2025 Ascot & York Saturday Preview & Tips – DS
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Preview
Royal Dubai got us back into the winner’s enclosure last weekend, hopefully Dave Stevos can land another bet or two this weekend. Check out his 2025 Ascot & York Saturday preview below.
1.40 Ascot – Princess Margaret Stakes (Group 3)
The one I like at a nice e/w price in this G3 for the fillies is Jane Chapple-Hyam’s daughter of Kodi Bear, Eskimo Pie. Yes, she is still a maiden after three starts but she hasn’t been beaten all that far in stakes company the last twice and this represents a drop in class after a fine run at Royal Ascot in June.
In the Queen Mary Eskimo Pie finished seventh but she was only 3l behind the winner True Love, 1.75l behind Flowerhead and 1.25l behind Staya, both of whom re-oppose here. Given the distance that separated them, I am not sure the Chapple-Hyam filly should be 16s and those two rivals 5s, especially over this extra furlong.
Eskimo Pie was doing her best work at the finish in the Queen Mary and she has already run well in a maiden over 6f on debut. Mickael Barzalona rides and he is 2-11 for this stable. Hopefully he’ll be 3-12 after this race. At odds of 16/1, Eskimo Pie is the e/w selection.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Eskimo Pie e/w @ 16/1 NAP
2.00 York – Dash Handicap (Class 2)
Last year we managed to find Rage Of Bamby at 20/1 in this 6f cavalry charge. Back in third that day was Rock Opera and I think he might be able to nick place money again. Trained by Richard Fahey, we backed this horse to no avail in the Ayr Silver Cup last year.
He has had a busy campaign in 2025 but he seems to take his racing well and he pitches up for another shot at this valuable prize off 79. Yes, he is 2lb out of the handicap but he is still racing off a 1lb lower mark than when beaten just 1.5l in this last season.
The ground is currently described as good to soft at York but the forecast is dry and warm so by the time of this race, it should be good all over and that will suit this horse. He has a nice draw in stall 3 and if he doesn’t lose too much ground at the start, hopefully Rock Opera can come with a late run and sneak into the frame here at odds of 25/1.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Rock Opera e/w @ 25/1 (6 places)
2.20 Ascot – Valiant Stakes (Group 3)
I fancied Jancis to run a big race in the Pretty Polly last month at the Curragh but she came up well short. My main angle was that she would relish the step up to 1m2f but she didn’t and now she drops back to a mile. Unfortunately, she’s a bit too short for the blog this time but I would not be surprised in the slightest if she ran a huge race.
Instead, I am going to give another chance to Sunfall. We backed this filly on her stable debut and seasonal reappearance at Epsom early last month. It is fair to say she was disappointing but she wouldn’t be the first horse to run poorly at that undulating track and she may have needed the run too.
Another possible cause for optimism is that she is now wearing a tongue tie. That suggests that her wind might have caught her too at Epsom and the new equipment should help in that department.
Her sole previous run at this track saw her land a 7f Listed race on soft ground last October but she has also won on good and good to firm so it doesn’t really matter what the ground is like on Saturday. At odds of 25/1, back Sunfall e/w.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Sunfall e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
2.40 York – York Stakes (Group 2)
Just seven runners and no bookmakers offering extra places. Almaqam looks like he’ll be hard to beat and most likely, one of the 3yos will chase him home. If I was having a bet I’d probably go with Royal Champion at 20s but I think this race is best left alone. No bet.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: No bet
3.00 Ascot – International Handicap (Heritage)
The one I am interested in at a price in this valuable heritage handicap is Two Tribes. Trained by Richard Spencer, whose horses have been running well, this son of the unfashionable Rajasinghe has gone very close on his last two starts in handicaps with big pots on offer.
In May he was denied by a head on his seasonal return at Newmarket (6f, good) off a mark of 88. 11 days later at York he stayed on strongly late in the day for a close fourth, again over 6f, and that was his last start in class 2 handicap company.
He has stepped up to 7f in less valuable races the last thrice and while he failed to win, I think his last third at Newmarket proved that he has the necessary stamina for this trip. If they go a strong early gallop it should really suit this fella and he ran a cracker in a 5f handicap at this track last year off 3lb higher. At odds of 28/1, Two Tribes is the each-way selection.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Two Tribes e/w @ 28/1 (6 places)
3.20 York – Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe Handicap (Class 4)
He may not be getting any younger and his last couple of runs haven’t been the best but even so, I am going to take a chance on the 9yo Arnhem here for Rebecca Menzies and Nathan Moscrop.
This horse has now slipped to a mark of 72. Just last October he finished 2.75l behind the 101 rated Valiant Force at Dundalk and later that month he was beaten just 3.5l in a G3 at the same venue.
His last win came off 77 in August 2023 at the Curragh but he was only beaten 1.25l off 90 in a Navan handicap in June 2024, just over a year ago. This season, his best run came second time up in 5f Musselburgh handicap in May when he was beaten 2l into fifth off a mark of 80.
Yes, his last three runs haven’t been great but the assessor has given him a real chance and he has also been handed a nice draw in stall 2. Maybe Arnhem’s best days are behind him and he’s simply regressive now, but that run in May suggests he at least retains some sort of ability and if he can repeat that, he might be able to sneak a place at massive odds.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Arnhem e/w @ 66/1 (5 places)
3.35 Ascot – Betfred Handicap (Class 2)
The one I am backing here will be wearing silks that bring back some lovely memories. Mythical Guest, who is owned and trained by the same connections as the legend Ropey Guest, is priced up at 22/1 here and I think he is more than capable of outrunning those odds.
The son of Make Believe won twice last year, off 70 and 79, and thanks to Warren Fentiman’s 5lb claim, he’ll effectively be running off a mark of 78 today. He has run well on both previous visits to this venue this year, beaten 3.5l into second off 84 in April and 2.5l into third off the same rating two weeks ago.
He ran well in class 2 company at Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance so we know he can mix it at this level and he is nicely drawn in stall 15. Good old Ropey landed us some nice places at Ascot over the years, hopefully Mythical Guest follows in his hoofsteps at odds of 22/1.
2025 Ascot & York Saturday Tip: Mythical Guest e/w @ 22/1 (5 Places)
4.10 Ascot – King George VI and QE Stakes (Group 1)
Last year we landed one of my favourite ever touches in this race with Goliath. His win really seemed to piss off a lot of the ‘experts’ who didn’t give him a snowball’s chance in hell but thankfully, he finally got the strong pace he needed to aim at and the rest, as they say, is history.
Unfortunately, there’ll be no fairytale winner this year. Just five will run and that includes a Ballydoyle pacemaker. Not a whole lot separates the main protagonists in terms of ratings and to be honest, I do not have a strong opinion and I won’t be having a bet. Hopefully we get a better turn out next year.
