Yesterday’s Dante winner Teleprompter is 8/1 with BetVictor for the Derby next month after he fought off the challenge of Too Darn Hot who will revert to a mile in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot for his next start given Frankie Dettori reported he failed to stay the 10f Dante trip.
The Yorkshire Cup is the feature race on the last day of York’s excellent three-day meeting. Wednesday’s Musidora winner Nausha is unlikely to go to Epsom a fortnight today, but runner up Frankelinna – who lost her race at the start – was the one to take from the race and she was cut from 40/1 to 14/2 for the Oaks at BetVictor. She possesses plenty of ability, but her inexperience caught her out midweek and she cannot afford to be as tardy from the stalls at Epsom as she was on the Knavesmire.
Champion stayer Stradivarius makes his reappearance today as he bids to emulate last year’s successes which saw him carry all before him and also saw his connections trouser a £1million bonus.
The 5year-old took this corresponding race on his reappearance 12 months ago but this trip – just shy of 14f – is, arguably, just shy of his best and the each way vote goes to Charlie Appleby’s Ispolini (3.00) who receives 3lbs from BetVictor’s 4/6 favourite.
The selection showed improved form to win a Gp 3 in Meydan during their recent carnival and had the third 3l back when runner up to stablemate and Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter over 2m in the Dubai Gold Cup last time. The each way selection is 9/2 with BetVictor and I would be disappointed if he didn’t give the favourite a race.
I was very taken with the 7L success of Twist ”N” Shake (2.25) at Nottingham when she broke her maiden tag a week ago although that facile success was gained on soft ground. The filly did run a good race when runner up on debut at Newmarket beaten a short head by Maqsad who subsequently ran away with the Pretty Polly Stakes on 1000 Guineas Day.
The selection is 11/4 at BetVictor as she steps up in grade to listed company but, if she is over her Colwick Park exertions, she looks sure to run a big race. The filly is 33/1 at BetVictor for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next month and I will be disappointed if she didn’t advance her claims this afternoon.
Uae Prince (3.35) looked ready for a step back up in trip to 10f when finishing a never nearer fourth over a mile here when last seen back in October and the gelding can race from the same mark this afternoon. This looks an excellent starting point for Roger Varian’s 6-y-old who has only had 11 career starts. The selection is only 9/4 at BetVictor but he does look open to more improvement and he can, surprisingly, run off the same mark as when fourth in the Cambridgeshire on his penultimate start.
This represents a big step up in grade for Dream World (4.10) as she seeks her hat-trick for David O’Meara, but I feel she could take the 12lb rise for her Yarmouth success when she looked well ahead of the handicapper. The selection is 11/2 at BetVictor and Silvestre De Sousa takes over in the saddle.
I love the Friday night meetings at Aintree and I think Value At Risk (6.10) will have the race run to suit reverting to this intermediate 2m 4f trip having looed a non-stayer over 3m at Uttoxeter last time.
Neverbeen to Paris (6.45) remains potentially well treated near the foot of the weights having won his last couple of starts although the slight concern is that his recent improvement has come on right-handed tracks. The excellent Bryony Frost is in the saddle this evening.