Continuing onto Thursday, the Dante meeting at York enters its second day. On the card is the Dante Stakes itself, the Group 2 Derby trial after which the meeting is named.
Matty Sutcliffe has plenty of selections to follow on the Knavesmire on Thursday. He has six tips in all.
York Racing Tips (Thursday 14 May)
The Dante Stakes itself takes place at York on Thursday. Matty has an outsider tip in that contest, as well as five others on the Knavesmire.
2:20 York – Lindum York Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) – Luna A Inbhir Nis 16/1 0.5pt EW 5 places + Eternal Sunshine 25/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
Luna A Inbhir Nis, translated to ‘Moon over Inverness’, can shine brightly on the Knavesmire on her reappearance. The daughter of Rajasinghe has been expertly trained by Katie Scott, rising from a mark of 60 last March to 94 after finishing a three length fifth in listed company last season.
She was defeated here in June after landing a hat trick in Scotland, but she fared best of those drawn higher, but she bounced back to make all at Haydock to beat a subsequent winner of a class two handicap at the Goodwood festival, and she improved again next time out to avenge her course defeat with a neck success of a 0-80 over C&D.
She proved her liking for the track when beaten a short head at the Ebor meeting, giving 10lbs to the subsequent Portland Handicap winner who’s now rated 13lbs higher. She held her form well in two subsequent efforts, second to Democracy Dilemma in a 0-105 at Haydock before her solid effort in Listed company at Ayr.
She makes her reappearance in a hot handicap, but she’s proven both to go well fresh and have a strong liking for this course and distance thus she has to be feared from a low draw with her prominent style of racing.
The other I’d like to chance is Eternal Sunshine, who was a place ahead of Katie Scott’s filly at York prior to landing the Portland Handicap. She also held her form well subsequently, finishing best of the prominent racers when third in the Ayr Bronze Cup before another two thirds, including a half a length defeat over C&D in October.
She’s been way below that form in two starts this season, but there was an excuse for her last run and given her yard won this with American Affair last season, she’s taken to bounce back with a favourable low draw.
2:55 York – Oakmere Homes Hambleton Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+) – Godwinson 20/1 1pt EW 5 places
Jack Channon has been in excellent form this season and Godwinson is an intriguing runner in this competitive handicap on his first start for the yard. The Saxon Warrior gelding has form figures of 32111 when fresh, including in two valuable handicaps.
The first came when beaten half a length into second in the 2024 Spring Cup, coincidentally by Channon’s Metal Merchant. Last season he then rallied remarkably well to win the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster, and he backed that 89 days later in a class two handicap at Newcastle off 3lbs lower.
His form has admittedly dipped since, but he posted a respectable effort when last seen finishing six lengths down the field in the Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day. He’s clearly a better horse when fresh, and he does have some course form when fourth here (giving weight to the three ahead) in June.
3:30 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (4yo+) – See The Fire 5/4 2pt WIN
While she arguably didn’t beat much when a devastating twelve length winner of this contest last season, it was still a remarkably impressive performance from See The Fire who made a successful reappearance at Nottingham last month.
She has two credible opponents in Fallen Angel and Diamond Rain, but the former tends to need her first outing and Godolphin has a similarly rated mare well beaten in this last season, and Diamond Rain’s form is far inferior than that of See The Fire, despite finishing ahead of her at Del Mar when last seen.
See The Fire largely held her own in Group 1 company after this contest, hitting the frame in all of her European efforts including a solid fourth in the Juddmonte. She’s likely to be primed for this once more, and if coming on for her reappearance, as she did in this last season, she will be tough to beat.
4:05 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo) – Guildmaster 18/1 1pt EW 3 places
John & Thady Gosden had Devil’s Advocate run a huge race at 80/1 in the Godolphin colours last season and Guildmaster can follow suit.
The son of Teofilo looked smart when well backed to win at Lingfield on debut, despite running awfully green throughout. He then went to Newmarket last month and travelled well in behind the leaders, but once hitting the dip and the pressure lifted, he looked all at sea and failed to lengthen under Robert Havlin, beaten five lengths by the well backed Maho Bay. The winner failed to frank the form in the Lingfield Derby Trial, but the fourth was a smart winner next time out Chester running to an RPR of 102.
Back on a flat track, in what looks like an open Dante, I wouldn’t be surprised if he drastically improves with that Newmarket experience behind him for a yard who’s won this twice since 2016.
5:15 York – Whittle Partnership Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 4) (3yo 0-80) – Arc Ole Ole 5/1 1pt WIN
Dylan Cunha has a respectable strike rate (two wins and six places from eleven runners) in handicaps at York and he is two form six when teaming up with James Doyle, who’s given the leg up on the progressive Study Of Man colt Arc Ole Ole.
After running creditably at Newmarket on debut last October, he returned eight days later to comfortably land a Bath Novice. He reappeared at Doncaster’s Lincoln meeting in March when a well backed 6/4 favourite, and I thought it was a very impressive performance to win gamely by a head given how keen he was throughout.
That form has worked out well, as the second won next time out, the third, fourth and fifth were all second next time out, and the ten length sixth won by three lengths last time out.
A 4lbs rise could somewhat underestimate him, as he hails from a superbly bred Kirsten Rausing family including the 117 rated Almeric and if he can learn to settle early on, then this mark of 75 can certainly underestimate his ability.
Matty Sutcliffe’s York Dante Meeting Day 2 Tips for Thursday 14 May
2:20 York – Lindum York Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) – Luna A Inbhir Nis 16/1 0.5pt EW 5 places + Eternal Sunshine 25/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
2:55 York – Oakmere Homes Hambleton Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+) – Godwinson 20/1 1pt EW 5 places
3:30 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (4yo+) – See The Fire 5/4 2pt WIN
4:05 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo) – Guildmaster 18/1 1pt EW 3 places
5:15 York – Whittle Partnership Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 4) (3yo 0-80) – Arc Ole Ole 5/1 1pt WIN
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Best Bets – Thursday 14 May
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets for Day 2 of York’s Dante Meeting, which takes place on Thursday 14 May.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 3.06pm on Wednesday 13 May.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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