York Dante Meeting Friday Tips Dave Stevos
York Dante Meeting Friday Preview and Tips
It was another day without a winner on Thursday but at least we nicked a couple of nice places. Mid Winster was one of the first off the bridle but she battled bravely to grab 4th, advised e/w at 18/1. Freyja was outclassed, as was Belloccio. Our 25/1 e/w NAP Mostawaa ran a massive race, keeping on well for place money in 4th. Muker never looked happy though and it looks like he may not have trained on. ITV4 will be showing another five races live on Day 3, check out Dave Stevos’ York Dante Meeting Friday tips below.
1.40 – Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
We kick off proceedings on the final day of the Dante Meeting at York with this Listed Sprint. It is for juvenile fillies only and a field of 13 will fight it out for precious black type. The one I like at an each way price is Instinction for Bryan Smart and Graham Lee. This daughter of Brazen Beau caused a bit of a surprise on her debut at Redcar (5f gd). She was bumped leaving the stalls, she pulled hard between the 4f and 3f poles and she still managed to get up late and beat Russellinthebushes by a head.
That horse re-opposes here and she was beaten by the same distance in a Chester maiden last week. I can’t see any reason why she should reverse that form with Instinction as she had a much better trip through the race at Redcar and the Smart horse should be open to more improvement. The Southern raiders from the yards of Cox, Haggas and Dunlop will fancy their chances but I really loved how Instinction got the job done last time. At odds of 12/1 I think a huge run could be on the cards.
York Dante Meeting Friday Tips: Instinction e/w @ 12/1 NB (4 places)
2.10 – Michael Seely Memorial Stakes (Listed)
This is another Listed heat for the fillies, this time for 3yos only. A field of 8 will go to post and Snow Lantern is a warm order for Levey and Hannon. This Frankel filly made a good impression with how she travelled and put the race to bed at Newbury last time out. The 3rd and 7th home from that contest both won on their next starts. On that form she looks a worthy 7/4 jolly.
At a bigger price Primo Bacio is a fascinating contender. This daughter of Awtaad didn’t show much during her 2yo career. She was well beat on her first two starts at Goodwood and Newmarket over 7f. She then had a couple of novice runs on the all weather in November, finishing a close 2nd at Chelmsford over 6f and then shedding her maiden tag in good style at Lingfield.
The handicapper gave her a mark of 77 after that 2.5L win, a rating that underestimated her big time. It looked like Ed Walker was tilting at windmills entering her in the Fred Darling at Newbury (7f gd). She was sent off at 100/1 but she ran a mighty race, staying on strongly after finding all sorts of trouble between the 2f and 3f markers. The winner of that race, Alcohol Free, went on to run a cracker in the 1000 Guineas. If the Walker filly had a clearer passage I think she would have gone mightily close to beating that filly. This step up to a mile looks sure to suit and if Andrea Atzeni can avoid trouble in running, Primo Bacio could go very close at odds of 14/1.
York Dante Meeting Friday Tips: Primo Bacio e/w @ 14/1 NAP
2.40 – Matchbook Handicap (Class 2)
10.5f is the trip for this class 2 handicap and a field of 12 will line up in the stalls. Keith Dalgleish had one run well in a handicap here on Thursday and I think Chichester could go well for him here. This fella failed to win for Michael Stoute, his best run coming on the all-weather at Wolves. He was picked up at the sales for £30k back in October and he went some way towards repaying that outlay by winning on his stable debut at Newcastle (8f st).
That win came off 77 and he ran another cracker upped to 10f off his revised rating of 86 at the same track at the end of last month. He showed he got the trip in that contest and he was only beat 1.25L in 4th. The question is whether he will be as effective on turf. If his pedigree is anything to go by, he should be just as good on grass.
His full brother Jamil has won three races (on soft ground) and his half-sister Exmouth won on good to firm. His runs on turf for Michael Stoute were poor. However, wind surgery and a gelding operation seem to have worked the oracle. I wouldn’t be writing him off just yet on grass and at odds of 16/1, he is the e/w selection.
York Dante Meeting Friday Tips: Chichester e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)
3.10 – Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Group 2)
Stamina will be the order of the day in this 14f Group 2. Mark Johnston holds a strong hand with two runners, both of whom have strong form claims. Franny Norton gets the leg up on Sir Ron Priestley, a taking winner at Newmarket last time (12f gd/fm). The son of Australia also won a Listed heat on his comeback from a long absence at Nottingham last month. Whatever issues he may have had look to be well behind him and he is a deserved fav.
Ben Curtis rides Nayef Road, a standing dish in these type of races. He will be delighted that there is no Stradivarius in the field today. He has finished behind that staying superstar on three of his last four runs. Ben Curtis will be hoping he can take advantage of his absence this afternoon.
Irish Derby winner Santiago’s form ties in with Nayef Road. They met in the Goodwood Cup over 16f last season and the Johnston horse got the better of the argument by over a length (conceding 15lbs). This time they meet off level weights and on that run, Nayef Road should be more than capable of upholding that form.
Wells Farrh Go is talented on his day but he is entitled to need this and Spanish Mission may want further. I think this could come down to a shootout between the two Johnston horses and it could be worth doing a small reverse forecast.
York Dante Meeting Friday Tips: Nayef Road/Sir Ron Priestley reverse forecast
3.40 – Jigsaw Sports Handicap (Class 4)
The final live race on ITV4 from York this week is this 7f, class 4 handicap. The one I’ll be taking a chance on off top weight is Fortamour for Ben Haslam and Andrew Mullen. This son of Es Que Love arrives in decent form after a couple of solid efforts this season. He wasn’t disgraced on his return at Redcar (6f gd/fm) when beat 3L into 6th behind Embour. Fortamour then ran a better race to finish 3rd behind Staxton in a Class 2 contest and he takes a big drop in grade today.
This horse last won at Ascot in September, beating Rathbone by a head off 86. He had previously run a cracker in a C&D handicap off 84, beat just under 2L into 3rd. He is now a pound lower than he was for his Ascot victory and the way he shaped at Ripon last time, stepping back up to 7f should suit him. Yorkshire based trainer Ben Haslam has had just one winner at York but 50% of his 20 runners at the track have finished in the first 4. Hopefully Fortamour enhances that frame hitting strike rate from stall 3 at odds of 16/1.
Cassy Could Go Well
I am also going to back one with a high draw, Cassy O in stall 18. Trained by red-hot Tim Easterby, this 4yo shaped very nicely last time out at Wetherby (7f gd). David Allan deserts him for his stablemate Boardman after his commanding win at Haydock last time. However, the ground will be much quicker today and that should suit Graham Lee’s mount better.
Cassy O won twice last season at Ayr. He scored by 2L off 65 over 7f (gd/sft) and he then followed up over a mile off 71. He got a 7lb rise in the weights but the son of Camacho showed that 78 wasn’t beyond him last time out at Wetherby. Tim Easterby’s charge ran very well over this C&D last season to grab 4th at silly odds on good to soft ground. At odds of 14/1, another big run would come as no surprise.
