Thursday’s ITV Racing: York Dante Festival Day Two

Day Two at the Dante Festival is chiefly about the feature race of the week, the Dante Stakes, which is one of the few remaining Derby trials.

However, ITV Racing coverage includes four more live races from York, plus one from Salisbury, on another action-packed afternoon for armchair punters.

 

York

1:40 Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap

Count D’Orsay demonstrated that his turn wasn’t far away when keeping on well to finish second to Jabbarockie at Chester last week and, with conditions likely to turn in his favour, may be capable of going one better. The Dandy Man gelding has shown his best form with ‘soft’ in the going description but, with light rain showers forecast on the Knavesmire for the rest of the week, he could be in his element by the time Thursday afternoon rolls around.

Selection: Count D’Orsay (8/1 with Bet365)

 

2:10 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes

One or two of these appear to need further than 1 mile 2½ furlongs to show their best form, so Queen Power, who was only beaten a head in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, could be the one to be on. The Shamardal filly hasn’t won for nearly two years, which is an obvious worry, but she has perfomed consitently, for the most part, in Listed and Pattern races and deserves a change of luck.

Selection: Queen Power (15/8 with Paddy Power)

 

2:40 Matchbook Betting Podcast Hambleton Handicap

Brunch looked, briefly, as if he might win the Lincoln at Doncaster in March and, although no match for Haqeeqy close home, kept on to finish a highly creditable second. Michael Dods’ 4-year-old is 4lb better off for a short head with Johan on their running at Ayr in September and, although 10lb higher in the weights than when winning over course and distance last August, doesn’t look impossibly handicapped.

Selection: Brunch (13/2 with Bet365)

 

3:10 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes

At the time of writing, the participation of erstwhile Derby favourite High Definition is subject to satisfactory blood test results, so it may be safer to look elsewhere for the winner. The form of the Sandown Classic Trial and the Epsom Blue Riband Trial has taken some knocks, which tempers confidence in Alenquer, Bellocio, Uncle Bryn and Pythagoras, so perhaps this is best left to the twice-raced Hurricane Lane. The Frankel colt beat subsequent Dee Stakes runner-up El Drama in a conditions stakes race at Newbury last month and appears versatile ground-wise.

Selection: Hurricane Lane (11/2 with Paddy Power)

 

3:40 British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes

Acklam Express was too keen for his own good in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in late March, but was still only beaten half a length and a neck. Indeed, the Mehmas gelding has run well in Pattern races on all three starts in Dubai over the winter, including over 5 furlongs, so shouldn’t be unduly inconvenienced by dropping back to the minimum trip. Officially, he has just 1lb in hand of Winter Power, who reappears after a 216-day break, but 5lb and upwards in hand of everything else.

Selection: Acklam Express (9/4 with Bet365)

 

Salisbury

2:25 AJN Steelstock “Record Sales” Handicap

Wahraan caught the eye when coming from an impossible position to finish second to Lord Protector in a novice stakes race at Windsor last month and, on 2lb better terms for 1¼ lengths, must have every chance of reversing the form. The son of excellent young sir Le Havre made strong late headway over the fairly sharp mile and a quarter at Windsor, so this testing track should play to his strengths and he can make a winning handicap debut.

Selection: Wahraan (5/2 with William Hill)

 

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