Tag: Dante

York Dante Meeting Day 3 Preview May 17th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The third and final day of the meeting features the Yorkshire Cup. I have gone through this race several times and find it impossible to support any of the runners with any confidence. I have been following Sir Graham Wade’s progress with interest and it may be that he just needed his first couple of outings to put him right. The well-travelled Cavalryman and Joshua Tree have obvious claims and you cannot rule out Royal Diamond on his best form. The stayers division does look wide open this season, a point underlined by Mount Athos being made favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup after winning an egg and spoon race at Chester last week. A little each-way on Sir Graham Wade is the selection.

The supporting card kicks off with a quick reappearance for five-length Chester winner Quatuor. Tom Dascombe’s filly had the race won before the home turn that day and it is going to take a very speedy sort to lower her colours. Another winner on the Roodeye was Sir Michael Stoute’s Sir John Hawkwood and it is highly unusual for the Newmarket trainer to run his horses quickly under a penalty. Ryan Moore rode Chester to perfection that day, kicking his horse in the belly to get over from a wide draw and then staying close to the pace before delivering his effort on the turn. His style of victory was not particularly impressive but the opposition does not look particularly strong.

*Incidentally, for those who like to know these things, Sir John Hawkwood was an English-born mercenary who was active in 14th century Italy, amassing a fortune in land and gold. Sir Graham Wade is named after a musicologist known for his biographies.

Stoute produced Liber Nauticus to win the Musidora on Wednesday and has another smart filly in Pavlosk who won on her debut at Newbury. She is taken to take the step up to Listed class in her stride and the stable can round off a successful day with Rye House in the 4.25. The Dansili colt only raced three times as a three-year-old and has not been kept in training for the good of his health.

Over at Newbury it is worth keeping an eye out for Richard Hannon’s Ninjago. He was held up well off the pace at Ascot on his seasonal debut but moved effortlessly up to the leaders and won with plenty in hand. I expect him to take this Listed contest on the way to better things. Another horse that may not have finished winning is Luca Cumani’s Rockalong who goes for a four-timer over at Newmarket.

Quatuor 1.45 York 11-4 Paddy Power
Sir John Hawkwood 2.15 York 5-2 William Hill
Sir Graham Wade 2.45 York (each-way) 9-1 Bet Victor
Pavlosk (nb) 5-2 Paddy Power
Rye House 3-1 William Hill

Ninjago (NAP) Newbury 13-8 Paddy Power
Rockalong Newmarket 9-4 Ladbrokes

York Dante Meeting Day 2 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Nocturn’s narrow defeat on the opening day was a bit of a sickener. Everything went to plan until the last 50 yards when Mass Rally appeared fast and late on the opposite side to foil the gamble. Having worked out that his tendency to hang left would be negated by his low draw I was feeling quite pleased with myself as he looked set to complete his hat-trick. Hopefully there will be other days for this promising sprinter.

I was also left wondering what might have been after the Duke of York Stakes when Hawkeyethenoo was a fast finishing fourth, the fate of all good each-way bets. Jockey Graham Lee has looked a natural since switching to the flat from jumps but this was not one of his better-judged races. He passed up a couple of opportunities to switch his mount into the clear on the outside in favour of taking the more congested inside route. By the time he got a clear run it was too late.

Day two features the Dante Stakes and the latest raid by team O’Brien on the Derby trials. The Chester Vase and Dee Stakes looked particularly weak affairs whilst the Lingfield Derby trial was reduced to a virtual walkover for Nevis following the defection of Greatwood. O’Brien saddles Indian Chief here, an easy winner of his maiden last time out and currently available at 20-1 for Epsom. The stable also has Mars and Battle Of Marengo to consider. The Derby is in danger of becoming a straight fight between Dawn Approach and Team O’Brien unless the Dante can throw up a rival contender.

Sir Michael Stoute withdrew Telescope from the race with a minor infection and it now seems that the colt will have to go straight to Epsom. He runs in the same colours of Greatwood who could prove an able deputy on Thursday after a highly promising run at Newmarket. He was finishing best of all behind Windhoek that day and shaped as though a mile and a half would suit him even better. Soft ground was put forward as the reason for his absence at Lingfield but I am slightly concerned that he may already find this mile and a quarter a little sharp. Luca Cumani knows how to train a Derby winner and I think this likeable colt could enter the picture tomorrow. William Hill offer 5-1 for the Dante and 25-1 for the Derby so I shall take a little of both and hope that he puts in a bold showing.

