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Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Thursday, May 15
Day two of the Dante Festival at York (2.10-5.25pm) features the headline race of the meeting, a fascinating Group 2 Derby trial that includes the current favourite for the Epsom Classic. There's also a Group 2 contest for fillies that features the day's NAP selection, plus plenty of other decent races. It's another top-quality card and I have selections for all seven races. Ron Wood's selections: Odds provided by Betfair and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (max 5). If you already have a Betfair account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. 2.10 York – Class 2 Handicap (5f) This is a typically competitive sprint handicap but SHAGRAAN looks like having more to offer. He won a couple decent handicaps at Goodwood and Haydock last year and also ran well in a similar race to this at York's Ebor meeting in August. There was also enough in his close third on this month's season reappearance, again at Goodwood, to think he can progress again this term. 2.42 York – Class 2 Handicap (1m) A chance is taken on STANAGE. He was totally unsuited by the drop to 6f at Newmarket last time out, but he had shaped well when third in a 7f handicap there on his previous outing, having won over the same trip at Doncaster on his reappearance. He now steps back up to a mile and although there is a slight question mark against him because he can be headstrong, his Doncaster win came in the only race in which he has worn a hood, which is now refitted, replacing blinkers. The selection has gone close over this trip before and this will be a sharp test at the distance, on fast ground on a flat track (and the exact race distance isn't even quite a full mile). 3.13 York – Middleton Fillies' Stakes (Group 2, 1m 2½f) SEE THE FIRE (NAP) defeated her male rivals when winning the Group 3 Strensall Stakes last August. That was her only previous start at York, a track where her dam, Arabian Queen, won the 2015 Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes. The selection shaped as though she needed the run when fifth in a Group 3 race at Sandown on her reappearance. She was again facing male rivals that day, but she's now back against her own sex and the ground is expected to be much quicker now, which will suit her. Nakheel is an interesting prospect, but her Group 2 win last autumn came over 1m 6f on slow ground and surely she won't be able to match See The Fire for speed. Andrew Balding's filly has twice placed at Group 1 level and should be too good for this field. 3.45 York – Dante Stakes (Group 2, 1m 2f) Derby favourite THE LION IN WINTER (NB) makes his reappearance in this trial for Epsom. Aidan O'Brien's colt hasn't been seen since winning the 7f Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York last August. He missed the Dewhurst with a bruised foot and wasn't ready in time for this month's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. But the Acomb form was boosted when third-placed Ruling Court won the Guineas. The selection may need the run but he did well to achieve such a high level of form as a two-year-old considering he is bred to be suited by this sort of trip and even further. He won both of his starts and the form of his debut win at The Curragh has worked out as well. This is a good-looking race, with four unbeaten runners including The Lion in Winter. However, Aidan O'Brien has been winning all the other Derby trials, so it will be disappointing if this horse, who may be the best of the lot, is beaten in his Epsom audition, whether or not he is a peak fitness. Selection: The Lion In Winter (3.45, York) @ 11/10 with Betfair 4.18 York – Listed Stakes (5f) TROPICAL STORM won a Listed race over course and distance last summer. He was then fourth behind one of his rivals in this race, Aesterius, in the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster – but the latter now has a 5lb penalty and lacks a recent run. In contrast, Tropical Storm has had a recent spin at Newmarket. He was unplaced in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes but that was a tough race against older rivals with which to open his season. Now, with the benefit of that outing, he drops down in class at a course that suits him to race against his own age group. Selection: Tropical Storm (4.18, York) @ 5/2 with Betfair 4.55 York – Novice Stakes (6f) Four horses who have raced once and eight newcomers make up the field for this juvenile event, so there's not a lot to go on, but it could take a pretty useful performance to deny TADEJ. This Archie Watson runner was beaten under a length by one of today's rivals, Wise Approach, on their debuts at Ascot, but the selection is now 5lb better off with the penalised Charlie Appleby colt. Tadej looked worthy of extra credit at Ascot, where he had to challenge on the outside of the pack, so he looks to have improvement in him. 5.25 York – Class 3 Handicap (1m 4f) ANNIVERSARY made a notable debut at Newmarket last season, winning the same maiden that gave the great Frankel the first of his 14 career victories in 2010. Ralph Beckett's runner was beaten on his next two starts but he will be suited by this step up in trip on his return and still has the potential to progress. If you want to find more odds and offers, take a look at our list of the best betting sites and free bets
