Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for York Dante Festival day one
Our top tipster has four bets for day one of the York Dante Festival.
The Verdict tips: Wednesday May 17
1pt win White Wolf in 1.50 York at 17/2 (General)
1pt win Soldier’s Minute in 2.25 York at 22/1 (General)
1pt e.w Diligent Harry in 3.00 York at 25/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4 bet365)
1pt win Coco Jack in 4.10 York at 12/1 (General)
Harry can be crowned in Duke of York
Day one of York’s Dante Festival and it’s a cracking card with a potentially informative Oaks trial in the shape of the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at 3.35.
There are too many unexposed and promising fillies in this to strike a bet but Empress Wu is worth considering at big prices for David Simcock.
Owner Kirsten Rausing won this race with Empress Wu’s auntie, Madame Chiang, in 2014, and she has had placed horses in this race since then, too, while Empress Wu showed a real swift turn of foot to win her sole start at Lingfield in November.
This is a big step up in what looks a hot trial, though, so I’ll be observing with the Oaks in mind rather than punting, but I want to have a go in the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes earlier on the card where Highfield Princess looks a vulnerable favourite.
As good as John Quinn’s mare is, this is extremely tough under a Group 1 penalty and she usually benefits for a run – when she won this race last year it was her fifth start of the campaign.
We don’t really know where we are with Aussie raider The Astrologist and Creative Force could probably do with softer ground on a speed track like this, while the three-year-old Marshman is up against it given his age group are 0/12 in this race this century.
The market leaders look worth taking on and Clive Cox’s DILIGENT HARRY looks just the horse to take them on with at 25/1, as he has improved significantly for being gelded.
Always highly thought of by Cox, a master trainer of sprinters, he is only fulfilling his potential now as a five-year-old and his spring form on the all-weather has been underestimated.
He gave loads of weight to some tough all-weather sprinters when winning a Newcastle handicap off a mark of 106 in February and matched that form back at the same track two starts later on All-Weather Finals Day.
Newcastle is a stiff track and he showed real class and guts to make all despite racing keenly in the early stages, while the second home, Witch Hunter, franked the form with a 50/1 second off 103 in handicap company at Chester’s May Meeting.
Hard-fit from the all-weather, his style of racing should be well suited to York and though he has a bit to find on ratings I’m convinced he can make another step up on turf this year. If you can get the four places with bet365 that looks the way to go.
The Verdict: Back DILIGENT HARRY each-way in the Duke of York
Soldier’s worth chancing for Dalgleish
The Churchill Tyres Handicap isn’t a race for bullish bets with so many sprinters capable of landing the prize on their day, but the one I can’t resist having on my side is SOLDIER’S MINUTE for Keith Dalgleish at 22/1.
His current well-being is anyone’s guess as he spent the winter in Bahrain and he hasn’t been seen since having a spin around Wolverhampton in March, but he is undeniably well-handicapped.
He’s rated 12lb lower on turf than the all-weather, but he was second at Chelmsford off 106 in handicap company last November and he gets to race off 87 here after an absence on turf (in the UK) that stretches back to the Ayr Silver Cup of 2021, where he was a head second off 92.
In 2019 he won this race by three lengths off 92, as well, and though he’s eight now that age group have actually won the last two runnings of this, Mr Lupton proving there was life in his experienced legs off a falling rating.
Early speed is a potent weapon at York and this horse has always had that in his locker, while Joe Fanning, on board for four of this horse’s career wins, is back in the saddle. He’s worth a small win-only bet at a big price.
The Verdict: Back SOLDIER’S MINUTE in the Churchill Tyres Handicap
Two more for the York handicaps
Saeed bin Suroor rolled back the years with a 1000 Guineas victory earlier in the month and now he can strike at York again with WHITE WOLF in the opening Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.
This horse was thought highly enough of to run in Desert Crown’s Dante 12 months ago but he improved for being gelded, winning at Wolverhampton before being unlucky not to win a Meydan handicap off a mark of 99 back in January.
He’s had over 10 weeks off since his last run in Dubai, where he ran an eye-catching race after missing the break and getting no luck in the run (see video replay on YouTube below, he’s in the Godolphin orange cap).
Cheekpieces have been added (his trainer is 46/228 at 20.81% with the p1) and a big run is expected with Oisin Murphy in the saddle for the first time.
Finally, back COCO JACK in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap at 4.10 at 12/1.
George Scott has a really good record in 3yo-only handicaps (7/35 at 20%) and he has an even better record when Benoit De La Sayette rides his horses (9/34 at 26%).
The pair team up here with a live contender in Coco Jack, who has just been racing like he needs a stronger gallop to aim at after running okay in mile handicaps on the all-weather and at Haydock this year.
This big field and drop in trip to seven furlongs should grant him the scenario he needs and he has good course and distance form having finished third in the October sales race here as a juvenile.
The Verdict: Back WHITE WOLF (1.50) and COCO JACK (4.10)
Preview posted at 1555 BST on 16/05/23
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