York Dante Meeting Thursday Tips Dave Stevos
York Dante Meeting Thursday Preview and Tips
Our good run came to an abrupt end on Day 1 of the Dante Festival at York. I was hoping for properly soft ground but unfortunately, there wasn’t quite enough rain. Dubai Souk was far too keen early and didn’t finish off his race. Hey Jonesy wasn’t in the mood and Lady In France was another one who pulled hard early, though the ground was too quick for her too. I thought Glenartney actually ran a nice enough race in the Musidora and with further progress, she will be well capable of picking up some black type. Fingers crossed for some better luck tomorrow, check out our York Dante Meeting Thursday preview for all live ITV4 races below.
1.40 – 5f Handicap (Class 2)
A nice and easy start to the day with an 18 runner handicap sprint. One that I like at an each-way price is Mid Winster. Trained by Paul Midgley, this daughter of Burwaaz was formerly trained by Andy Slattery in Ireland. She is generally a consistent sort and she has been knocking on the door this season. She has had three runs this term and she hasn’t been beaten by more than 1.5L. Her best effort came two weeks ago off 80 at Musselburgh when beat 0.5L (5f gd) and she is now running off 82.
That is 6lb higher than she was for her last win at Ayr (6f gd/sft). However, she had decent form in Ireland off similar ratings. She hacked up off 82 at Fairyhouse in July 2019 so that proves she is capable off this mark. This race is a step up in class compared to her last three runs. However, it was a decent race in which she was 3rd in at Doncaster on her reappearance.
The runner up has franked that form by subsequently winning a class 2 off 2lb higher. Her trainer hasn’t had a winner in the past fortnight but he has had four 2nds from his last nine runners. Good to soft or better is perfect for this mare and David Egan looks a solid booking. She’ll think she is running loose with 8st 3lbs on her back and at odds of 18/1, Mid Winster is the each-way pick.
York Dante Meeting Thursday Tips: Mid Winster e/w @ 18/1 (6 places)
2.10 – Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
Just six fillies will line up in the stalls for this 10.5f Group 2. Only two of them have had a recent run and one of them is the market leader Queen Power. Trained by Michael Stoute, this 5yo daughter of Shamardal ran a cracker on her reappearance behind Lady Bowthorpe at Newmarket. That is rock solid form but it was on good to firm ground and she seems to prefer those conditions. The more the ground dries out, the better her chance will be.
The other one with a run under her belt is the 4yo Freyja. This filly is trained by Mark Johnston and she has a lot to find with Queen Power on their meeting at Newmarket. However, the good to firm ground was firmly in the Stoute horse’s favour that day. Back on easier ground, Freyja is no forlorn hope to turn that form around.
She is a five-time winner on turf and while she has won on quick ground, easier conditions suit much better. She won three races last season, two on heavy and one on good to soft. The daughter of Gleneagles will be suited by the step back up to 10f today and the ground will be to her liking also. She has a fitness edge on her rivals, Ben Curtis gets a great tune out of her and at odds of 12/1, Freyja is the each-way selection.
York Dante Meeting Thursday Tips: Freyja e/w @ 14/1
2.40 – Hambleton Handicap (Class 2)
One that looks well overpriced in this competitive 8f heat is Mostawaa. This son of Poet’s Voice has returned in tremendous form this season. He ran a cracker under Silvestre De Sousa to finish a close 3rd in the Spring Mile (gd) on his comeback at Doncaster. Heather Main’s charge was then beat narrowly in another decent race at Ascot (8f gd/fm). The ground will be different today but he has plenty of solid efforts in the book on an easy surface.
He is in off a mark of 89 today, just 1lb higher than he was in the Spring Mile. It is a career-high mark but this 5yo looks progressive and his last two runs proved he can be competitive off his current rating. Two of his three career wins have come on the all-weather and his sole turf win came on good. However, he has finished 2nd twice on soft and he has run well on good to soft. So, if conditions remain on the easy side, it shouldn’t inconvenience him. If the ground dries out it won’t bother him either. 25/1 looks a big price about Mostawaa and at those odds, he is well worth chancing e/w.
