Dante Festival Tips: Thursday York Best Bets from Architect

Some familiar faces take to the stage in the opener, which is the Lindum York Handicap, and I am drawn to the claims of the returning CLARENDON HOUSE (best price 14/1) who’s best caught fresh and will be tuned to the minute by Robert Cowell in order to go well here with four places widely available. 

This five-year-old bullet of a sprinter came close to winning on his reappearance last season at Goodwood, where he was beaten just a head by Raasel, who has done the form well since by winning various Listed/Group events. The selection lost nothing in defeat in giving the winner five-pounds that day, so he is no doubt bordering on becoming a pattern-class horse himself. 

Later in the year, he won off a rating of 104 at Beverley in a Conditions Stakes event and then this speed merchant was second back at that venue when last seen in September, chasing home the course-specialist and 103-rated Judicial and was giving the winner three pounds in that race as well. He also had the 104-rated Acklam Express back in third. 

He goes well fresh, with a win on debut and his second at Goodwood on his return last season. His pace and speed will be a vital asset at this course with conditions ideal. He is drawn well in stall 7 and he is his trainer’s only runner on the card. Daniel Muscutt rides and his mount makes plenty of appeal with five places widely available. This mark isn’t beyond him. 

BEDFORD FLYER (best price 20/1) isn’t out of this either at a wild price. He is closely matched with a few of these and makes his stable debut for Mick Appleby here, who is his only runner in this year’s renewal. Mick went close to winning this last year with Raasel, so he will have an incline as to what he might expect from this sprinter, who has winning form over track and trip. 

He might have changed stable but connections have kept Lewis Edmunds in the saddle and this good-ground will suit the five-year-old. He was below form at Wolverhampton last time but is better than that and has the ability to run very well back at a course that has brought the best out in him. He is drawn well in stall 10 and, with four places available, he could surprise a few at huge odds. 

Free Wind is likely to be all the rage in the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes but form-wise, she might struggle to get the better of ARISTIA (best price 5/1) who is the ONLY Group 1 winner in the field and is proven at the course, courtesy of her narrow second in this last year and when defeating Alpine Star in 2021 here as well. 

Richard Hannon’s five-year-old mare has a good record fresh, which reads a win and a second from two starts, and after finishing second to Nashwa in the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, when attempting to give the 115-rated winner nine pounds, she won the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on her final start. 

The favourite underperformed in the race but she still did the job well and this race has undoubtedly been on her agenda since. She holds an entry in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, so connections have big targets for her later in the season. I would have her favourite for this and it will take a good filly to see her beaten. 

A wide-open handicap, with plenty to consider, but I am going to nominate ASTRO KING (best price 20/1) each-way, with five places generally available, who could be primed by his new handler to go two places better than when he last stepped foot on the Knavesmire. 

This six-year-old son of Kingman produced some smart pieces of form when formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He was an unlucky third in a Thirsk Hunt Cup off a mark of 95 and then finished second of 30 in the Royal Hunt Cup off a mark of 98, only finding runaway winner Real World too good on the day. 

He was conceding seven pounds to the winner, who is now rated 120, and after two laboured efforts towards the end of last year, his mark has tumbled down to 99, which is only a pound higher than when he ran that stormer in the Royal Hunt Cup. His only previous visit here saw him finish third of 18 over course-and-distance, which came off a mark of 102 and he is essentially three pounds lower here. 

He was only beaten a length and was giving the winner Cruyff Turn seven pounds but meets that rival on four pounds better terms, plus his fourth of 29 in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup also came off a mark of 102. He has been limited to just runs since and has switched stable but he is very well-handicapped and is unbeaten in two starts on his reappearance. 

The other one I can make a strong case for is TOSHIZOU (best price 10/1) who has made a good start for Roger Fell after doing well for previous trainer, Joseph O’Brien. His stable debut came in the Lincoln at Doncaster, a tough starting point, and he ran well to finish 10th of 22 on heavy ground, something he had never encountered before.

Since then, he’s put together a pair of solid efforts in defeat at Newmarket, finishing third of 13 before matching that form to finish fourth of 17 when last seen and the assessor has surprisingly reduced his mark a pound. Jamie Spencer who rode him the last day, has been retained to ride, and the drop in trip is an interesting move. 

A patient-stalking ride is likely to be in order and expect Jamie Spencer to try and weave his way through the field when the pace starts to collapse. Whether everything falls into place, only time will tell, but he’s an attractive each-way bet at the odds with five places widely on offer and the ability to go close from a mark that is well within his capacity. 

The feature race is the Group 2 Dante Stakes and I am excited to see what CANBERRA LEGEND (best price 6/1) can do over this longer trip, who is unbeaten in two starts and is held in the highest regard by James Ferguson.

This expensive son of Australia created a deep impression when winning smoothly on debut and then took the rise in grade in his stride in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, where he didn’t look at all comfortable on the track but after travelling well, he picked up strongly inside the final half a furlong, showcasing a bright turn of foot to get on top close to home. 

He has given every indication he will be even better over this longer trip and connections are hoping he will be their Derby horse. He should get a good pace to aim at and is open to plenty more improvement, so I can envisage a big performance from this unbeaten three-year-old with four generally available. 

In the British EBF 40th Anniversary Westow Stakes, WALBANK (best price 9/2) will make his eagerly-awaited return, who won his sole visit to this course and then finished a good second in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot equalling that form with a fine second on the Group 3 Markel Molecomb Stakes. 

David Loughnane’s charge hasn’t been seen since but he only found Noble Style too strong on debut at Ascot, so fitness is unlikely to be an issue and he ties in closely with Rocket Rodney, who is much more exposed of the pair. The appliance of a tongue-strap, back at a course he’s already proven at, makes him a strong each-way bet at the forecast prices. 

At an even bigger price, don’t rule out LOOKING FOR LYNDA (bets price 16/1) who’s likely to charge off like the clappers as soon as the gates open and could be hard to keep out of the frame if she is able to consume enough energy for the closing stages. 

She has had plenty of racing for her age and her best effort was when second at this course back in October. Twice she has run here, and twice she has made the frame. If anything, the bookmakers have her priced up a little too high, as she wasn’t far behind Rocket Rodney when fourth in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes last August. 

She displayed her customary early speed to lead the field for a long way and kept on battling once headed to only be beaten a couple of lengths. She isn’t guaranteed to reverse the form with Rocket Rodney but she has a chance with her trainer in excellent form and a good draw to attack in stall 10. 

Later on, in the Collective Green Energy Handicap, KNOCKBREX (best price 7/2) needs pretty strong each-way consideration on handicap debut with Andrea Atzeni booked to ride for the Charlie Johnston team.  

He looked in need of the experience on debut at Newcastle but found plenty of improvement to open his account at Pontefract next time on soft ground, in which he easily beat two subsequent winners, so the form has substance. He then tackled better ground at Haydock, where he finished second, a place in front of subsequent winner If Not Now. 

The handicapper has taken no chances by putting him on a mark of 90 but this track should suit, which is reliant on stamina over this trip. A lower draw would have been preferred but he has strong form in the book and should go well with four places widely available.