Hi all
The start of the three-day York Dante meeting and the feature race is the Musidora Stakes (3.35). Impressive Sandown winner Emily Upjohn faces four rivals as she bids to enhance her Oaks claims. They include Newbury maiden winner Life Of Dreams and the Aidan O’Brien trained filly The Algarve. The other highlight of a seven-race card is the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (3.00).
Inside today’s main piece I look ahead at the day’s action at the Knavesmire. If you’re lucky enough to be not working today you can watch the first five races from York on ITV4.
York Dante Festival – Day 1
1:50 – Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 4f
Gaassee could get favourite backers off to good start at the meeting. The 4-year-old has won his last three starts and trainer William Haggas tells the Racing Post that “he’s pretty useful.” He holds a Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes entry which shows how highly regarded he is. Yard won this last year with Ilaraab and have a great chance of another win.
Dark Jedi has placed form in big field handicaps around here. He’s got each way claims but he holds no secrets from the handicapper.
Forza Orta has a 5lb penalty to carry for his Hamilton win 10-days ago. This is a deeper race but the 4-year-old is progressive and can’t be ruled out.
The biggest threat to the favourite could be top-weight Global Storm. The 5-year-old disappointing in the Lincoln on soft ground at the end of last season bounced back to his best in Meydan winning a 1m 4f handicap before finishing a 2 ¼ length 3rd of 14 to Hukum in a Group 2 last time. Harry Davies takes off a handy 7lb. and Gaassee will have to be the horse his trainer thinks he is to win.
2:25 – Churchill Tyres Handicap (Class 2 – 6f
The biggest field of the day with 22 declared for this sprint handicap. Bielsa last season’s Ayr Gold Cup winner, from 4lb lower, hasn’t been at his best on either start this season. He wasn’t beaten far in fifth in last year’s race and big run can’t be ruled out. He will be better for
Mr Wagyu had a great 2021 winning five times, including the Goodwood Stewards Cup. He will be fitter than when 8th of 19 at Newmarket 11-days ago on his return to action. However, he may be the grip of the handicapper for now.
Mr Lupton has won four times at York and landed this race last year. He’s 3lb lower than 12 months ago so is down to a handy mark. First run since October but he’s won off a layoff in the past so can go well fresh. The forecast strong pace will suit the 9-year-old and he’s shouldn’t be far away.
Two of Nomadic Empire’s three best RPR’s have come over C&D, including when winning here last September, off 4lb lower. There was plenty to like about the 4-year-old’s reappearance at Ripon when he finished a 1 ¼ length 3rd of 8 at Ripon last month. He got no sort of run inside the final furlong and looked an unlucky loser. At least he confirmed that he’s started the season off on a competitive mark.
3:00 – Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (Group 2) – 6f
Dragon Symbol is having his first start since switching from Archie Watson to Roger Varian. The 4-year-old placed in three Group 1 sprints last season. Today’s ground should be fine and if he’s ready to roll first time looks the one to beat on from.
Emaraaty Ana relished the fast ground when winning the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock. Prior to that success the 6-year-old had finished runner-up to Winter Power in the Nunthorpe here over 5f. His Group 1 success means he has 5lb penalty to carry which makes life tough and he hardly beat a rival on his two starts at Meydan.
Rohaan needs to be respected if reproducing his Royal Ascot Wokingham Handicap success. However, he’s usually held up in his races which isn’t ideal here.
Garrus has fitness on his side and looked as good as ever when a short head 2nd of 8 in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket last month. Good ground suits and Ryan Moore takes the ride. The blinkers go on for the first time and if the headgear has the desired effect he could get into the places.
Minzaal comes into the race with most upside. The 4-year-old won the Gimcrack over C&D as a juvenile. He wasn’t seen out until October last season and only had two runs. The best of them came on his final start when a 2-length 3rd of 20 to Creative Force in the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Ascot. He looked a smart sprint prospect for this season that day and could be a Champion sprinter in the making. If he’s ready to roll first time up he can win this.
3:35 – Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (Group 3) – 1m 2 ½ f
Emily Upjohn has won both career starts and last time out comfortably saw off 11 rivals to win by nearly ten lengths at Sandown. The daughter of Sea The Stars is open to plenty of improvement, looks the most likely winner, albeit the second at Sandown has been beaten in a maiden. Where she to win nicely here she could well be the Oaks favourite after the race. That said she does face two potentially smart fillies in Live The Dream and The Algarve. Both of whom possess excellent pedigrees.
Live The Dream looked above average when winning at Newbury on her racecourse debut. In liked her a lot that day and I think she can prove a lot better than that bare form. The Algarve got off the mark at the third attempt when winning a Galway maiden (heavy) last October. It will be interesting to how well she’s progressed from two to three. Give the form of the Aidan O’Brien it’s a surprise to see her as big in the betting as she is.
4:10 – Paddy Power ‘Here For The Craic’ Handicap (Class 3) – 7f
Another handicap with a short-priced favourite. Samburu has won both his starts; The son of Kingman still looked a work in progress when winning at Salisbury three weeks ago. He’s open to plenty of improvement and seems ground versatile. Handicap debut of what is probably a lenient mark off 88 given he holds a Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Should the favourite underperform the one most likely to take advantage is Mojomaker. A solid enough juvenile he produced close to a personal best when a nose 2nd of 6 at Doncaster (6f) 19-days ago. He’s up 3lb for that effort but remains on a competitive mark, However, the favourite will be a tough nut to crack.
4:45 – Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap – 1m 4f
Fourteen go to post for this Class 4 handicap. However, many of them come into the race with question marks. One who doesn’t is El Picador who bounced back from a poor effort to win at Musselburgh 13-days ago. He’s up 4lb for that win but shouldn’t be far away if liking the track.
The fact that Eagle Court is as short as 7/1 shows the lack of depth to the race. He should be sharper for his Newbury reappearance and is nicely treated on the best of last season’s form for his previous yard but he’s doesn’t find winning easy.
All five of Pearl Beach’s career wins have come on the all-weather. The last of them came at Newcastle two starts back. The mare returned from 9-month layoff and was just caught on the line when a short head 2nd of 6 at Wolverhampton 22-days ago. If she can reproduce her consistent all-weather form on grass.
Obsidian Knight is the least experienced of the field but he shaped well enough when a 1 ¼ length 5th of 6 on his handicap debut at Lingfield two starts back. However, the 4-year-old ran to bad to be true back at the same venue last time. He’s on a workable mark but this is his first start on the grass.
Kihavah won twice over hurdles last winter and ran better than his 5-length 6th of 15 at Chester five days ago. The slow pace didn’t suit that day and today’s more galloping track should suit.
Highwaygrey has dropped down to a winning mark and he shaped better than his 6 ½ length 7th of 11 at Thirsk (1m 4f) suggests last month. He didn’t have a hard race once his chance had gone and the 6-year-old remains unexposed over 1m 4f.
Betting Advice:
1:50 – 1pt win – Global Storm – 8/1 @ Bet365
2:25 – 1pt win – Nomadic Empire – 6/1 @ Bet365
4:10 – 1pt win – Mojomaker – 6/1 – Gen
4:45 – 1pt win – Highwaygrey – 15/2 @ Bet365
Cheers
John