York Dante Festival Day One 14052014

Hello once again & welcome to the blog, firstly I want to address some issues that arose from the weekend, I am not a tipster; more someone who has a love & passion for this great sport, I have opinions that I enjoy sharing with what I feel is informed reasoning on the action that is due to take place. I have been brought up within the industry albeit from a more Bloodstock based angle for which I am grateful, I feel I am in a lucky & privileged position to have had that upbringing so I wish to share my musings & knowledge with a wider audience to help spread the word of the Sport of Kings.

Luckily my selections win so that does help but I have never wished to be a tipster, i enjoy a bet & all the selections I add to the blog are ones that I bet on myself.

Recently my blog has also appeared on Betracingnation which I believe is an innovative idea to transcend the class boundaries so often associated with our sport, anyone is entitled to opinion & that is the beauty of horse racing not just those that have worked within the industry or a journalists specialising on horse racing.

Betracingnation offers the freedom of speech to everyone & tackles the issues that punters want answers for. I know some within the industry are not fans of the type of people that go racing these days but why should it just be the privileged that are able to enjoy it after all if it was not for the groups a lads & lasses that come on Saturdays or evenings during the summer the racecourses would be struggling, the common man's revenue is what keeps the sport going at grassroots level & they should always be encouraged not scorned, yes they might not always know the relevance of a certain horse or race or lack a certain amount of decorum but is that really an issue as surely our sport is there to be enjoyed not just respectfully watched. After all it has done the sport of darts no harm once a minority sport enjoyed by pub regulars with the addition of Sky Sports, fancy dress & specialised player names it is now played in arenas holding anywhere from 5,000 to 11,000 with everyone having a good time, in no way has the sport suffered through this but instead it has blossomed with Darts players becoming household names, Horse Racing is trying but more can still be done which is why I am sharing my blogs with the guys at Betracingnation as everyone is entitled to as much information as possible not just a privileged few.

York's Dante Festival is this weeks main event starting on Wednesday for 3 days, the feature on Day 1 is The Duke of York Stakes Group 2 the first major 6f sprint of the new Flat season, unfortunately the ground at York this week will be very soft after days of heavy rainfall which as long as we do not have a monsoon like summer again will have little bearing on the rest of the seasons big races.

Horses aged 5 or older have dominated in recent seasons winning 8 from 10 with the last 4 years alone seeing winners at 10/1, 25/1, 20/1 & 16/1.

This year's field looks slightly below recent years as the majority are old seasoned handicappers who have never quite made the jump to Group class sprinter.

Maarek:

Perinnaila Group winner over the last few seasons including at the top level, with another new trainer this season & looked on his way back last time on ground that is not his favourite. Ground on Wednesday is in his favour so he must go well.

Boomerang Bob:

Very useful 2yo but like so many sprinting juveniles he went missing at 3 & was limited to just 2 starts last year including a Listed win at Windsor. Trainer is doing ok so far this year with some promising types in his yard. Ground is the biggest hurdle for BB on Wednesday.  

Es Que Love:

Ran the race of his career on his comeback bustling up Hamza in The Abernant Group 3, whether he can reproduce that upped in grade is debatable but he is at least unexposed as a spinster.

Eton Rifles:

Is an excellent sprinter in his grade, whether he can break through at Group level at the age of 9 should be doubtful but as a genuine soft to heavy ground performer you cannot leave him out of calculations.

Hawkeyethenoo:

Another fabulous old horse who despite many attempts has yet to win a Group race despite winning a Stewards Cup & Victoria Cup in fact his win ratio is pretty poor overall given a horse of his ability. Not for me.

Heeraat:

Has so far promised more than he has delivered as a pattern performer, front runner who usually gets collared late on in these better contested sprint races. On the plus side he is only 5 so has the potential to keep improving albeit probably not on this ground.

Jack Dexter:

Unlike stablemate Hawkeyethenoo he has graduated to pattern winner, soft ground is ideal & should be primed for this.

Mass Rally:

Quirky but talented handicapper who has been tried a few times at pattern level & has failed to fire each time, two runs so far this year have been poor so hope rests on his decent course record.

Moviesta:

Ran a race full of promise on seasonal debut in Palace House going straight into my tracker for the Kings Stand, 6f seems to stretch him in top company & although he has a win on soft at York he only just held on over 5f that day. Looks stronger as a 4yo old which will help but I just think that Wednesday may not be his day especially given the ground but Ascot in June could well be.

