York’s prestigious Dante Festival kicks off on Wednesday with Day 1’s card featuring seven action-packed races. Our expert has provided through the card selections for the Wednesday action on the Knavesmire, which you can check out below, along with 888Sport‘s handy sign-up bonus of £40 In Bet Bonuses, When You Bet £10.
GAASSEE – (1.50 York, Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap) 5/2
Some decent middle-distance handicappers in this lineup with the likes of Sam Cooke and Just Fine both making their seasonal reappearances holding the potential to be better than their current marks.
It is difficult to get away from the claims of GAASSEE here, however, who shaped like a horse better than a handicapper in four 2021 starts, winning three times including on handicap debut at Kempton when last seen back in December.
That form has received significant boosts from the runner-up since, who is now officially rated 12lb higher, and as a result, the 9lb rise Gaassee received does not look unwarranted. Trainer William Haggas is enjoying a good run of form at present and this is a race he won 12 months ago with Ilaraab, so although back from a break expect Gaassee to be well tuned up here.
4yos have taken the last eight renewals of this contest and Gaassee is well fancied to continue that trend in 2022.
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MR LUPTON – (2.25 York, Churchill Tyres Handicap) 16/1
A typically wide-open sprint handicap here and it’s no shock to see Nomadic Empire prominent in the betting having looked very unlucky on seasonal reappearance at Ripon last month. That’s not the first time David O’Meara’s charge has been a hostage to fortune thanks to his hold-up tactics, however, and put simply he isn’t one to be taking too short a price about.
Although he is now firmly in the veteran stage of his career MR LUPTON showed that the fire still burnt when landing this contest 12 months ago, and although not at that level since at odds of 16/1 he can be supported to bounce back to form.
Richard Fahey’s 9yo was gaining his tenth career success (fourth here at York) when taking this prize last year, staying on to score by a length under today’s rider Paul Hanagan.
Although out of sorts in five subsequent runs, Mr Lupton finds himself 3lb below last year’s winning mark and hasn’t run off a rating this low since finishing a close third in the 2020 Great St Wilfrid.
He’s won fresh previously and given his record at this meeting (2-2) and at the track (4-11), expect him to be ready to go here on seasonal return. Despite his advancing years, there’s more than enough in Mr Lupton’s favour to put him up as an advised play here.
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EMARAATY ANA – (3.00 York, 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes) 11/1
Far from the easiest race to assess and whilst both Dragon Symbol and Minzaal have the potential to improve at 4, both have their own questions to answer.
Fillies Happy Romance and Vadream can expect to be seen finishing faster than most but with the likely pace angles being outsiders Highfield Princess and Ejtilaab this might not set up for a closer, and at a double-figure price, marginal preference goes to EMARAATY ANA.
Kevin Ryan’s charge landed the Group 2 Gimcrack here as a juvenile and almost caused a huge shock when a 40/1 runner-up in the Nunthorpe at the track last August. The return to 6f brought about Group 1 glory in the Sprint Cup at Haydock subsequently, and although well out of sorts in two starts in Dubai earlier this year, there were potential excuses for that as Emaraaty Ana scoped dirty.
In a recent stable tour, connections reported Emaraaty Ana to be in much better form now and identified this race as his early-season target, so whilst conceding weight won’t be easy there’s enough juice in his double-figure price to put him up as a selection.
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EMILY UPJOHN – (3.35 York, Tattersalls Musidora Stakes) 5/6
Snowfall took this race last year before going on to achieve Classic glory in the Oaks, and there’s every chance that EMILY UPJOHN can replicate that fillies achievement this year.
This daughter of Sea The Stars got up late to land a Wolverhampton novice on debut back in November, but she was far more convincing when demolishing her rivals in a Sandown novice last month. The runner-up has admittedly failed to frank that form subsequently, but it was still very hard not to be impressed by the manner in which John & Thady Gosden’s filly pulled clear under a penalty and everything about the run suggested we were looking at a horse of Group class.
Emily Upjohn gets the opportunity to confirm that opinion when she lines up in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes this afternoon. A race in which her stable tends to target one of their better fillies. She faces just four rivals and there are question marks surrounding all of these, with Life Of Dreams’ Newbury win receiving form knocks since, The Algarve potentially preferring softer ground, and Ching Shih’s hood suggesting connections are concerned about her ability to see out this trip.
Luna Dorada could be the one to give the selection most to think about, with her pedigree stamina laden and a course victory showing this track won’t inconvenience, yet she reappears with her yard on quite a notable losing run (21 and six beaten favourites during that time).
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THE COOKSTOWN CAFU – (4.10 York, Paddy Power ‘Here For The Craic’ Handicap) 8/1
Samburu did well to score at Salisbury last time, having raced on the outer and a little green once put under pressure, so he must enter calculations, for all his price is a little prohibitive on the bare form.
Mojomaker is another shortlisted, but he’s still got to conclusively prove he wants 7f and going up 3lb for his latest defeat evidently demands more.
Preference goes to THE COOKSTOWN CAFU, who took a step forward on each of his three juvenile outings, looking unfortunate not to score in a course and distance novice when last seen back in October.
That form has worked out very well since with the winner now rated 90, and it suggests that The Cookstown Cafu could be well in here making his handicap debut off an opening mark of 79, particularly if being gelded since last seen manages to eke out even a small margin of improvement. Given connections, there appears every chance that this contest has been on the agenda for The Cookstown Cafu for some time, and as such his current price looks a little too big to ignore.
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PEARL BEACH – (4.45 York, Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap) 8/1
Kihavah was quite a notable eyecatcher at Chester last week and would almost certainly be a big player here off essentially 2lb lower if the run doesn’t come too soon.
The vote goes to PEARL BEACH though, who was a 20/1 winner of a competitive handicap in the Racing League last summer. That came on the all-weather, as have her other four wins, but she seems effective on turf when encountering a decent surface, which she is expected to get here.
William Knight’s charge was coming back from a break when losing out in a head-bob of a finish at Wolverhampton last month, and that form’s been franked by the winner, who’s now officially rated 9lb higher.
Pearl Beach finds herself just 2lb higher here, and looks likely to appreciate dropping back to this distance, whilst the presence of Danny Tudhope in the saddle suggests that connections are confident of a bold run from this mare. At odds of 8/1, she’s well worth siding with.
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STARMAS – (5.15 York, British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes) 10/3
The newcomer STARMAS rates the tentative selection here for trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Sean Levey.
A 50,000 guineas yearling, this filly is a half-sister to a number of juvenile winners and is out of a 2yo winner herself in Startori.
This stable can ready one first time out and has been profitable to follow with their 2yos on turf so far this season. The market can be expected to provide a good gauge of what to expect from these runners, particularly the racecourse debutantes, but on pedigree and stable Starmas rates one of the more likely contenders, and it’s also promising to see her carry a host of big-race entries which would suggest that she has been showing her connections something at home.
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York Dante Festival Day 1 Tips
GAASSEE – (1.50 York, Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap) 5/2
MR LUPTON – (2.25 York, Churchill Tyres Handicap) 16/1
EMARAATY ANA – (3.00 York, 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes) 11/1
EMILY UPJOHN – (3.35 York, Tattersalls Musidora Stakes) 5/6
THE COOKSTOWN CAFU – (4.10 York, Paddy Power ‘Here For The Craic’ Handicap) 8/1
PEARL BEACH – (4.45 York, Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap) 8/1
STARMAS – (5.15 York, British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes) 10/3
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