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York Dante Meeting Day 2 Tips
York’s first meeting of 2024 kicks off this week with the feature race, the Group 2 Dante Stakes, taking place on Thursday.
Thursday’s card runs from 2.15 to 5.20 with seven races. We’ve assessed the action and picked out three selections to follow on day two of the meeting.
2.15 York - Lindum York Handicap
York’s opener on day two of their three-day May meeting is always a competitive affair and plenty of familiar names line-up for this year’s renewal, including dual previous winner, Copper Knight, who has a stiff task from out of the handicap.
It’s a race that often goes to a seasoned handicapper but this year, it may be worth taking a chance on the promising four-year-old, Spartan Arrow.
He got off the mark to win a Brighton maiden on last season’s reappearance run and he bounced back from a couple of lesser efforts when landing a competitive Goodwood handicap on his final start of 2023.
The form of that victory has worked out nicely, with five of his six rivals from that race winning at least once since. It was the switch of tactics that day that makes him appealing here.
He had been keen in his below-par runs last season, but jockey Pat Cosgrave gave him his head at Goodwood last time, and he managed to blitz his rivals from the front.
This course and distance is another five-furlong track that really suits front runners, and a middle draw in stall 11 looks ideal for him.
The 328-day absence isn’t a concern for one from this yard, given they often have them ready on their seasonal reappearances, and he may be taking this contest on his way to Pattern level.
Selection: Spartan Arrow
2.45 York - Hambleton Handicap
Race two on the card is another competitive handicap, but Metal Merchant has standout claims after his impressive win at Newbury last time out.
This son of Make Believe showed he was still progressing when prevailing by the narrowest of margins at Ascot in October of last season, and he was probably “over the top” when disappointing at Newmarket subsequently.
He put that behind him in fine style at Newbury when quickening up nicely to beat 20 rivals, and the turn of foot he showed that day should be an asset at this venue. A 5lb rise looks lenient, given the competitive nature of that contest, and he can continue on his upward trajectory here.
Selection: Metal Merchant
The feature race of the whole meeting is the Dante and it sees seven runners declared this time around.
They will bid to put themselves in the picture for the Derby, with five of them already holding entries for the Classic and this is a race that has produced Derby winners that include Golden Horn and Desert Crown in recent years.
This year, the one that appears to have rock solid claims is Ancient Wisdom who has won four of his five starts and signed off for last season with a win in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
That came on heavy ground but he showed he was effective on a quicker surface earlier in the season and he was earmarked for a step up in trip by his trainer after his Group 1 success last term.
There’s every chance he will continue his progression, given that many of his relations stayed further than a mile. It’s worth noting that he skipped the Guineas in preparation for a Derby campaign.
The yard have run several nice types in this race in recent years, including 2021’s winner Hurricane Lane (went on to Group 1 success and finished third in both the Derby and the Arc) and they could have another top prospect on their hands here.
Selection: Ancient Wisdom
