Good morning all,
The going at York was being described as good, good to soft in places yesterday evening. Now I’m about 20 miles from York so if they had the heavy rain, we had last night then it will be soft all over on the Knavesmire.
The thing is though, last night’s weather was likely localized so it hard to say just what the ground will be like. Some more showers are forecast today. Although It’s dry and sunny at the time of writing this. So, if you having a punt today, I would suggest you wait until you know what the going is.
Racing returns to York today with the first of three days of its Dante Festival and with it the last meaningful Derby & Oaks Trials. We have one of those trials’ today: The Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (3:10). The feature race of a seven-race card is the Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (2:40). You can watch the best of the action this afternoon on ITV who are showing five races from the track.
York Dante Festival Day 1
The card open with a couple of big field handicaps.
1:40 – Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 4f
The rain shouldn’t phase the returning Ilaraab who put in a career best here over 1m 2f on soft ground in October. He’s starts 2021 off 7lb higher but he’s remains capable of more improvement as a 4-year-old.
My Frankel was another improver last season and made a winning return to action at Kempton last month. He’s only had five career starts so we might not have seen the best of the colt yet. Yet race on going with the soft in the going.
Sam Cooke a winner on soft ground at Chester on his seasonal return in May 2019 and a winner as a juvenile. He hasn’t delivered on his early promise and failed to win on his four starts last year. That said he’s got to be respected on his nose 2nd of 9 at Ascot last July.
Mister Carpenter made it 2-2 at York when winning here last September. He likes a bit of juice in the ground and looks to have a nice weight. Another who won first time up last year but this is the hottest race the 5-year-old has so far run in.
Throne Hall won at Doncaster on his seasonal reappearance but didn’t really improve on that performance when 2nd of 7 at Thirsk last time. Today’s bigger field suit and better gallop should suit the 4-year-old. I think he remains capable of better than he showed at Thirsk.
1pt win – Ilaraab – 4/1 – Gen
1pt win – Sam Cooke – 9/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
2:10 – Churchill Tyres Handicap (Class 2) – 6f
Mr Lupton hasn’t been subjected to hard races on either start this year. The 8-year-old seems at his best in strongly run big field handicaps like this and is three-time course winner. Now just 1lb higher than when winning a valuable 6f handicap at the Curragh last September. Will need luck in running but poised for a good run
Gulliver is another who needs all the cards to fall right. He get’s his optimum conditions today of some ease in the ground. A three-time C&D winner. He’s now 2lb lower than for the last of those wins in October.
1pt win – Mr Lupton – 10/1 @ Paddy Power & Bet365
1pt win – Gulliver – 8/1 @ Paddy Power & Bet365
2:40 – Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) – 6f
Last year’s July Cup winner Oxted is surely better than he was able to showon his seasonal return at Newmarket last month.
Art Power was an improving 3-year-old and he ended last season with a 1 length 4th of 16 in the Group 1 Champion Sprint. Any further ease in the ground is a positive and he’s capable of better as a 4-year-old.
Starman looked an exciting sprint prospect when winning a Listed race over C&D (good) last September. He struggled on soft ground in the Champion Sprint on his final start. The better the ground the better his chance and he should be competitive at this level this season.
The one interesting of the 12 declared runners is Molatham. A winner of the 7f Group 3 Jersey Stakes (soft) at Royal Ascot last year. The Roger Varian colt drops back to 6f for the first time since his juvenile debut. Clearly very effective at 7f but if the drop back to 6f doesn’t inconvenience him he could make up into a smart sprinter as a 4-year-old.
3:10 – Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) (Class 1 – 1m 2 ½ f
This looks a match between two well-bred Oaks contenders Teona and Noon Star.
Teona a daughter of Sea The Stars has already been well backed for the Epsom Classic and now is a best priced 5/1 for next month’s race. Both starts last season were at Newcastle and she looked a smart middle-distance prospect when winning in November
Noon Star is a best priced 9/1 for Epsom. She does have race fitness on her side after making a winning return at Wetherby 17-days ago. The daughter of high class mare Midday is capable of better than she’s showed so far.
4:50 – Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap (Class 4) – 1m 4f
Plenty of potential improvers in this Class 4 1m 4f handicap.
Lydford a winner of his final 3-year-old start at Wolverhampton returned from a 3-month absence to finish 1¼ lengths 3rd of 12 at Kempton 77-days ago. A stronger gallop would have suited him last time and he’s been gelded since that run. Lightly raced for his age, just four career starts, he’s open to more improvement.
Mark Of Gold improved for going handicapping last year winning his final two starts at Bath & Haydock. Both those successes came with plenty of ease in the ground so any rain will be a bonus for the colt. First try at 1m 4f but his pedigree suggests he can improve for the step-up distance.
Flyin’ Solo was suited by the step up to 1m 2f when winning at Newbury on his first start on the grass 24-days ago. The handicapper has only raised him 4lb for that win which doesn’t look harsh and he can improve for the step up to 1m 4f. Provided they go an good gallop (seems likely) he should go close.
Hint Of Stars has been a big improver since switching from Ireland winning three of his four starts on the all-weather. Up 5lb since his latest win at Kempton in February and must prove he’s as good on grass. Ryan Moore booked though and a big run can be expected.
Second Slip a steady improver on his three starts last season and maintained it on his seasonal return when 3rd of 8 at Newcastle last month. He raced that day like he would be suited by a step up to 1m 4f. There should be more to come from him.
1pt win – Mark Of Gold – 15/2 @ Ladbrokes
1pt win – Flyin’ Solo – 11/2 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Cheers
John