York Festival Day, Saturday 25 July 2026: Full Card Tips

York Festival Day, Saturday 25 July 2026: Full Card Tips

York on a sun-baked summer Saturday, good to firm underfoot, and seven races to get through before Glorious Goodwood arrives in three days. The Knavesmire is one of the fairest tracks in Britain and a course that rewards horses who travel fluently and handle fast ground. James Doyle rides across the card and his 15% strike rate here (46/313, A/E 1.06) makes him a useful guide, while the Gosden operation is also firing at 22% at York this season. Pick your spots, follow the form, and let’s get into it.

1:30 — Sky Bet Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe Handicap (5f)

A 17-runner sprint ridden by jump jockeys, which turns this into a chaotic lottery to some degree. That said, the form still matters and the booking of conditional jump riders who know how to ride a finish is relevant. Emerald Harmony Each-Way (11/2, Boyle Sports) stands out here. Paul Midgley’s five-year-old mare has been knocking on the door consistently, with a string of placed efforts and a recent third suggesting the handicapper has her at a workable mark. Jonathan England takes the ride and 11/2 in a competitive sprint with five places paid at 1/5 is a solid each-way proposition. Kodiac Thriller at 15/2 also merits a mention after a recent win off this mark, with Mark Walford hitting 3/14 over the last fortnight showing the yard is ticking along.

2:00 — Sky Bet Dash (Class 2 Heritage Handicap, 6f)

Twenty-two runners, six places paid, and a mile of noise from the stands. This is the chaotic fun of big-field York handicap racing at its finest. The key angle here is trainer momentum and Clive Cox has been in sharp form, landing 4/28 over the last 14 days. Addison Grey Each-Way (8/1, Boyle Sports) with Rossa Ryan aboard has each-way value written all over it. His recent form shows a string of placed efforts and Cox knows how to place a sprinter. Ryan is one of the most in-form riders in the country right now and 8/1 with six places at 1/5 is where the each-way market rewards you properly. Stratusnine (11/2) with James Doyle could also run well given Doyle’s excellent York record, but the price is short enough for a race this competitive.

2:35 — Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2, 1m2½f)

The feature race of the afternoon and only five go to post. The Gosden yard has a 22% win rate at York and an A/E of 1.04, meaning they are essentially at level stakes profit here. Damysus (5/2, Boyle Sports), trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by James Doyle, combines two of the strongest course angles on the card. The four-year-old colt showed smart form earlier in the season with back-to-back wins before a stumble in Group company. That latest effort in stronger Grade company can be excused and a drop back to a five-runner Group 2 at York suits perfectly. Doyle knows this horse, knows this track, and the Gosden yard is in full flow at 8/19 in the last fortnight. Item (2/1) is the obvious market rival from Andrew Balding’s yard, which is among the most prolific in training right now at 13/54, but the three-year-old has a lot to prove stepping up in class. At 5/2, Damysus offers better value.

3:05 — Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap (1m)

Seventeen runners over a mile and John Butler’s yard is operating at 4/10 in the last 14 days. That is a strike rate that demands attention in a race like this. Cancan In The Rain Each-Way (6/1, Boyle Sports) makes plenty of appeal. Gihan Arnolda’s six-year-old has been running well in pattern without always getting the result, showing three wins in the recent string, and Tom Eaves is a dependable partner. The form reads 114-44 which tells you this horse has been in consistently solid form. Good to firm ground around a fair mile at York is no concern. At 6/1 with five places, the each-way case is there. Dwindling Funds (11/2) with Paul Mulrennan is a more fancied rival but Jim Goldie’s yard is running at a modest 3/47 and that gives you pause.

3:42 — Sky Bet EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (6f)

Six juvenile fillies and Karl Burke’s yard is absolutely on fire at 10/34 over the last two weeks. Nour (7/2, Boyle Sports) with Clifford Lee represents the Burke angle and a third on debut is exactly the kind of starting point this yard tends to improve upon rapidly. Burke is a master with two-year-olds and Lee has been riding well for the stable. Hout Bay (2/1) and Desert Smoke (2/1) head the market and both have the profile of horses expected to progress, but at 7/2 Nour is the value selection with a trainer operating at exceptional levels right now.

4:17 — Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap (1m4f)

Ten runners over a mile and four furlongs on good to firm ground and the form angle that jumps out immediately is Caliban (10/3, Boyle Sports). Edward Bethell’s four-year-old has won his last two starts, form reading 442-11, and that back-to-back victory sequence puts him on a likely rising handicap mark that has not yet caught up with him. The yard is firing at 5/30 over the fortnight and PJ McDonald is a strong partner. Tycoon (3/1) and Likealot (4/1) are the other market movers but Caliban’s upward momentum is the most convincing case in the field. Ten runners with three places paid at 1/5 makes an each-way case possible, but win-only is tempting given the confidence in the form.

4:52 — Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap (7f)

Fifteen runners and four places paid at 1/5. Karl Burke saddles two here and with his yard operating at 10/34, the question is which one. Mr Noble (4/1, Boyle Sports) with Clifford Lee is the more fancied of the pair and the form 1-23 shows a horse who has been placed in every outing this season after winning on debut. The handicapper has him at a mark that looks workable over seven furlongs on quick ground. Return Of The Gods (7/2, Boyle Sports) with James Doyle from Edward Bethell’s equally in-form yard is the danger. Doyle and his York record make him a perennial threat, and form of 31-821 shows a recent win. This is a competitive finish between two well-placed three-year-olds. At 4/1, Mr Noble is fractionally bigger and Burke’s 10/34 recent form tips the balance.

Today’s NAP

Damysus — Sky Bet York Stakes (2:35, York)
Odds: 5/2 — Boyle Sports (others: 5/2 LiveScore Bet)

The Gosden yard hits 22% at York with a level-stakes profit A/E of 1.04, James Doyle carries a 15% York win rate and the combination of the two in a five-runner Group 2 is compelling. Damysus won back-to-back before meeting stronger company, and a return to a smaller, less intense field on good to firm ground at a course where his trainer thrives looks perfectly set up. At 5/2 in a race with only five runners, this is a genuine value selection, not a short-priced favourite play.