The Hambleton Handicap has always been one of the best mile handicaps of the season, often providing clues to races such as the Hunt Cup and Goodwood’s Golden Mile. Tomorrow’s race does not appear to have quite the same quality about it but I am intrigued by David O’Meara’s two runners. Two For Two and Anderiego finished third and second respectively in the Thirsk Hunt Cup, both coming from way off the pace. Two For Two was knocked sideways by St Moritz early on and it is not surprising to see him chalked up favourite. It would be tempting fate not to have a saver on Anderiego and both should run well.

In the stayers race I am siding with Hidden Justice who has been transformed by a spell over hurdles. He won easily at Pontefract on his return to the flat and could be up to defying a 10lb rise in the weights tomorrow.

Greatwood 5-1 Dante William Hill, 25-1 (each-way) Derby William Hill
Two For Two 9-2 William Hill
Anderiego 9-1 (each-way) William Hill
Hidden Justice 5-1 Ladbrokes

York Dante Meeting Day 1 Preview May 15th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

York’s Dante meeting provides the last real chance for anything to emerge to challenge Dawn Approach in the ante-post market for the Epsom Derby. Aidan O’Brien has been busily mopping up the Derby trials over the past couple of weeks and currently has six possible runners headed by Battle Of Marengo. He saddles Indian Chief for the Dante on Wednesday where he is set to clash with Greatwood and Windhoek.

Sir Michael Stoute’s intended Dante runner Telescope has been forced to miss the race due to a minor infection and connections hope that he will still make it to Epsom. Bookmakers are offering him at 6-1 with a run. The Oaks chances of Telescope’s stable companion Liber Nauticus are put to the test on the opening day of the meeting when she lines up for the Musidora Stakes. The Azamour filly didn’t really know what it was all about on her only run as a two-year-old but responded well to pressure to win her maiden at Goodwood.

Her inexperience would usually be a cause for concern in stepping up to this grade but this does not look the strongest renewal. In fact, her main market rival also has only one race under her belt, a win on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. Woodland Aria quickened up well that day but is freely available at 25-1 for the Oaks, suggesting that the stable are not expecting great things from her.

I was most impressed with Secret Gesture at Lingfield on Saturday. Ladbrokes went 6-1 after the race but that quickly disappeared and the best price now is 4-1 with Sporting Bet. I would be very surprised if anything puts in a better display than that before Epsom and believe that she would be 7-4 if she was trained at one of the bigger yards. It could be argued that the opposition did not amount to much but she could have won by 20 lengths if she had been asked to do so and I think there is still some value left at 4’s.

Tuesday’s other feature race is the Duke of York Stakes with top sprinters Mince and Tickled Pink expected to fight out the finish over six furlongs. They have plenty of opposition, most notably from Society Rock and Hawkeyethenoo. I thought that the latter shaped very encouragingly first time out and will improve on that effort and could be worth each-way support at 16-1.

The meeting opens with a tricky looking handicap but I’m interested in Prompter who switches back to the flat after competing in hurdle races for Jonjo O’Neill. He won at Bangor-on-Dee with his head in his chest before being beaten at odds-on at Worcester recently. He was useful on the flat for Michael Bell and ran a good race here when close up behind Crackentorp. Ryan Moore has been booked and that could be significant. The 12-1 on offer with William Hill looks worth taking.

In the 2.15 Nocturn goes for a quick hat-trick after two victories at Windsor. He hung badly left-handed last time under Graham Lee but a good draw in three should enable him to grab the far rail. If he settles well he could be up to defying a 6lb penalty and it is worth taking the risk at odds of around 7-1.

Secret Gesture 4-1 Oaks Sportingbet
Prompter 12-1 (each-way) William Hill
Nocturn 7-1 Ladbrokes
Hawkeyethenoo 16-1 (each-way) Ladbrokes