Music Master:

The apple of his trainers eye & long been my idea of a potential champion sprinter, debut win this year was easy, he should be able to handle the ground even though it will most likely not be his favoured surface, his best run so far was 2nd on Good to Soft when dropped to 6f & upped to Group 3 company at Ascot last backend behind Tropics. Big fan of this horse but on the ground I wouldn't be disappointed if he was beat.

Tropics:

Shown little so far this season in two starts, improving sprinter last year who made the leap to pattern performer, I fully expect Music Master to improve past him this season though.

Body And Soul:

Thoroughly likeable filly whose best two wins at 2 came on soft & heavy, has a verdict over Moviesta over this course & distance last season when she gave him weight. Could easily outrun her odds & frame possibilities. 

Ladies Are Forever:

Classy against her own sex & on the AWT, well beaten in this last year & will be doing well to improve on that this time around.

Astaire:

Crack sprinting juvenile last season, did not stay in the Greenham. This is a big ask taking on older horses for the first time.

At the current prices Maarek at 10/1 BETFRED (WON 12/1) looks huge given ground conditions, I also may have an e/w saver on Body And Soul at 20/1 BETVICTOR / BETFRED.
   

The big Classic trial on Day 1 is the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes which has produced 6 Oaks winners in total Noblesse in 1963, Bireme in 1980, Diminuendo 1988, Snow Bride 1989 (On Alysia's DQ), Reams Of Verse 1997, & Sariska in 2009.

Other notable winners have included Indian Skimmer (Triple Group 1 winner), In The Groove (4 x Group 1 winner), Islington (4 x Group 1 winner) & most recently The Fugue (Triple Group 1 winner).

All eyes this year are on the Charlie Hills trained Cambridge who in the last 2 weeks has been backed from 25's for The Oaks into 10's, her debut win was impressive at Nottingham last Autumn where she travelled well throughout & showed a nice turn of foot to settle the race. The form of the maiden is not working out that well with only the 2nd that day Regardez (who takes her on again her having won since) they might just be two very useful fillies. 

Regardez got off the mark at Doncaster on her final juvenile outing on soft ground which looked to improve her, she should appreciate the step up & travelled as well as Cambridge at Nottingham, she still has potential but Cambridge's may just be greater.

Its a big step up for the middle Eastern Belle who has sown just useful form, the step up in trip will help but on the whole you would be disappointed if she were to win the same can be said for Latenightrequest & Lily Rules. Lady Heidi ran out a ready winner off The Silver Tankard at Pontefract on bad ground at the end of last year, bred for further she is respected given ground conditions. 

Madame Chiang bolted up at 33/1 on her debut at Yarmouth winning in the style of a nice filly, she has not been seen since but could be anything judged on that. 

Shama is bred to stay forever & steps up in class after winning an average Lingfield maiden last month, trainer threw a similar type into the Lingfield Oaks Trial & she was tailed off. 
Queen Of Ice looks a doubtful stayer on breeding, she made all to win an ordinary Kempton conditions event last time but this is a step up.

Nancy From Nairobi has belied her ordinary pedigree so far with two encouraging runs, Criteria finished in front of her on debut was just touched off in Lingfield's Oaks Trial on Saturday while Kallisha who she was 2nd to last time on soft ground was 4th in that same race, she travels well & shows a likable attitude, I wouldn't want to underestimate her in this.

Not a race I would be betting in given the ground conditions. 

The opening 1m4f handicap is as competitive as ever, Rye House is a fascinating contender, he won the 1m2f handicap at this meeting last year & has not been seen since, clearly injuries have prevented his return, he is fascinating as he looked a horse to follow after last year's win he resumes on a 10lb higher mark this time around which still seems workable. Both Maven & Awake My Soul were in behind Rye House last year, although better off they should both have a job on once more. 

Quality novice hurdler Clever Cookie easily won a weak Doncaster maiden last time as his hurdles form entitled him too, this is a step up but he does look extremely well handicapped using his jumps rating as a guide. Tres Coronas is now up to his highest ever rating & that should be enough to prevent a follow up from last week's Chester win. Lahaag took an age to reappear last season after sitting on my tracker all season, he duly obliged at York bit was very disappointing next time in The November Handicap, on a career high mark he has work to do. Tahira looks to be on a stiff enough mark judging by his minor German form so is best watched. 

