We are a little over two weeks out from The Derby taking place at Epsom next month but clues for the big race are coming along all the time and they will continue to do so at York this week when the Dante Meeting begins on Wednesday.
This is always a good betting meeting with top class horses going at it in big races, many of which are classed as trials for the bigger races later in the season. We’ve gone through the opening day card and picked out two bets.
1.50 York
Preview
The Dante meeting kicks off with a competitive 17 runner handicap over a mile and a half where William Haggas has the favourite in the shape of La Yakel. Lightly raced with just 5 races under his belt, he appears to be progressive with 1st and 4th place finishes in his 2 handicaps to date, both of which were Heritage Handicaps. Off the same mark as his 4th, he could be a tough nut to crack if fit and ready to go on his return. Another very lightly raced one is Real Dream, the mount of Ryan Moore riding for Sir Michael Stoute. Just the 4 races under his belt and he’s had a prep run, a win in a Class 3 handicap at Kempton on the polytrack, but this is an altogether different proposition.
Betting
Thundering – The selection is slightly more experienced & certainly more battle hardened. He was defeated by Real Dream early last summer in a Doncaster maiden and, whilst only 1lb better off today, he has progressed more than enough to suggest he can turn the tables here. A win and a head 2nd in a pair of Newcastle handicaps on the all weather followed, before stepping up to finish 2nd in a Heritage Handicap over course & distance off today’s mark. If he can repeat that form, he’ll be bang in the frame. Two further runs weren’t quite as good but there were excuses after a busy campaign. He also wasn’t great on reappearance but he looked in need of the run and didn’t look suited by the softish ground. That will have put him spot on for this and, with the trainer in form and one that targets this meeting, the selection should go very well back at the scene of his best run to date.
Tips
Back Thundering (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 8.00 Sky Bet BOG (⅕ odds 1-6)
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2.25 York
Preview
A maximum field of 22 for this charge down the straight 6 furlong course and the thing that most stuck out to me was the lack of confirmed pace in the race. That’s something you rarely see, especially at a course like this where it often pays to be up in the front rank. It’s as open as you like with bookies going 15/2 the field which brings in last year’s winner Dakota Gold and the Kevin Ryan trained Gis A Sub. The former is higher in the weights than 12 months ago but looks like he retains plenty of ability and does like to race prominently whilst the latter is quite lightly raced and didn’t do too bad on reappearance on ground that may not have suited. If Khanjar lives up to the promise he showed early last summer, he’d be the selection but he’s since disappointed in a couple of races when very well fancied. Lucky Man and Bielsa should go well whilst you can ever dismiss Summerghand in big handicaps.
Betting
Makanah – 2nd in this race last year behind Dakota Gold, I’m hoping the selection can go one better this time around. Whilst not a front runner, he quite often likes to race prominently whilst if it turns into a mad dash from the 2 pole, he also has the advantage of being equally adept over a shorter distance. He’s a winner of 7 of his 36 career starts and has decent York handicap form with a career record of 4th of 22, 4/13, 4/12, 2/22 and 5/22. That most recent form was over half a furlong shorter off 1lb higher than today & the comments post-races suggested he was an eyecatcher given he didn’t get a clear run. He also finished a close 4th in the Listed City of Wall Stakes here last summer so the track is definitely one he likes. Form away from here is none too shabby either; on his last 2 runs of last year, he was 6th of 19 in the Portland and then won a 6-runner conditions race, where he had 2 higher rated rivals behind. His reappearance wasn’t so good but he did lose a shoe so I’m happy to forgive him that run and, with fitness assured back at a track he likes and with race conditions in his favour, I think this old timer still has a big run in him.
Tips
Back Makanah (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 Bet365 BOG (⅕ odds 1-6)
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