes of 14s & 12s in the Sky Bet Mile Handicap (5.20)….

He ran up a sequence of wins in lower-class events earlier in the summer – before winning a C3 handicap against his own age group at Ascot in July….

…. finishing in front of Hymnbook – a horse I have down as a big handicap pot winner in waiting (but that’s another story)….

That Ascot win encouraged connections to have a crack at an even better event at Goodwood….

…. and in my book Knights Gold was unlucky not to come out on top that day….

He had no luck whatsoever….

…. the rain-softened ground probably wouldn’t have entirely suited….

…. he was stuck behind a wall of horses way longer than ideal….

…. and the rider lost her whip when the horse was making his final charge….

And what a charge it was….

….. when he got out of his pocket, saw daylight, and got motoring, he made really eye-catching progress up the stands side rail….

…. and was less than a length in arrears to the winner at the line – rolling along with as much momentum as anything else in the race….

Elizabeth Gale had to be patient and pick her moment to really press the button on him but – when she did – the horse responded and certainly didn’t look out of place in the higher grade….

Tomorrow is yet another step up in levels – but Knights Gold has provided decent answers to all the questions he’s been asked so far….

…. and off a mark of 83 – getting weight off every single runner in the race – I think he’s a fair bet at the price….

Hollie Doyle comes in to do the low weight, the surface will be quicker than it was at Goodwood, and he’s got a handy enough draw in stall 7….

Bottom line: there are plenty of ‘live’ ones in the race – as you’d expect – but he’s the one I like most at a price….

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Now, just to recap….

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That’s all for today….

I’ll be back with more tomorrow….

Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd