Emit tipped to win York's Ebor Handicap as O'Brien chases another feature

Joseph O'Brien's four-year-old gelding Emit is being backed to finally break through in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap at York on Saturday afternoon, a mile-and-six-furlong test that has eluded him despite a career that suggests he belongs in the winner's circle. The son of Too Darn Hot has not tasted victory in five starts this season since being gelded over the winter, and his overall record stands at just two wins from fifteen career attempts. Yet those who watch him run know he rarely disappoints, and the Knavesmire appears primed to deliver the breakthrough his form deserves.

O'Brien himself is riding an extraordinary wave of success that makes another feature win feel almost inevitable. The County Kilkenny trainer has struck at the sport's grandest stages this year—winning over jumps at both Cheltenham and Aintree, capturing the Chester Cup on the Flat, and landing Classic glory with Thundering On in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom in June and Johanna Walsh in the Irish equivalent. His season has been punctuated by victories at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, the kind of consistency that separates the very good from the exceptional. Emit, if he can find his form, would simply be the next chapter in a remarkable campaign.

Emit's pedigree as a racehorse is solid if not spectacular. He won a Listed event at Gowran Park and finished runner-up in two Group contests in France last year, establishing himself as a horse capable of competing at a respectable level. This season has seen him run with credit without quite getting over the line. He was fourth on his seasonal return at the Curragh in April, then third behind the highly regarded Scandinavia in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes over the same distance. He finished fourth again in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap back at the Curragh, and was slightly unfortunate to be fourth once more behind Opportunity in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot. A short break has followed, and the return to 1m6f at York—a track that should suit his running style—offers genuine hope that he can finally convert one of these near-misses into a victory.

The Ebor Handicap remains brutally competitive, as it always is. Hopewell Rock, a winner at Glorious Goodwood, will command respect, as will Willie Mullins' Mr Hollywood and the aforementioned Opportunity from William Haggas' stable. Yet Emit's form line, when read carefully, suggests he is ready. He has been knocking on the door, running well without winning, and sometimes that pattern precedes a breakthrough. O'Brien's stable is operating at such a level of excellence that backing another of his runners feels like backing form itself.

Beyond Emit, O'Brien has another strong contender in Limestone, a three-year-old New Bay colt entered in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at 2.25pm. Limestone won the Group Two Queen's Vase over this same distance at Royal Ascot, his fourth consecutive victory and third of the season. He stumbled in the Group One Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp last time, finishing sixth of seven, but that reversal may simply reset expectations. Back in handicap company at York, he looks capable of resuming his winning ways.

The card at York is dense with possibilities. Lake Forest, trained by William Haggas, is tipped for the Group One Sky Bet City Of York Stakes at 3pm, a seven-furlong sprint where the five-year-old gelding was runner-up last year and can go one better. Geryon, a three-year-old Lope De Vega colt from Ger Lyon's stable, is expected to win the Group Three Strensall Stakes at 1.50pm after running with credit at Goodwood. Red Spells Danger, trained by Tim Easterby, can land a fourth win of the season in the Constantine Handicap at 4.10pm, while Adonius, trained by Rebecca Menzies, is tipped to win the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at 4.45pm after a near-miss at Glorious Goodwood. Raammee, who won the John Smith's Cup over course and distance last month, can score again in the finale at 5.20pm.

The racing extends across multiple tracks. At Newmarket, Royal Zabeel, a recent handicap winner at Ripon, steps up to Listed company in the Hopeful Stakes at 3.19pm. At Chester, several runners are fancied, including Nicely in the EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes and Mollisha in the EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes. In Ireland at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien's juveniles Giant Sequoia and Alpha are expected to win their respective Group Two contests, while stablemate Queenstown can make a winning return in the Group Three Irish St Leger Trial Stakes. The weekend offers the kind of racing density that keeps the sport alive—multiple tracks, multiple chances, multiple stories unfolding simultaneously.