It’s the final day of York’s Dante Festival on Friday 16th May and our top tipster Andrew Mount is back with his best bets for the action on the Knavesmire, as he looks to head into the weekend on top form.
Back his selections with Sky Bet’s new customer offer of Bet 5p Get £30 In Free Bets.
Posted: 8.10pm, Thursday, May 11th
2.42 York – MAN OF DESERT (0.5pt e/w – 20/1 generally)
One of my saved systems in my Proform database is to side with progeny of the sire Study Of Man on turf, especially those running over 1m1f or further. This angle has produced 26 winners from 101 bets (prior to Many Men’s run in the 5.25 at York on Thursday) and returned a profit of £22.32 to a £1 level stake at SP (expected winners = 20.77, A/E = 1.25). In handicaps only the score is 19 from 51 (37.25% strike-rate) for a profit of £20.16 (expected winners = 13.25, A/E = 1.43). MAN OF DESERT is the latest qualifier and Chris Dwyer’s four-year-old colt makes his handicap debut after his one-length 200-1 third of 12 in a 1m maiden on good to firm ground at Yarmouth last time. The step up in trip will suit and he looks well drawn in stall 2 of 13.
5.10 Aintree – LEMON LEAF (1pt win – 6/1 888sport, 11/2 generally)
At the time of writing RONNIES RULES was trading as short as 1-3 for this 2m1f novices’ hurdle but I’m going to take him on. Dan Skelton’s gelding is unbeaten in his five completed starts (including point-to-point outings but has failed to complete on three occasions and his jumping was still far from fluent at Ffos Las last time where he made all in maiden hurdle company. He doesn’t look 100% straightforward, jumping out to his right before unseating at left-handed Fakenham on his penultimate start and hanging his head to the right at Ffos Las. The six-year-old concedes weight all round in this novices’ hurdle and it’s interesting to see Olly Murphy, whose 18-1 shot All Well And Good chased home the favourite at Ffos Las, willing to take him on again, this time with Irish import LEMON LEAF. The five-year-old finished a respectable 80-1 six-length fourth of 12 in a Naas bumper for Michael Kennedy back in December on his Rules debut for Michael and his new trainer does well with stable switchers. Those who ran in Ireland last time are 20 from 69 for a profit of £57.98 to a £1 level stake at SP.
8.05 Aintree – COME ON NIA (0.5pt e/w – 12/1 generally with the firms paying four places)
COME ON NIA ran a respectable race in the Grade 2 limited mares’ novices’ handicap hurdle at Newbury in March when I advised her each-way, finishing a 20-1 fifth of 15 to Sio Geal. Andrew Martin’s six-year-old drops back to down to Class 4 handicap level this evening and her full record in the March to May period reads 115 (2-3). Since 2017, backing the yard’s handicap runners would have found 29 winners from 195 bets (14.9% strike-rate) for a profit of £113.56 to a £1 level stake at SP (expected winners = 20.07, A/E = 1.45) and she’s worth a small each-way play despite being withdrawn from an intended run at Chepstow last month on vet’s advice.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
2.42 York – MAN OF DESERT (0.5pt e/w – 20/1 generally)
5.10 Aintree – LEMON LEAF (1pt win – 6/1 888sport, 11/2 generally)
8.05 Aintree – COME ON NIA (0.5pt e/w – 12/1 generally with the firms paying four places)
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Friday, 16th May
Andrew’s Angles – Why the London Gold Cup Can Be a Group Race Springboard
There’s a cracking meeting at Newbury on Saturday where the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes takes centre stage. I want to use this week’s column to discuss one of the supporting races – the 1m2f London Gold Cup Handicap. This heritage handicap has often been a springboard to Group-race glory, as we can see from the…
Tue 13 May 2025Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.