With the weekend nearing, the final day of the York Dante Festival takes place, with the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup as the highlight. Joe Napier provides his best bets on the day below.
2.45 York – Knights Solicitors Handicap
There’s a chance that Nigel Tinkler’s Theme Park has been plotted for this at a price, but there are enough doubts on form not to make him a headline selection. Conversely, LOYAL TOUCH has gone on an excellent run of contending since his seasonal debut (also his debut for the Johnston yard) and could make prominent tactics pay.
The opening day strongly suggested that any race run round a bend on the Knavesmire produced a pace bias towards those ridden towards the front. Having led on his last three starts, unsurprising for one from his trainer, he is also drawn to go forward from stall 3, and after only being narrowly beaten in his last two handicaps at Newcastle and Chester, he could well go one better as a fighting fit contender on this excellent run of form.
3.15 York – Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes (Listed Race)
Devoted Queen will strike a chord with many backers for Godolphin, but she was far from impressive at odds-on last time at Kempton. It is probably worth giving a chance here to SPIRITUAL, who was behind True Cyan in the Nell Gwyn after racing further in rear, but only has two lengths to find, while it was also the second time in succession she was reported not to have handled the Rowley Mile’s famous dip.
As such, her results there look a lot more respectable if willing to forgive that particular fault. She was fourth in last season’s Rockfel Stakes, finishing only half-a-length behind Oaks favourite Ylang Ylang, despite becoming unbalanced at Newmarket and this track couple with a step up to 1m could ensure she can now deliver on her debut promise.
Yorkshire Cup Tips – Preview of Staying Group 2 on York’s Final Day
The Yorkshire Cup is the feature race to end a glorious week at York racecourse. With seven going to post, some past and future stars will slug it out, and Joe Napier previews the race alongside his selection. The race went the way of Giavellotto in a 14/1 shock in 2023. He returns to defend…
Wed 15 May 20244.15 York – Darley EBF Novice Stakes
Only those with two runs or fewer under their belts can contest this race. The market currently revolves around First Conquest and Lead Artist, first and second at Newmarket recently. The former now has to concede the latter 6lb for only a nose margin between them, so Lead Artist should overturn running, but it may just be that one at an each-way price has their measure on form.
That horse is DARK TORNADO, who has switched yards between his juvenile season and this. However, he made a decent impression for Peter Chapple-Hyam, finishing runner-up in a novice event at Ascot won by Group 2 Royal Lodge scorer Ghostwriter, who was recently fourth in the 2000 Guineas.
Those third, fourth and fifth behind the selection have all been rated in the 80s and 90s in handicaps since, and he beat them all fairly comfortably. As long as there are no ill effects for switching yards, he should be more than competitive enough in this line-up on that performance alone. It is worth gambling on his fitness.
4.45 York – Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap
This race plays host to many who have previously run at a higher level, bearing out that a few may have been campaigned with this sort of race in mind before going on to bigger handicaps later in the season. However, one who fits the three facets of their optimum conditions, a race they may have targeted and a lenient handicap mark is CRAVEN for Richard Fahey.
He is still 6lb above his last winning mark, but all three of his runs at York last season were among his best. The first came when starting out his 2023 campaign when doing more than just blow the cobwebs away in fourth (he was much worse on reappearance this season), then finished second and fourth on the Knavesmire later in the season. The former was off 1lb lower than today’s rating, the latter off 4lb higher.
He was also beaten just half-a-length at Ayr off 77 in September, and he goes off 75 here. With a run under his belt and conditions from good-to-soft to good-to-firm all suiting well enough, he looks a solid each-way contender at the very least.
Andrew Mount’s Myth Busters – Is Being Gelded a Negative Where Flat Horses are Concerned?
The low draw dilemma proved as prevalent a discussion point as ever during the Chester May meeting last week. Andrew Mount discussed that in last week‘s column, but turns his attentions to a broader question for this week: should being gelded be regarded as a negative for flat horses? The Nigel Tinkler-trained Duran trailed home…
Tue 14 May 2024
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