2022 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips – DS
2022 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips
We had to make do with a solitary place on Day 1 at York. Dark Jedi was keen, wide and ran a stinker. Makanah just failed to get up for the win at 18/1. Ejtilaab didn’t try to get to the front and he could only manage 5th. Nothing was beating Emily Upjohn in the Musidora. We go again tomorrow, check out our 2022 Thursday York Dante Festival tips below.
1.50 – Paddy Power Handicap (Class 2)
A field of 13 will line up in the stalls for this handicap over the flying 5f. Those who raced prominently did well here yesterday but in this race, there is so much early speed it might just set up for a closer. The likes of Mejthaam, Fine Wine, Zargun, Good Effort, Bedford Flyer and Mountain Peak all like to get on with things and that could play right into the hands of Jawwaal.
Trained by in-form Michael Dods, this son of Bahamian Bounty is best when given a searching pace to aim at and he is almost guaranteed to get that here. The 7yo is in off a mark of 98 on his return to action, 5lbs above his highest winning rating. However, he went very close over 5.5f here in August off 99 (and again at Haydock subsequently) so he is capable of getting involved off his current mark.
He has failed to win at York in 7 previous visits but he has rarely run a bad race and he has placed twice off 88 and 99. He has won after a break in the past and his form figures first time up read 4137. This race should hopefully set up perfectly for him and while 10/1 isn’t a massive price, it won’t look too bad if he wins.
2022 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips: Jawwaal e/w @ 10/1 (4 places)
2.25 – Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
A rather disappointing turnout for this 10.5f Group 2 with just six fillies trying their luck. Thunder Kiss heads the market for Irish raider Ger Lyons and Irish Champion jockey Colin Keane. By Night of Thunder, this 5yo mare won easy in a Listed heat at Cork last time. It was her second win in a row at that level and both victories came over 12f on easy ground. Listening to Frankie after his win on Emily Upjohn, there is a bit of juice in the ground which will suit. However, all her best recent form is over 12f. This drop back in distance has to rate as a negative.
Trip Suits Lilac
The same sentiment applies to the other Irish raider, Forbearance. Lilac Road is well suited by this trip and she also has a recent run under her belt. Ville De Grace is another for whom 10.5f looks ideal but she ran a stinker at this meeting last season. Of those at the head of the market, last year’s Musidora runner up Noon Star appeals most. Ryan Moore rides and she returned to action with a gutsy win at Nottingham. 10f looks her optimum distance and she holds solid claims.
Solid C&D Form
However, perhaps the outsider of the field can sneak into the first two. Aristia won first time up last year and then ran a cracker in a 10f Listed heat at Newbury (gd/sft). 12f proved beyond her at Royal Ascot but she bounced back over today’s C&D, beating the 119 rated Alpine Star by a short head. You can forgive her final run of the season in France as the ground was too soft. Today’s conditions are perfect and if she can repeat the form of her C&D win last term, Aristia can outrun her odds of 16/1.
2022 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips: Aristia e/w @ 16/1
3.00 – Hambleton Handicap (Class 2)
Dark Jedi let us down yesterday for this trainer/jockey combo but I am hoping Easterby and Fentiman can make amends with Snash. Trained by Charlie Hills last season, this son of Markaz changed hands at the sales for 40k in October. He managed two wins for his former handler, both on the all-weather over 6f.
His turf form wasn’t up to much, including a heavy defeat at this track on easy ground. To be fair, he did run ok in a 7f G2 at Newmarket (beat 6.75L by Master Of The Seas). And he has shown definite promise on two fast ground runs for his new connections. On his return at Haydock (7f gd/fm) he was slow away but still ran ok to be beat just 4.75L off 95. Then, off 3lbs lower in the Thirsk Hunt Cup he was a huge eyecatcher.
Yes, he only finished 8th but he got tight for room at a crucial time. He finished off really well down the outer to be beat just 2.25L for the win. He was only a neck behind stablemate Cruyff Turn and he is 1lb better off with him now. If he had gotten a clear run, he’d have gone extremely close to winning that race and he is also 4lbs better off with the winner, Redarna. 25s looks a massive price about Snash and he is the e/w NAP.
2022 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips: Snash e/w @ 25/1 NAP (4 places)
3.35 – Dante Stakes (Group 2)
The big one and a decent sized field for a change. One of the Derby ante-post favs, Desert Crown, heads the market for Stoute and Kingscote. There has been some amount of talk about this soft ground maiden winner. By Nathaniel, all his siblings liked quicker ground so theoretically, he should handle conditions. However, the form of that maiden he won is nothing special and I’d prefer to back one with proven credentials at pattern level rather than believing the hype.
El Bodegan beat Stone Age in a Saint-Cloud G1 on his last outing (10f v sft). By Kodiac, you’d think he would go on quicker ground but he has had soft in the description for all five of his starts. He is clearly a horse with enormous potential though. If he handles the conditions, he could be the one to beat.
Bluegrass is the best bred horse in the race. By Galileo and out of Quiet Reflection, there is a nice mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree. However, he weakened out of things on his return at Leopardstown (10f gd) and he has now been beaten on both starts at G3 level.
Rock Solid
If he comes on for his seasonal comeback, Masekela has rock solid form in the book. He found just Eydon too good on his return at Newmarket (9f gd). He shaped as though 10f would suit and the horse that beat him did the form no harm at all when finishing an excellent 4th in the 2000 Guineas. The 5th Cresta went on to chase home Star Of India at Chester and Sonny Liston was just behind in 3rd. The final finisher at Newmarket was Dawn Of Liberation and he beat a 105 rated horse at Goodwood next time.
Last season this colt had form with Native Trail and Bayside Boy. He was well beaten by Royal Patronage in the G2 Royal Lodge but over this trip, I think Masekela could get a lot closer to the Johnston horse. On pedigree and run style 10.5f should be well within this son of El Kabeir’s compass and 14/1 looks a more than fair price.
