With winners todays on the trotat York, lets hope to make Saturday the hat-trick!
2.00 York: Gobble up the 15/2 about Dream Eater
Dream Eater is the class horse in the line-up, and at 15/2 looks cracking value to win the race for the second time.
Andrew Balding’s charge scored in this back in 2009, and put in a string of solid performances in Group company last season.
He ran a stormer to finish a 3 1/2 lengths third to Goldikova in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and narrowly failed to land a valauble Group to prize in Turkey.
That form is extremely solid in the context of this race, and he looked as good as ever on his seasonal reappearance when finishing third to the classy Dick Turpin at sandown.
He did disappoint last time out behind Await The Dawn in the Huxley Stakes at Chester, but he was slowly away that day and the trip of 10f is way beyond his best.
It’s easy to put a line through that effort, and he now takes a drop in class and has his ideal conditions.
Recommended bet: 2pts each-way Dream Eater (15/2 sportingbet, Stan James)
2.30 York: Communicator and Hayley a winning combination
Hayley Turner showed the boys how it was done when landing yesterday’s feature race, and can land another valauble prize courtsey of Communicator who looks overpriced at 11/1.
Michael Bell’s gelding ran out the ready winner of a cometitive handicap over 1m 2f at this track back in May, and stepped up on that form when an excellent fourth to Brown Panther in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Although beaten 9 lengths he stayed on well from well off the pace, suggesting that the step up in trip to today’s trip of 1m 4f would be ideal.
The form of the Ascot race is working out well, with the third Census and the winner both strongly fancied for the St Leger after finishing 1st and second in the group 3 Geoffrey Freer.
Communicator is allowed to run in this off a mark of 88 – the same as at Ascot – and that gives him a huge chance from a handicapping perspective.
He looks potentially very well treated, and on a track which clearly plays to his strengths looks and each-way steal at 11/1.
Recommended bet: 3pts each-way Communicator (11/1 Hills – BOG, Stan James, totesport)
3.05 York: Opinion Poll gets the vote at 4s.
Opinion Poll is the class act in the line-up and rates one of the day’s best bets at 4/1 to land back-to-back victories in this contest.
Mahmood Al Zarooni’s five-year-old comes into this year’s contest in even better form, and overcame unsuitable fast ground to land the Goodwood Cup in good style on his latest start.
Before that he had stayed on well to get within three lengths of the ultra classy Fame And Glory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot where the pair pulled 4 1/2 lengths clear of the third home.
That form is head and shoulders above what any of his rivals have produced, and I can’t see any reason to oppose him this afternoon.
The going at the Knavesmire should be absolutely ideal, and with Godolphin in good form I can’t understand why he is as big as 4s with Hills.
Recommended bet: 5pts win opinion Poll (4/1 Hills – BOG)
3.40 York: Montaff looks magic at 33/1
Montaff isn’t the easiest horse to win with but has a touch of class and looks each-way value at 33/1 to score for Mick Channon.
The gelding didn’t manage to get his head in front in 2010 but performed at a high level and came an excellent second to Opinion Poll (runner-up in this year’s Ascot Gold Cup to Fame And Glory) on soft going in a Listed event at Nottingham and a fine fourth to Illustrious Blue in a Group 3 at Ascot.
However he has been in much better form this season, and looks a rejuvenated charcater capable of pludering a big prize.
After performing with credit in some decent events in Meydan he won in good style at Ripon over 2m, before failing to act on the track when finishing 10th of 17 behind Overturn in the Chester Cup.
The son of Montjeu went on to chase home Blue Bajan in the Group 2 Henry II Stakes At Sandown where he stayed on well to be beaten 2 1/2 lengths and ran a stormer under a big weight when runner-up to Tominator in the Northumberland Plate.
He did disappoint lat time out when a well beaten 12th of 15 behind Opinion Poll in the Goodwood Cup, butv that clearly wasn’t his running and he is the type to bounce back when least expected.
The strong end to end gallop in this contest will suit him down to the ground, and from a good draw in stall 3 I think he has every chance of making the frame at least at.
Recommended bet: 1pt each-way Montaff (33/1 generally available – BOG firms paying 1,2,3,4,5)
4.15 York: My Propeller set for take-off
My Propeller has speed to burn and the drop back to the minimum trip can see her take off and land back in the winners’ enclosure.
Peter Chapple-Hyam has always held in the filly in the highest regard, and after a promising seventh at Newmarket on her debut she craeted a huge impression when bolting up by 17 lenegths over 6f at Pontefract.
She made all that day and would have won by even further if not eased down, and was strongly fancied for the Group 2 Cherry Hinton on the back of that breathtaking effort.
However she ran far too freely for her own good that day, and after leading until the furlong marker faded badly to trail in 10th of 11 behind Gamilati.
That race was over 6f, and it could be that she will prove best at today’s trip of 5f where she can be allowed to dominate and use her speed to quicly get her rivals under the cosh.
She certainly has the ability to win this, and with Frankie dettori in the saddle makes plenty of appeal at 9/2.
Recommended bet: 2pts win My Propeller (9/2 Coral)
4.50 York: 28/1 Bedlam set to create havoc for bookies
Bedlam has been crying out for a step up in trip looks worth a punt at 28/1 to get the bookies running for cover.
Tim Easterby’s filly was a massive eye-catcher on her debut her over 6f back in June where she went badly left at the start and ran very green before the penny began to drop.
She finsihed with a real rattle without being knocked about to finish third to Swiss Spirit, and had one of today’s rivals Ventura Spirit a further 2 1/4 lengths behind in fourth.
Although she has faield to trouble the judge in three subsequent outings, she has not been knocked about and went into my notebook as a sure fire winner when upped in distance to a mile.
That view was confirmed in her latest run over 7f at Beverley, where after being held up well off the pace she stayed on well to finish fifth to Loyal master without ever being put into the race with a chance.
Her connections know the time of day when it comes to getting horses on marks to plunder handicaps, and to me they hagve done a fine job in getting her in here off a mark o 67.
I am convinced that she is better than that, and at 28/1 with Sportingbet and Stan James she looks massively overpriced./
Recommended bet: 1pt each-way Bedlam (28/1 Sportingbet, Stan James, 1/4 odds 1,2,3)
5.20 York: Raise a glass to Cocktail Charlie
The drop back in trip to 5f looks likely to suit Cocktail Charlie and he can get us some beer money at a tasty 7/1.
Tom Easterby’s three-year-old is a strong travelling type who should get the blisterting gallop he needs to be seen at his best in this line up.
He has run with great credit all season, and was an excellent second of 20 to Lexi’s Hero over 6f here in June.
Beaten just a length that day, he had some really decent yardstickbehind and now races off just a 2lb higher mark.
His latest run when sixth of 18 to Coeus in a valuable handicap at Newmarket showed that he remained in form and he had plenty of today’s rivals behind him at headquarters.
He was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths and the form of the contest looks extremely strong in the context of this race.
Recommended bet: 2pts each-way Cocktail Charlie (7/1 bet365, Sportingbbet, Coral)
By Dave Metcalf
