2023 Thursday York Dante Festival Tips – DS
2023 Thursday York Dante Festival Preview
Finally a winner on Wednesday. Scampi ended our barren run in great style for Hayley Turner, winning at odds of 16/1. Commanche Falls also ran huge to nick third for us. Ghathanfar ran well considering he was drawn on the wrong side, Empress Wu wants it softer and Hey Lyla was far too keen early. Hopefully we can build on Day 1, 2023 Thursday York Dante meeting tips are below.
1.50 – Lindum York Handicap (Class 2)
David O’Meara won this a few years ago with Out Do and he fires two bullets here. Alligator Alley is the mount of stable jockey Danny Tudhope and he is around a 14/1 shot. Nomadic Empire is his other contender and with Jason Watson on board, he looks the better handicapped of the pair.
Alligator Alley was beat 3.5L in this race last year off 95 and he is now rated 100. Nomadic Empire is in off 92, 7lbs lower than he was when winning his last UK race. That win came at this track over 6f on quick ground, but his other three wins have come over 5f so this trip is fine.
He does have course form in the book over 5f, including a good 2nd when 1L behind Bedford Flyer. He is 10lbs better off with that rival today. Over the winter this son of Kodiac had a productive spell in Bahrain and after an 85 day break, he ran ok on ground too soft for him last time at Ripon. That run should have sharpened him up and at odds of 22/1, Nomadic Empire is the e/w selection.
2023 Thursday York Dante Festival Tip: Nomadic Empire e/w @ 22/1 (4 places)
2.25 – Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
Aristia was a fine servant for us last season, placing twice at massive odds. The cat is out of the bag now though and she is only 9/2 for her seasonal reappearance. However, the track was watered last night and if they have put too much on, it won’t suit her. If they don’t overwater and the ground description of good, good to firm in places is correct, she has serious claims at around 5/1. However, with just 7 runners this is probably a race best watched. No bet.
2023 Thursday York Dante Festival Tip: no bet
3.00 – Hambleton Handicap (Class 2)
At big odds, maybe Point Lynas can make his presence felt for Ed Bethell and Callum Rodriguez. On his last visit to York, this son of Iffraaj won off a mark of 86. That day, the ground was good to firm and it looks like it’ll be similar conditions today. In that race he was drawn 16 (drawn 15 today), he bounced out, went forward and after a sustained duel with Master Richard, won by a nose (demoted to 2nd post race).
Now, it must be said that he hadn’t a lot to spare but he showed a willing attitude to get up close to home and he showed he had wintered well with a 0.5L win at Newcastle on his seasonal comeback in mid March.
Last time at Newmarket he disappointed, but in his defence, the ground was a shade on the soft side. The rattling quick ground at York will be much more up his street. His overall form figures on good to firm read 32312 and he’s only 3lbs higher than when winning at Newcastle. This 4yo could have more improvement to come on fast ground and odds of 28/1 look pretty generous.
2023 Thursday York Dante Festival Tip: Point Lynas e/w @ 28/1 (6 Places) NAP
3.35 – Dante Stakes (Group 2)
Dancing Magic has, yet again, been totally overlooked. Roger Teal’s son of Camelot may be a maiden after six runs but he has been running in some serious races. We have backed him the last twice when he has missed out on place money at Doncaster in the Vertem Futurity (4th) and then when he was 3rd behind Indestructable in the Craven at Newmarket (8f gd).
In that race he went forward as usual and it looked like the first two would pull well clear as they hit the 2f pole. Dancing Magic kept on really pluckily all the way to the line though and he was only 3L behind the winner at the finish. I really liked how Teal’s charge ran through the line and this step up in trip is surely going to eke out a bit more improvement.
He is a full brother to a 14f winner, a half brother to a 12f winner and his dam is from a family that had had sufficient stamina to win over 12f. The Foxes finished 2L ahead of him in the Craven last time and he is 5/1 here. Dancing Magic is 50/1 and I’d imagine connections see that as a bit of an insult. Winning may be too big an ask but he definitely has e/w claims and he wouldn’t need to improve that much on the figures to nick a place. With 4 places on offer, he is the e/w selection.
