ITV Racing Tips – Friday 21st August 2026 Best Bets for York Ebor Festival

The penultimate day of coverage from the York Ebor Festival is set for Friday, 21st August. Five races will be covered on ITV, with the card headlined by the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes.

We have gone through all televised races on Day Three of the Ebor Festival, picking out ITV horse racing tips, and an accumulator for ITV racing.

ITV’s coverage on Friday gets underway with the Sky Bet Mile Handicap. Outback Heat ticks plenty of the desired trends, including a top-four finish on his last start (7 of the last 12 winners) and having a previous run at York under his belt (6 of the last 12 winners).

The selection ran a stormer in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing within a length of Moonfall, despite being held up before making headway late in the piece. The Too Darn Hot colt was a winner at Ascot in May, staying on strongly to hold off Luzon Heights.

Previous experience at York is a major benefit, having finished within four lengths of Organise in a Novice Stakes in April. Yard in form and plenty to like about his chances.

A wide-open renewal of the Group Two Lonsdale Cup Stakes is set for Friday following the retirement of Trawlerman.

No horse aged four or younger has won this race since Stradivarius in 2018, meaning it could be worth siding with one of the more experienced runners. Mount Atlas was a non-runner at Newbury on Saturday, and he could be set to take his chance in this race instead.

The five-year-old has won four from 15 starts on the turf, including a staying-on success when landing the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes over a mile and six last month.

Could yet relish this step up in trip, and plenty to like for an Andrew Balding yard that trained the winners of this race in 2017 and 2023.

It is typically unwise to overlook Aidan O’Brien’s juveniles in group races, ensuring that Marco Polo should be respected in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes.

The Night of Thunder colt was only second on debut at the Curragh, finishing within two lengths of Push The Boat Out, despite looking green throughout. Will likely relish this more galloping track, and will likely stay further over time.

Never Enough could be an interesting second choice, having shown plenty of ability on fast ground when a clear-cut winner at Ascot in July.

The feature on Day Three of the Ebor Festival is the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes. American raider Bacio could be vulnerable on his UK debut, meaning that a chance could be taken on Partisan Hero for trainer David Loughnane.

Previous York experience is a must, with all 12 winners since 2012 having made at least one start at the track, and eight victors over the period have previously won at the course.

Partisan Hero won over course and distance at the start of this season, staying the trip well to hold off Stratusnine by a head. That form has been well-represented since, with the four-year-old winning the Sky Bet Dash before finishing second in the Stewards’ Cup.

The Muhaarar colt will also be suited by any rain, having won over six and seven furlongs.

Little to find on bare form, with a number of reappearing rivals after finishing an interesting seventh and within three lengths of American Affair in the Group Two Qatar Stakes, despite being on the wrong side of the track and setting the pace on a track that doesn’t suit. Too big to ignore at an each-way price on Friday.

ITV’s coverage of the penultimate day of the York Ebor Festival concludes with the Assured Data Protection Handicap, run over a mile and four furlongs.

Explode could be of interest for the Faye Bromley yard. The selection ticks notable trends, including being aged four, like ten of the last 12 winners, and being rated between 88 and 98, like eleven of the previous 12 victors.

He was an impressive winner at Newbury last week, staying on strongly to record a second straight win after being stepped back up to a mile and four.

Has come alive on the flat after running over hurdles throughout the winter, and the wind surgery appears to have had the desired impact. William Buick once again takes the ride, just as he did at Newbury last time out.