York’s Dante Festival arrives on Wednesday, heralding a top three days of racing in the north east. Our in-house tipster Joe Napier has picked out his four best bets in the opening four races to get you off to a flyer.
2.15 York – Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap
Plenty of course experience and form is on show in the opener at York tomorrow with Marhaba The Champ and Kihavah having each won both of their starts at the venue last season. The former is of particular note for that achievement given his form was decidedly worse anywhere else, so it is possible he will simply shine here again, but there is a more tempting option at the prices.
That horse is WESTERTON for Alan King, who has not proven to be a prolific winner, but has nevertheless got plenty of form which appeals. His maiden victory at Sandown last June is particularly deep in terms of form, with future Melrose Handicap and Listed winner Middle Earth in second, and he only narrowly failed to win off slightly lower marks at Newmarket and Doncaster thereafter.
His weaker runs in behind had excuses for soft ground testing his stamina over this trip, with the opposite of 1m1f at Newmarket being too quick on his return. As a result, he is down to a mark of 97 here, which might well be a mark he can defy if at his best, which these conditions could bring out. At the very least, he looks too big a price with race fitness back onside.
2.45 York – Churchill Tyres Handicap
There is no need to look beyond the top of the market here, as LETHAL LEVI looks to boast outstanding claims to come good here for Karl Burke. The track, trip, ground and handicap mark are all in his favour.
He regularly filled positions in the top half in big field handicaps at this trip last season, and from July to the end of the season, he was never beaten further than 4¼ lengths in seven straight starts. Yet because he never finished higher than third, his mark continued to decline, and after finishing eighth of ten on return, in which he surely needed the run given his past history, he has fallen to a rating of 91, 1lb below his last winning mark from July 2022.
Combine all that with the fact he is 5lb lower than when a neck runner-up in this race a year ago, and he is a necessary each-way bet at any price above 5/1 with almost every bookmaker paying up to five places, and a fair few going to six or seven. The only slight concern is the draw (stall 1), but if there is no substantial track bias, he should be right in the thick of it.
3.15 York – Duke Of York Clipper Stakes
This looks a seriously competitive Group 2 and it is great to see a big field declared for a race which could prove informative. Azure Blue downed Highfield Princess in this race a year ago, but she had the benefit of a run that day in what was otherwise a weaker contest. There is plenty of form which ties in with each other below, so it might be about finding the horse who may prove up to Group 1 level, which she has fallen short of since.
The one who could blow this away from a potentially plum draw in the middle of the field is MONTASSIB, who I put up in my ten to follow for this season. The form of his Listed win has taken a couple of knocks since through the runner-up and third, though both of their efforts may have been Newmarket blips, and there seemed to be a fair amount of depth to that race beforehand.
William Haggas’ six-year-old won that race in taking fashion, initially looking too short of room before winning a shade comfortably. That was a development on the promise he had shown when dropped to 6f at the end of last season and suggested he could be up to Group race standard and beyond if campaigned at this trip. He should cope with the ground and may take another step forward.
3.45 York – Tattersalls Musidora Stakes
Friendly Soul will probably take some beating given the way the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes panned out where she won last time. However, I’m always nervous about backing horses off the back of front-running wins at Newmarket, as there is often a greater pace bias on the Rowley Mile than at any other track in the country.
For all that her and the runner-up pulled well clear of the remainder, she is skinny enough here with some unexposed rivals against her. Although this is not always the Oaks trial which Aidan O’Brien sends his biggest guns to, Snowfall won this after as indifferent a career to date as MAYFAIR having relished the step up in trip at this venue.
Regally bred by Justify out of Group 1 winner Clemmie, she may still be a maiden after three starts, but both runs this term have been over 7f, potential to justify her Irish 1000 Guineas entry. However, her runner-up performances have screamed that she needs much more of a trip, as she has been off the bridle early enough despite galloping very strongly through the line.
The form of her two seconds is mixed, but some of those in behind her at the Curragh in the first of those have also improved going up in distance and it would be no surprise whatsoever if this filly does too.
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