Paul Mulrennan column: Nakeeta ticks plenty of boxes in Ebor

Nakeeta holds a cracking each-way chance in the Betfred Ebor – the race which lends its name to this week’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

I won’t be at York on Saturday, but will be keeping a close eye on the climax to what is always a fantastic week.

Nakeeta has some good form at York – two seconds and a fourth – and will get that strong pace to aim at which is key for him. In addition, Callum Rodriguez takes off 5lb, which could prove valuable, and his trainer Iain Jardine is having a cracking season. This could be the icing on the cake for him.

I was at York on Wednesday and Friday, and we saw a great ride from Jim Crowley on Ulysses in the Juddmonte International. He was very cool. It’s a long, long straight at York and he just let the race unfold in front of him, before pouncing after Churchill and Barney Roy had almost punched each other out in front.

Cracksman was another stand-out performance in the Betway Great Voltigeur. It looked like he hit a bit of a flat spot around the bend but the longer they went the better he went.

He looks an out-and-out stayer and would surely win the St Leger next month, but connections look like they’re going to play the long game and maybe save him for next year.

I am at Chester on Saturday and the pick of my six rides looks like being Beach Break, who runs in the A Guaranteed Winner The White Horse Handicap.

He won his maiden very easily at Catterick in June and then disappointed at Doncaster last month, when Ralph Beckett’s horses perhaps weren’t firing like they usually do.

At the time of writing, he’d had three winners from five runners in the past fortnight, so they’re clearly bang in form now and he doesn’t send many runners up north, so take note.

Fumbo Jumbo runs in the Liverpool Gin Handicap, having joined Michael Dods this season. She’s been placed in her three starts for us and she should be capable of winning a race like this.

Echo Of Lightning is a course and distance winner, which counts for a lot around Chester and couldn’t have been more impressive when winning at Pontefract last time. He runs in the Boodles Roodee Challenge Cup Polo September Handicap.

The 12-year-old Silvanus, who runs in the #mbnateam Handicap, is another course and distance winner, but there’s not much I can tell you about him that you wouldn’t already know, given he’s run an astonishing 126 times!

He’s clearly in good heart given he won on his penultimate start and Paul Midgley’s horses are running well. These sprinting yards are worth following when they’re in this kind of form.