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Wednesday, May 14
There's some cracking racing today at York (2.10-5.25pm) as the three-day Dante Festival gets under way, with the first five races being shown live on ITV1. The Dante Stakes – a Derby trial – takes place tomorrow, but before then the fillies will be looking to stake their Classic claims in today's Musidora Stakes, a Group 3 trial for the Oaks. This meeting is the focus of my attention. I have a selection in each race and my NAP runs in a Group 2 sprint. Ron Wood's selections: NAP: Elite Status (3.13, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Next best (NB): Miss Tonnerre (3.45, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Others: Almosh'her (2.10, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐⭐ Commanche Falls (2.42, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐ Gallant (4.18, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ballistic Missile (4.55, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐ Don Simon (5.25, York) @ SP with Betfair ⭐⭐⭐ Odds provided by Betfair and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (max 5). If you already have a Betfair account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. 2.10 York – Class 2 Handicap (1m 4f) ALMOSH'HER has shown a lot of ability on the all-weather while being pretty raw, winning two of his three starts. He has further improvement in him and he could make a smart handicapper. Last time out, in a Class 3 handicap over today's trip at Kempton in March, he started slowly, took a keen hold and hung left but still won by a nose – the narrowest of margins. The selection has since moved trainers to Karl Burke's yard, which is no bad thing. This return to a left-handed track is in his favour and he should be fine with the switch to turf. Selection: Almosh'her (2.10, York) @ SP with Betfair Go to site > 2.42 York – Class 2 Handicap (6f) An open race in which the veteran of the field, COMMANCHE FALLS, gets the vote. The eight-year-old should be better for his recent return spin at Leicester and his most recent win came in a Listed race over course and distance in August. That was in 2023 but he's on a handy-looking mark and this is a lesser assignment than the one he faced at this fixture last year, when he finished down the field in the Group 2 Clipper Stakes. 3.13 York – Duke of York Clipper Stakes (Group 2, 6f) ELITE STATUS (NAP) makes plenty of appeal. This will be his first start of the campaign but he has been aimed at this race for a while and he has won first time out in each of the past two years. He also landed a Group 3 contest at Newbury last summer following an extended pause, so he's fully effective when fresh. After that, Elite Status came up short in a couple of Group 1 races, but soft ground was no use to him at Ascot when he was last seen in October and today's forecast quick conditions are in his favour. The four-year-old has had only 10 starts and is expected to make a Group 1 horse this season. 3.45 York – Musidora Stakes (Group 3, 1m 2f) MISS TONNERRE (NB) has the strongest form in this Oaks trial, with the potential for more to come. Ed Walker's filly was fourth in last season's Group 2 May Hill Stakes over a mile at Doncaster and the first three finishers have either won or been placed in Group 1 company since then. Indeed, the winner and third finished first and second respectively in this season's 1,000 Guineas. Miss Tonnerre was well beaten in France in October, but presumably didn't handle the heavy ground at Deaville and it seems likely she can confirm her earlier promise now, with her stable in form. She's well bred, as you would expect of one who cost 300,000gns as a yearling, and her pedigree points to this step up in trip suiting her. The only slightly off-putting point is that she doesn't actually hold an Oaks entry for Epsom, but she could still be supplemented for the race and she is in the French equivalent, which may be the aim. 4.18 York – Class 3 Handicap (7f) The form of GALLANT 's win in a novice contest at Kempton last October is good. Most notably, the runner-up West Acre has subsequently won two Group races in Dubai. Gallant didn't kick on from that performance in his own next two starts, but he shaped well when fourth over six furlongs at Newmarket last month, when the race didn't unfold to suit him and he didn't handle the undulations of the track. The time of the Newmarket race was good and the form was boosted when the third won a similar race next time. The step up in trip and return to a flat track should suit the selection. 4.55 York – Novice Stakes (5f) With three lightly raced and three unraced two-year-olds in this one, there's too much guesswork to dwell on the race, but Shane Foley is an interesting jockey booking for BALLISTIC MISSILE. This will be Foley's first ride for Richard Hannon, but he regularly partners the owner's horses in Ireland and this is his sole mount on the card. The selection cost €260,000 as a yearling. 5.25 York – Class 4 Handicap (1m 4f) DON SIMON is 0-6 but he missed out by only a short head at Chelmsford most recently and he's a late-May foal who probably has more improvement in him as a four-year-old. His dam was a multiple winner at the top level for the same connections and she has produced a couple of smart types.
