2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Tips – DS
2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Preview
On Saturday we ended up with a solitary place at 16s with Waipiro. However, we were arguably unlucky not to do better. Rhythmic Intent was beat 1.75L for the win and didn’t place. Sly Madam was beat 2.5L for the win and she didn’t place either. I’m not sure what Brian Hughes was doing on Fruit N Nut and he ended up just 3L off a place. We go again on the Knavesmire this week, 2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival preview and tips are below.
1.50 – Jorvik Handicap (Class 2)
A gentle introduction to Dante week at York with this 12f, 17 runner handicap. The ground is going to be good and with conditions to suit, Scampi could be worth chancing here. Hayley Turner picks up this nice ride on Andrew Balding’s 5yo son of Nayef. He blew away the cobwebs after a winter break with a nice run on unsuitably soft ground at Epsom over too sharp a trip and he ought to strip a lot fitter now.
This horse was progressive on summer ground last season. He failed to win as a 2yo or as a 3yo but in 2022, the penny dropped. A five runner all weather novice at Wolves was his first win, then that was followed by a fine effort when beat 1L off 78 at Chester. Another three solid runs followed before he won his first handicap by 2.25L at Epsom (12f gd/fm).
That win came off 76 and he then followed up in a valuable heat off 81 at Donny (12f gd/fm). His last run at Newcastle off 86 saw him beat just 1.25L so we know he can be competitive off his current rating. His form figures on good or good to firm ground read 2352611 and now that he gets his optimum trip/ground, Scampi can hopefully run into the money at odds of 16/1.
2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Tip: Scampi e/w @ 16/1 (5 places) NB
2.25 – Churchill Tyres Handicap (Class 2)
A maximum field of 22 for this 6f sprint. Looking back at previous results, the draw isn’t usually massively influential and it is possible to win from anywhere. From stall 1, surely Ghathanfar is massively overpriced at odds of 28/1. Trained by Tracy Waggott, this 7yo son of Invincible Spirit gets in off 86 here. He’s been dropped six pounds for three successive poor runs, all on soft ground.
On his last run on fast ground, this horse was beat 1.5L off 92 at Haydock. Previous to that, he was beat 2L into 4th of 17 over this C&D on good to firm, also off 92. He was also beat 0.5L by Gale Force Maya off 90 here in July.
His course form figures at 6f on good or better read 32134, never beat further than 2L. The last three runs came off 83 (won) last July, 90 (3rd) later that month and 92 (4th) in August. He’s only 3lbs higher than he was for that easy win, he’s 6lbs lower for a 2L defeat on his last visit and with conditions ideal, he is worth backing e/w at 28/1.
2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Tip: Ghathanfar e/w @ 28/1 (6 Places) NAP
3.00 – Duke Of York Clipper Stakes (Group 2)
A belter of a G2 sprint which could easily pass as a Group 1. Highfield Princess won this last year then went on to land a hat trick of G1s. Connections will be surely hoping to follow a similar plan this season. Creative Force was knocking on the door at the top table last term and he looked good when winning a decent conditions race at Haydock last time (6f gd/sft).
He won that by 3L and our old friend Commanche Falls was a short head further back in third. Michael Dods’ charge was giving 4lbs to the Appleby horse, they race off levels today. That weight difference, combined with better ground, should enable Commanche Falls to close the gap.
The 6yo went close in a handicap here off 109 back in August so the course form box is ticked and he went agonisingly close to winning for us when we backed him at big odds at Newbury last month. I think he’s going to be running in, and be competitive in, all the big sprints this season and at odds of 20/1, Commanche Falls is the e/w selection.
2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Tip: Commanche Falls e/w @ 20/1 (4 places)
3.35 – Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (Group 3)
Given her pedigree, I fear she may need soft ground but even so, Empress Wu is interesting here at odds of 16/1. Those were the same odds she was sent off at on her solitary run to date, a taking win on the all weather at Lingfield in a November maiden (10f). She was getting weight from the runner up Silver Sword but even so, it was a very impressive performance.
Silver Sword adds real substance to the form. On his previous start he ran a massive race in a class 2 novice at Newmarket, finishing 4.75L behind Military Order, the current Epsom Derby fav. Silver Sword then hacked up in a Southwell maiden on his first start as a 3yo and he might be worth keeping an eye on off what looks a very generous opening mark of 82 at Newbury this weekend.
Empress Wu is by a top sire in Sea The Moon and her dam is a full sister to Madame Chiang. She won this race on soft ground for David Simcock back in 2014 and this filly looks well worth trying at this level. Her homework must be pretty decent for Simcock to be throwing her in at the deep end. The question is, will she handle the ground? At 16/1, it is worth chancing that she does.
2023 Wednesday York Dante Festival Tip: Empress Wu e/w @ 16/1
4.10 – Conundrum HR Handicap (Class 3)
Usually, I am wary of backing last time out winners in handicaps but Hey Lyla is hard to ignore here. Trained by Charlie Johnston, this daughter of Oasis Dream was consistent as a 2yo but failed to win. She ran a string of fine races in maiden/novice company before signing off with a solid run off 81 when beat 1L by Perdika at Kempton.
That horse was beat beat 1.5L in a French G3 this week and is now rated 102. Hey Lyla was getting 4lbs from her at Kempton so she is extremely tempting here off a mark of just 80. The handicapper didn’t touch her mark after her Ayr maiden win earlier this month, just her second run over 7f on fast ground. Her previous try in those conditions saw her get to within a neck of Dream Of Love at Newmarket last October.
She was beat a short head by Mawj two runs later and is now rated 108. At Chelmsford in November she got to within 2.5L of Majestic Pride, since beat 1L in a Listed race and now rated 96. Has she got the attractive, lightly raced profile of some of her rivals? No, but she is completely unexposed on fast ground over 7f and at 16/1, she can hopefully make a bold bid off a mark of 80.