Hi There ran ok at Epsom last time without troubling the place getters showing that he remains in good form taking his jockey's claim into account he isn't that badly treated. 

Kings Warrior should appreciate the step up after staying on behind Hi There at Epsom last time, he is back on the scene of his biggest career success but remains one to be wary off. Storm King looks one to take seriously with his talented rider's claim putting him on a good weight, lot to like about his 3rd last time out behind a potential group performer at Donny. Grandorio resumes as a 4yo on a nice mark, he improved last backend but may struggle to reverse form with Hi There taking into account his rivals claim. 
Silvery Moon is a useful handicapper but will struggle from this mark against better weighted rivals one for later in the year. 

Global Village's best form is around 7f & in this grade will be struggling to stay as well as some of his rivals. Ansaab has been in & out so far this year, much more competitive than he's used too. Sky Khan has 14 lengths to find with Clever Cookie on hurdles form & is worse off than over hurdles on ratings here. Paskha Boy, Spirit Of The Law & Cashpoint will be all be better later in the season from slightly lower marks.

Rye House & Clever Cookie are obvious however I quite liked Hi There's 12/1 Paddy Power run last time & ground should be fine tomorrow. (Unplaced)

The big 6f handicap sprint has a wide open look to it, Secret Witness ran well at Ascot on Friday night & is now back to the mark he won this race off 2 years ago, ground is not ideal but he has chances. 

Yeeoow is an improved sprinter from a low weight, he is dangerous & is in great form, ground maybe an issue. Valbchek showed little at Lingfield latest & has a job on from top weight, Lancelot Du Lac was a massively improved sprinter last season but so far this time around has had the look of a horse who has got as high as he can go, best watched at present. Baccarat went downhill after his Great St Wilfrid win last year, he has been out already in a nice conditions race running decent in 2nd behind recent Listed winner Breton Rock, this will take a big performance though. 

Royal Rock is a grand old horse but this is a big ask at his age, Whozthecat's best form is on much faster ground as is Mezzotint's. 
Fast Shot is in form under a rider who is also in great form, very hard to keep out of the frame. Blaine showed a glimmer last time, ground should be fine & a big run could be on the cards for this former Group 2 winner. Royal Rascal will appreciate the softer ground but has work to do still with Fast Shot & Yeeoow. Jamaican Bolt is useful in a lower grade but has always struggled when upped, similar can be expected here. 
El Viento's best form is on a sounder surface & remains a few lbs too high, Former Group 1 winner Regal Parade has been given a huge chance by the handicapper but as a 10yo that help is needed, has shown very little so far this year. 
Aetna has long been well regarded, the ground is fine & this type of race should suit her perfectly, she didn't seem to handle Beverly last time, you would expect her to be competing in the top handicap sprints this year so she must go close in this.

Colonel Mak is on a nice mark given that he has some of the best handicap form around in his CV, ground is in his favour & cannot be discounted. 
Picture Dealer has the latent ability but does not win that often, has some soft ground form but usually best on quicker. Out Do's seasonal debut was just ok & he could do with a couple more lbs off, Summerinthecity's best piece of form was a soft ground win over Secret Witness 4 years ago as a 3yo, he has been fancied in stacks of decent races but has yet to really deliver however his stable is in good form & he usually goes well fresh. 

Joe Packet has come down to a nice mark after a winless season where he showed glimpses on occasions, ground should be fine he is another with chances in a highly competitive race.

Aetna 12/1 Paddy Power looks capable of progressing this season, ground should be no issue. (WON)

The next race a 20 runner 3yo handicap looks impossible while the 2yo race is not my idea of a betting medium. The last race however see's Pilgrim's Rest out again on the back of his excellent return to action on soft ground at Chester last week, he steps up to 12 furlongs with top weight on Wednesday, previously he had always looked a non stayer when tried over further than 10f for Richard Hannon but he is an older stronger horse now, he was clearly pretty fit last week so I can why they are sending him straight back into action. On that run he must have a live chance but he may struggle to contain Da Do Run Run 14/1 BETVICTOR / BET365 / SKYBET if he gets on the lead with Frankie on board, he ran a hugely promising race at Epsom last time in The Great Metropolitan behind runaway winner Beacon Lady, it was a step in the right direction for a horse who has really developed into a fine looking beast, his handicap mark remains unchanged & he should be able to win off 80. 

@fttfracing