The Dante Meeting at York gets underway on Wednesday as Matty Sutcliffe looks to continue his rich recent vein of form with four value selections for day one on the Knavesmire.
2:10 York – Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Naqeeb 20/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
This doesn’t look a particularly vintage renewal of this contest and while The Reverend has to be feared with the yard’s recent record in the race, all of his form has come on softer going, likewise with Stressfree thus the value may be further down the market.
NAQEEB requires a slight leap of faith, but the Nathaniel gelding from the family of Baaeed and Hukum cost a fair sum at £170,000gns when changing hands to Julie Camacho from William Haggas. Connections bought Lattam from there in 2024 for £50,000gns and they were just touched off in the Lincoln on yard debut, so there is certainly reason to believe Naqeeb can bounce back to form for his new connections.
His form tailed off toward the end of the season when out the back in both the Ebor and the Irish Cesarewitch, but he looked an unlucky loser then time before that when a head second in the Mettal UK Handicap at Newbury when giving a stone to the winner. He was an eye-catcher in the Copper Horse handicap at the Royal meeting when denied a run repeatedly, and this will surely rate his easiest contest since his novice days.
You only have to go back to the start of last season where he was beaten three lengths in the G2 Jockey Club Stakes, finishing a length behind Time Lock giving her 3lbs despite being rated 8lbs inferior, and a return to that form would see him show up well here.
His record fresh reads 323 and his form over this trip reads 213. The ground is suitable, and if the stable switch can spark some enthusiasm back into him then this race looks wide open for the taking at tempting odds.
2:42 York – Churchill Tyres Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) – Glenfinnan 20/1 1pt EW places
Rossa Ryan takes just his second ride for Michael Dods and while Commanche Falls appears the stable first string, GLENFINNAN has been overlooked in the early market for a yard who won this with Dakota Gold in 2022.
The son of Harry Angel perhaps didn’t go on as expected when landing his final two year old start in impressive fashion under Ryan Moore, but a drop back to seven furlongs eventually saw his return to the winners enclosure as a three year old, before switched to Michael Dods’ for £50,000gns.
His new yard dropped him down to six furlongs for the first time since his debut and while he was well beaten, he evidently had come on for that run when gamely landing a six furlong handicap at Ascot last May, with the second franking that form two starts later to finish second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He largely held his form well last season thereafter, with a two lengths third in a 15k class two at Hamilton next time out before a two-length fifth in the Wokingham, finishing a length behind the subsequent Ayr Gold Cup winner Lethal Levi.
He bounced back to form from two below par efforts with a career high RPR when landing a Sandown class three back up to seven furlongs, though the effects of a long season likely paid a factor in his two subsequent starts.
He was a huge eye-catcher at Doncaster’s Lincoln meeting on seasonal debut, having raced unfavourably up the near-side to finish fourth in his group of ten despite having to suffer for room at one stage. He still travelled well throughout there, looking full of running toward the finish, and if last season is anything to go by then he’ll likely come on from that effort.
3:13 York – Duke Of York Clipper Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Elite Status 4/1 1pt WIN
I’m surprised that ELITE STATUS isn’t closer to the pair ahead of him in the market, as Night Raider is 0-3 on the turf and rated 7lbs inferior to his stablemate in this sphere, and Inisherin has to prove a wind operation can iron out any issues that appeared when we last saw him in September when a beaten 5/2F in the Sprint Cup.
The well built Elite Status strikes me as a type to improve further from three to four and given he’s three from three when fresh, he’s one of the more likelier ones to be tuned up for this reappearance. The son of Havana Grey proved he’d trained on last term when impressively landing the Carnavon Stakes, and while he was a non-runner in the Commonwealth Cup, he returned with a string performance to land the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury, with the second taking the Golden Eagle Stakes at Rosehill next time out, and the third having form figures of 221 thereafter, with the latter pair coming in both the Haydock Sprint Cup and the Champions Sprint Stakes.
His form tailed off toward the end of the season, but that was the case as a two year old and he may be a type to catch earlier in the season. York should suit him as a physical, as he’s a strong travelling sort with a long stride, and he’ll likely be taken into the race by both Night Raider and Rage Of Bamby who he’s well drawn in between.
4:18 York – Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap (Class 3) (3yo 0-95) – Perfect Part 20/1 0.5pt Ew 4 places
The drop into a handicap looks an interesting angle for PERFECT PART here, who with Shay Farmer’s 7lbs claim, is effectively running off a mark of 87 which would see her favourably treated. Shay Farmer was 2/5 at York last season including with his first ride on the Knavesmire, and looks to be an apprentice on the up.
The daughter of Mehmas landed the Hilary Needler on her racecourse debut last term at 125/1, and largely held her form throughout the season including with a three length fifth in the Lowther Stakes here when unsuited by the track bias in rear though staying on nicely behind much higher-rated rivals.
She proved her season last term was no fluke when an eye-catcher at Doncaster in the Cammidge on seasonal debut, again staying on strongly from rear to be beaten two lengths behind rivals rated 17lbs, 14lbs and 18lbs higher. That was her first foray into open company and she suggested there that she has the ability to be a group performer, so this drop back into three-year-old company can bode well.
She has to put behind her a blip at Chelmsford in a Conditions Stakes, but perhaps the all-weather surface unsuited her there and if returning to the form of her Doncaster effort then she looks wildly overpriced given her form is miles stronger than any of these.
Looking 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.