2022 Nunthorpe Stakes Tips - De Sousa to sign off with second York success?

We've taken a look through the Nunthorpe Stakes field and picked out our best betting tips.

Royal Acclaim has been backed into favouritism for the Nunthorpe in recent weeks. James Tate's colt maintained his unbeaten record with an easy win in the City Walls Stakes here at York and Unibet list Royal Acclaim as their 13/8 favourite.

Unlike most Group One sprints for older horses, juveniles are free to enter and Middleham Park Racing have stumped up the supplementary fee to enter impressive Goodwood winner, The Platinum Queen. Flotus, Ebro River and New York City represent the Classic generation.

The top two from last year, Winter Power and Emaraaty Ana return to the Knavesmire. Highfield Princess drops back to the minimum distance following an impressive win in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. King George Stakes winner and runner-up, Khaadem and Raasel also take their chance.

Dragon Symbol, Lazuli and Acklam Express will be looking to bounce back to top form. Claredon House and Ainsdale complete the Ebor Festival field.

The fact that Royal Acclaim - who's raced just three times and beat mostly handicappers in the City Walls Stakes - is the 13/8 favourite tells you that this is a weak Nunthorpe. James Tate's three-year-old was very impressive that day, but I can't back such an inexperienced horse at that sort of price.

Fair play to connections for supplementing The Platinum Queen. Richard Fahey's juvenile will be getting stacks of weight from the older colts. Yet, only two two-year-olds have won the Nunthorpe since 1956 and the only ones who've come close in recent years were both superstars trained by Wesley Ward, so history is certainly against The Platinum Queen.

Front-running is a tactic that often pays off in the Nunthorpe. Very few horses manage to make inroads from off the pace.

Silvestre De Sousa gave Winter Power a typically aggressive ride when winning his first Nunthorpe 12 months ago. David Allen will ride the defending champion on Saturday, after King Power decided to remove De Sousa as their retained ride. Silvestre will, instead, get the leg-up on FLOTUS, who could follow in Winter Power's footsteps if given a similarly positive ride.

Last year's Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up has been in fantastic form this season. Flotus was beaten just a neck by the impressive Sense Of Duty in the Cecil Frail Stakes, before placing third as a 40/1 outsider in the Commonwealth Cup. Simon Crisford's filly then looked a class above her rivals when making all to land the Summer Stakes here at York.

Flotus has only run once over five furlongs in her career, but it's a trip that should suit this fast-starter. De Sousa heads off to Hong Kong soon after the Ebor Festival ends and a second-straight victory in the Nunthorpe would be the perfect farewell for the former British Champion Jockey.