Ebor Festival Day Three Blog | David Probert & Hugo Palmer
21 Aug 2025
Coral Racing Ambassadors, David Probert and Hugo Palmer, give an exclusive preview ahead of the third day of the York Ebor Festival, including King Of Thunder, whom they combine with in the Class 2 EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes (16:45).
DAVID PROBERT: 'THIS IS MY BEST CHANCE OF A WINNER TODAY'
16:10 York – Brielle
Brielle got off the mark at the third time of asking at Hamilton last time out. The drop down in distance helped in the race. She makes her handicap debut here, and although she will lack the experience some of her rivals have, she remains open to improvement. David O’Meara is in excellent form, so I am optimistic of a big run from this filly.
17:20 York – Fearnot
Fearnot is my best chance of a winner on day three of the Ebor Festival. I was delighted that he was able to get his nose in front in a heritage handicap at Ascot last month. He has done little wrong in all six of his starts this year. With a 5lb rise in the handicap, he will need to carry top weight. It is a competitive race, but my horse is tough and I am sure he will be in the mix at the finish.
HUGO PALMER: 'HE'S A COLT I'VE ALWAYS LIKED, HE'S SHOWN ME LOADS FROM THE START'
16:45 York – King Of Thunder
Hugo Palmer: As her starting price of 33/1 suggested, we really weren’t expecting Ruby’s Angel to get her head in front in the finale here on Wednesday, but obviously we were delighted she did, particularly from that draw. Prior to that race, if you’d asked me what was the best chance her owners, Roudee Racing, had of having a winner at York this week, I would have undoubtedly have said this horse, King Of Thunder.
He's had the same lack of luck with the draw as Ruby’s Angel being drawn 15 of 15, but we were very pleased with his debut run when he finished fourth at Ascot over six furlongs. He’ll improve for that run, and I also think he’ll improve for the step up to seven furlongs. He’s a colt I’ve always liked, he’s shown me loads from the start.
If he can overcome the tricky draw as Ruby’s Angel did, I do think he can be on the premises here. This is the most valuable maiden of the entire flat season, on paper I didn’t think it was the strongest looking Convivial I’ve ever seen, but it’s always a good race, so we’ll give it our best shot.
David Probert: King Of Thunder ran well on his debut at Ascot. He was up with the pace for large parts of the contest but just faded in the closing stages. He is a well-bred colt, and it would be no surprise to see him step up from his opening start.
17:20 York – King Casper and Miami Matrix
We run two in the concluding mile handicap. They must have thought King Casper was trained by someone else when they did the draw, as he’s been given a lovely draw in stall two! In all honesty he has been a bit disappointing, having started the season so well with victory at Newmarket, things haven’t worked out since then.
He did hate the testing ground at Goodwood last time though, so a sounder surface and a flatter track here could give him a decent chance. I haven’t worked with Joanna Mason much before, but she can do the weight, and as an Easterby, she knows York well!
I just felt Miami Matrix chucked it away a bit on his last run, also at Goodwood. He’ll be ridden more patiently here from this draw, and I’ve put the cheekpieces on him here, which hopefully will make a difference. York handicaps are never easy to win, but they both go there in good order.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, York Ebor Festival Day Three
DAVID PROBERT: 'THIS IS MY BEST CHANCE OF A WINNER TODAY'
16:10 York – Brielle
Brielle got off the mark at the third time of asking at Hamilton last time out. The drop down in distance helped in the race. She makes her handicap debut here, and although she will lack the experience some of her rivals have, she remains open to improvement. David O’Meara is in excellent form, so I am optimistic of a big run from this filly.
17:20 York – Fearnot
Fearnot is my best chance of a winner on day three of the Ebor Festival. I was delighted that he was able to get his nose in front in a heritage handicap at Ascot last month. He has done little wrong in all six of his starts this year. With a 5lb rise in the handicap, he will need to carry top weight. It is a competitive race, but my horse is tough and I am sure he will be in the mix at the finish.
HUGO PALMER: 'HE'S A COLT I'VE ALWAYS LIKED, HE'S SHOWN ME LOADS FROM THE START'
16:45 York – King Of Thunder
Hugo Palmer: As her starting price of 33/1 suggested, we really weren’t expecting Ruby’s Angel to get her head in front in the finale here on Wednesday, but obviously we were delighted she did, particularly from that draw. Prior to that race, if you’d asked me what was the best chance her owners, Roudee Racing, had of having a winner at York this week, I would have undoubtedly have said this horse, King Of Thunder.
He's had the same lack of luck with the draw as Ruby’s Angel being drawn 15 of 15, but we were very pleased with his debut run when he finished fourth at Ascot over six furlongs. He’ll improve for that run, and I also think he’ll improve for the step up to seven furlongs. He’s a colt I’ve always liked, he’s shown me loads from the start.
If he can overcome the tricky draw as Ruby’s Angel did, I do think he can be on the premises here. This is the most valuable maiden of the entire flat season, on paper I didn’t think it was the strongest looking Convivial I’ve ever seen, but it’s always a good race, so we’ll give it our best shot.
David Probert: King Of Thunder ran well on his debut at Ascot. He was up with the pace for large parts of the contest but just faded in the closing stages. He is a well-bred colt, and it would be no surprise to see him step up from his opening start.
17:20 York – King Casper and Miami Matrix
We run two in the concluding mile handicap. They must have thought King Casper was trained by someone else when they did the draw, as he’s been given a lovely draw in stall two! In all honesty he has been a bit disappointing, having started the season so well with victory at Newmarket, things haven’t worked out since then.
He did hate the testing ground at Goodwood last time though, so a sounder surface and a flatter track here could give him a decent chance. I haven’t worked with Joanna Mason much before, but she can do the weight, and as an Easterby, she knows York well!
I just felt Miami Matrix chucked it away a bit on his last run, also at Goodwood. He’ll be ridden more patiently here from this draw, and I’ve put the cheekpieces on him here, which hopefully will make a difference. York handicaps are never easy to win, but they both go there in good order.
Coral Racing Ambassadors, York Ebor Festival Day Three
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