York Dante Meeting Thursday Tips: Mostawaa e/w @ 25/1 NAP (4 places)
3.10 – Dubai Dante Stakes (Group 2)
The feature race this week at York is the Group 2 Dante Stakes and it is an intriguing heat. Some quality horses have won this race in the recent past, including Roaring Lion, Golden Horn and The Grey Gatsby. Is there anything of their ilk in this year’s renewal? Well, the most likely contenders for future superstardom look to be the two unbeaten colts, High Definition and Hurricane Lane.
The former is trained by Aidan O’Brien and he will be partnered by Ryan Moore. A son of Galileo, he had two runs last year and won them both. He scored in an 8f soft ground maiden on debut and then followed that up with a G2 win at the same track on good to yielding. The conditions at York will pose no problems, he is the top-rated in the race and the extra distance should suit. It is no surprise to see him favourite at odds of 13/8.
Hurricane Lane is also unbeaten after two starts but in much lesser company. The son of Frankel won a backend Newmarket maiden on heavy on his final run last term and he reappeared with a cosy win over today’s trip in a class 3 conditions race at Newbury. The form of that Newbury run is more solid than spectacular though and he will need to step up considerably on what he has shown thus far.
Group 1 Winner
The only Group 1 winner in the field is Gear Up for Johnston and Curtis. A dual course winner on good ground over 7f (novice/G3), this son of Teofilo relished the mud on his final run in a 10f G1 at Saint-Cloud. The ground won’t be anywhere near as testing today and he came up short in G2 company on decent ground in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket, form that hasn’t worked out. He lacks a recent run too so a watching brief is advised today.
Jim Bolger is having a fine season and he runs Flying Visit in this. His second to Bolshoi Ballet on his reappearance looks alright now and he has only 1L to find with High Definition on their meeting in a Curragh maiden last season. His last effort was a career-best by a fair distance and while he doesn’t have the profile you’d expect for a Dante Winner, you can be sure the son of Pride Of Dubai will run his race.
Keep The Faith In Belloccio
We backed Belloccio on his return to action in a G3 at Sandown three weeks ago. He could only manage 5th but it was a promising effort and he should come on plenty for the run. The son of Belardo was beat 8L but he lost a shoe and David Egan was pretty easy on him once it became apparent he couldn’t win. The ground may have been a shade quick for him too and the return to good to soft will suit.
This fella won his maiden on good to soft at Salisbury, form that has worked out very well. He beat Mohaafeth by 1.5L and that horse is unbeaten in three races since, including a Listed contest last time. Aleas was a neck behind and he too won three in a row after that Salisbury race. The horse he beat into 2nd when winning a Listed heat at Toulouse (8f sft) franked that form by winning a Group 3 at Longchamp on his next start. This horse is completely unexposed on easy ground and I don’t think he deserves to be as big as 50/1. With 4 places on offer, Belloccio is the each-way selection.
York Dante Meeting Thursday Tips: Belloccio e/w @ 50/1 (4 places)
3.40 – Westow Stakes (Listed)
I really like the chances of Phil Makin’s Muker in this Listed Sprint. This fella won his maiden at the first time of asking at Newcastle last season (5f). He then headed to Ascot for the Listed Windsor Stakes and he belied his odds of 40/1 to run a massive race in 3rd behind Tactical, beat just over a length.The son of Mehmas then won a C&D novice cosily on good to soft. He followed that up with a super run at Dundalk in a G3 behind Urban Beat.
Muker has had already had two runs this season and while they were both disappointing, they both came on rattling quick ground. As this horse showed last term, he is probably best with some juice in the ground. Conditions will be much more to his liking today. He already has placed form at G3 level in the book and while the top two in the betting have stronger form on paper, he doesn’t need to improve a huge amount on his best form to play a part at the business end today. I am not sure he should be as big as 18/1 and with trip, track and ground all to suit, Muker is the e/w selection.
