York selections Saturday 14th June
With Sandown’s fields largely decimated by the lack of the forecast overnight rain, I am going to concentrate on an excellent card at York where the field sizes have held up well. I have looked at the first four races, including the valuable 3yo handicap. We had a cracking Derby day with the headline selection Lambourn winning the feature event itself (advised 11/1), JM Jungle taking the Dash (7/1) with each-way bet Existent (advised 11/1) placed and Small Fry also winning later on the card (advised 16/5).
York 1.50: Our Havana & Diligent Resdev
An open looking start over 7f at York and I am going for the two widest drawn runners.
OUR HAVANA has been a progressive sort this season, bucking the trend of the otherwise out of form Fahey stable, that have only kicked into gear in the last few weeks. Having won last spring at Newmarket he was clearly wrong when finishing tailed off at this fixture last season as we did not see him again until after Christmas.
That patience has paid off well with two wins on the All Weather at Southwell, followed by a fast finishing success on turf at Musselburgh in April. He ran with credit over a mile in the Thirsk Hunt Cup last time, but was probably ridden too far off the pace to get the trip and he might be seen to better effect ridden more forcefully over this 7f distance where all his previous wins have come.
DILIGENT RESDEV looks a winner waiting to happen after some fine runs in defeat this spring, notably a fifth place in the Victoria Cup at Ascot. A strong favourite at Redcar last time, he lacked the natural pace over 6f on fast ground, but flew at the finish at this distance is surely his optimum.
He won over course and distance at the Dante meeting last season on good going and finished the season in style by taking the Bronze Cup at Ayr. Whilst a little bit of rain would not have gone amiss, he should be able to cope with conditions and a wide draw was not a problem here yesterday in the races up to 7f.
York 2.25: Born Ruler
Arguably now the premier Amateur Riders race in the calendar, this looks best left to BORN RULER under one of the most experienced and strong riders in the race Gina Andrews.
Mark Prescott’s team have made a typically quiet start to the season, with not many runners, let alone winners. However in the past week his four runners have produced a winner and three seconds, so they have got momentum now and this horse will already be fully fit after two solid efforts when fifth at Newmarket and fourth in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar.
A hard puller in his early days, we have not seen him much over this far, just a second place at Lingfield in a his only run at 12f. However this race is invariably run at a strong pace and that will be just what he needs to settle early on and allow him to finish off his race strongly as he looks a natural for this distance. Fast ground is definitely an advantage and the cheekpieces that were left off at Redcar are back on for today (were in place for his last win at Ayr last season.)
York 3.00: Absurde
A small but select field for the Grand Cup and this can go to ABSURDE for whom the faster the ground the better.
He of course enjoyed a great day over this same course and distance when winning the 2023 Ebor with Frankie Dettori on board on similarly fast ground. He did brilliantly to win a heavy ground County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival under an inspired Paul Townend, but then found the fast ground to his advantage when taking a listed race at Chester last summer.
He ran a cracker when fifth in the Melbourne Cup and was a solid third back at Chester last time, via a valuable success over hurdles at Plumpton on fast ground. Whilst his hold up style might not be ideal for a small field contest, the fact both Al Qareem and El Cordobes are in the field should mean this does not turn into a final 2f sprint. This horse has a decent turn of pace though, even if it did become tactical.
York 3.35: Marchogion, Maelstrom and Tuco Salamanca
Always one of the keenest contested 3yo handicaps, this race looks worth three attempts.
MARCHOGION is definitely first pick. Two keen to do himself justice last season, when often trying to make all the running, he started this season by fading badly into last at Newcastle. Since then though more patient tactics have paid handsome dividends.
After easing to victory in a weak Southwell novice, he was then a fine third in the trial race for the AW Finals day at Lingfield. He was only seventh in the Final itself at Newcastle where front-runners were greatly favoured on the day. Switched to fast ground turf at Newmarket last time, he acted beautifully on the track and going easing home ahead of several of today’s rivals. Despite a 7lb rise he should be well capable of confirming form.
MAELSTROM was handicapped on the back of modest runs on slowish ground last season, but has made hay on fast ground this spring. He has already landed a hat-trick with wins over this trip at Yarmouth and Haydock (twice). Significantly he has shown the ability to travel well off a strong pace, an essential for this race.
Whilst of course he is now going up in the weights, a mark of 84 still looks reasonable and stall 15 looks ideal based on how yesterday’s sprint races went.
I would also like an each-way investment on TUCO SALAMANCA who has had significant excuses on his last two starts and looks ideally suited to a fast run straight 6f contest.
He is another who has already run up a hat-trick, this time on the AW over 7f and a mile. However, given a clear run he might well have won in the AW Championships over 6f at Newcastle, and then ran cracker to be second over 6f at Ascot on fast ground. He struggled badly with the turns and undulations of Goodwood last time, but still kept on willingly for third and this more conventional track will be of far more use to him.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Diligent Resdev – 1.50 York – 8/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
0.5pts each-way – Our Havana – 1.50 York – 16/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt win – Born Ruler – 2.35 York – 100/30 Skybet, Paddy Power
1pt win – Absurde – 3.00 York – 6/4 general
1pt win – Maelstrom – 3.35 York – 11/2 general
1pt each-way – Marchogion – 3.35 York – 17/2 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 5)
0.5pts each-way – Tuco Salamanca – 3.35 York – 11/1 Skybet (1/5 odds 1st 6)
