The Dante meeting concludes on Friday at York, but the racecard promises loads of competitive racing before it ends. GG tipster Joe Napier has picked out four best bets, including a pair of maidens who could claim Listed glory.
2.10 York – Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
Of those with wins, Saucy Jane’s form stands up to the most scrutiny even though Love Olivia was able to win by a wide margin on her first start. However, a chance might be worth taking on one of the maidens in the field in SECRET HIDEAWAY based on her debut form.
She was second of five at Ripon at the end of April, but behind a colt in Clear Force who might be very useful, and had prior experience. The selection saw out her race well for a debutant, beating the only other runner with a previous run and coming comfortably clear of the other unraced pair.
She is seemingly bred to be smart out the gates at two, so there could be fair improvement to come from that debut. In a race with natural unknowns factored in, she could be one to leap forward.
2.42 York – Knights Solicitors Handicap
Only one winner has emerged from wider than stall 6 in this handicap since 2015, which immediately narrows the field quite significantly. Highest on the list is AUSTRIAN THEORY, who appears to be building back to his best for Tim Easterby.
He was rated in the 100s at his peak, while also winning handicaps off marks of 91 and 94 while based with Charlie Johnston. After a gradual decline for that yard, he continued to fall down the handicap for Easterby last term until winning over 1m2f at Pontefract in October. That was off 79, but while he is now 6lb higher, that has been earned by two runner-up finishes, including a notable effort at Chester last week.
From a wider draw than ideal, he came through the pack for second behind a well-gambled rival. He is due to go up another 2lb in the handicap, but avoids that for now, and his draw in stall 3 is much kinder here.
3.13 York – Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
Although she is the only runner in the field without a win, GULYA left a significant impression at Ascot last time when completely luckless in running. The bookmakers have not ignored that fact, but she is still worth backing to get off the mark in Listed company here.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder even had her debut form franked significantly yesterday when Whirl, the only horse to beat her in a Doncaster maiden last September, bolted up in the Musidora Stakes to earn single-figure quotes for the Oaks. Gulya went off joint favourite that day, and was also the market leader when failing by a short head to deny Godolphin’s Victory Queen, who remained unbeaten.
The selection was regularly denied a run through however and would surely have won fairly comfortably. On a line through the third, she is at least a match for Consecrated on that form, who is another of the fancied contenders, and Silvestre De Sousa is likely to be much more positive on Roger Varian’s charge this time.
5.30 York – Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap
He is among the older stagers in this line-up, but last year’s winner RIOT has no business being the price he is to win this again for David O’Meara. He went off at similar odds when winning a year ago and as yet, the bookmakers seem not to have learned their lesson.
Off a mark of 79, the then seven-year-old won by 2½ lengths with something in hand 12 months ago. He followed that up with another win later in the season at Doncaster and thrives on his racing, never having had a break of more than 50 days since May 2023.
He arrived on the Knavesmire last season after some questionable all-weather form, but duly delivered and the story looks the same this year, with Riot even arriving with a handicap mark 1lb lower than his winning one from 2024. It may be that stall 21 is considered a negative over this trip, but stall 16 did not stop him last year, and no winner of this handicap has yet been drawn lower than 12.
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