York Dante Festival Day 2 Preview And Tips

Although losing days are inevitable when you are betting on horse racing, it still is very hard to take when they happen. Only Harry Angel at a very short price went in for us today with Sir Dancealot missing out on a place by a narrow margin in 3rd. The rest of my selections were nowhere near hitting the frame and it was just one of those days. Hopefully Day 2 goes better, and it shouldn’t be hard after today’s disaster.


Race 1

A 5f handicap sprint gets us underway on Day 2 of the Dante Festival and it looks an absolute minefield with a total of 19 speedsters going to post. The one I like at a price in this competitive contest is Carlton Frankie for local handler Mick Easterby with Nathan Evans in the plate. This daughter of Equiano is having her first run of the season, but hopefully she can hit the ground running just like she did last season.

Carlton Frankie goes well fresh.

This filly started her career off in a Listed race which shows how highly she is thought of by connections and while she found the going tough she made no mistake on her second start here (after a 147 day break), taking a maiden by a nose. She won her first two starts last season over 5f at Redcar off 74 (gd) and then at Nottingham off 82 (gd/fm). She went off the boil in the second half of the season, but she has had a wind op and it might be the case she is best when fresh. Off just 2lb higher than her last winning mark she is the each way pick at 16/1.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: CARLTON FRANKIE E/W @ 16/1 NB.

Race 2

The fillies and mares take centre stage in the Middleton Stakes in race 2 and only 7 horses have been declared for this 10.5f Group 2. The one I like here is Turret Rocks for the in form Jim Bolger yard and Kevin Manning. This mare has been highly tried by Jim Bolger and while the 5yo daughter of Fastnet Rock has generally struggled at Group 1 level she finds herself in slightly calmer waters here.

She had a nice outing on ground plenty soft enough for her in a Group 2 at Naas, beaten 4L by Cliffs Of Moher, and that run should have blown away the cobwebs. 10f on quick ground are probably her optimum conditions and she is Jim Bolger’s only runner of the week here. She has a bit to find at the figures but at odds of 8/1 I think she is worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: TURRET ROCKS E/W @ 8/1.

Race 3

The feature race of this meeting is the Dante Stakes and a total of nine horses have been declared for this 10f Group 2. Some seriously talented horses have won this race down through the years, including the likes of Golden Horn, Motivator and The Grey Gatsby. Conditions are currently quick at York and plenty of this field have it to prove on good to firm ground, including unbeaten dual course winner Wells Farrh Go. He lowered the colours of James Garfield here over 7f in the Acomb last season but that win came on good to soft and he is not guaranteed to be as effective on this sort of a surface.

Mildenberger could make it two in a row for Mark Johnston.

The sole horse in the race with winning form on good to firm ground is Mildenberger, a horse that represents the same connections (and sire) as last year’s winner Permian. This hardy son of Teofilo is by far the most experienced horse in the field and he has won four of his six starts, including on his seasonal return at Newmarket last time in a Listed heat, his second win at that level. He was 2L behind Roaring Lion on his final start of last season in an 8f Group 2, but I think this extra distance can help him turn the form around with that rival and at odds of 5/1 he is the selection.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: MILDENBERGER @ 5/1.

Race 4

The 8f Hambleton Handicap is the final live race on ITV4 on Thursday and 11 horses will go to post. The one I like here is Qaffaal, a horse that is seen more often on the all weather but he is capable of running well on good to firm ground as his career form figures of 122 on this type of surface indicates. Admittedly, the last of his turf wins came all the way back in May 2016 at Musselburgh off just 69, and he is now rated 85.

However, he wasn’t disgraced in a hot enough handicap here off 6lb higher last July when beaten just over 5L and the fall in the weights could help him to get a bit closer today. This 7yo son of Street Cry has been running well without winning on the all weather this winter so he won’t lack for fitness and he seems to enjoy it at this time of the year with a win and a 3rd from two career runs in the month of May. Hopefully he improves on that fine record at odds of 16/1 on Thursday.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: QAFFAAL E/W @ 16/1.

Race 5

A field of 11 horses will line up for the Listed Westow Stakes and it looks a very open renewal with Hey Jonesy heading the market at odds of 7/2. A few of these have questions to answer regarding trip and ground, but one horse with no such worries is former course and distance winner Sound And Silence.

Sound And Silence will relish conditions at York.

Last year’s Windsor Castle winner (beat Roussel a neck) loves it when the ground is like the road and he should be cherry ripe after his comeback run on soft at Ascot. James Doyle takes the ride (he is 2/3 on this son of Exceed And Excel) and he fired in a double at York on Wednesday. I think Sound And Silence is overpriced at odds of 12/1 and he is the each way pick.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: SOUND AND SILENCE E/W @ 12/1.

Race 6

No bet in this 6f 2yo maiden.

Race 7

The final race on Day 2 of the Dante Festival at York is the 2 mile stayers’ handicap and 14 will go to post. John Butler has his string in fine form at the minute, sending out 3 winners from his last 10 runners and Denmead looks a fascinating contender back up in trip after a satisfactory return to action over 12f at Wolves at the end of April.

This 5yo son of Champs Elysees will strip a lot fitter now and he has a fine record over today’s trip of 2 miles. From 4 starts at the distance he has two wins and two places, all on the all weather, but he has decent form on good to firm over 14f in the book too. The booking of Paul Hanagan catches the eye, he is just 2lb above his last winning mark and at odds of 14/1 he could go close for each way players.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: DENMEAD E/W @ 14/1 NAP