Day Three York Dante Festival best bets Friday 17th May

Nothing jumps off the card at me in the four handicaps and the two-year-old Listed heat is best watched with such little form to go on. The Listed Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes at 2.25 over just shy of a mile hasn’t much more form to go on either. That said, the Queen (gawd bless her) has one lining-up in the shape of Magnetic Charm dropping down from Group class. She finished her 2yo campaign running in the G.3 Prestige Stakes and G.2 May Hill Stakes doing her best work late on in both; stuck behind a wall of horses in the May Hill.  On paper, it’s the best form on show and with a touch more luck in running and the expected progression over the winter she is fancied to kick-off her 3yo campaign with a win at 5-1.

Last year's leading stayer Stradivarius is looking to win his second Group Two Matchbook Yorkshire Cup Stakes at 3.00 and tick off the first leg in another tilt at the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million bonus he won in 2018. He is odds-on but has to give weight to the field here though so might be vulnerable. Capri looked well off his best at Navan last month so is best watched for now. The Godolphin 4yo gelding Ispolini is possibly the biggest danger off the back of his second in the G.2 Dubai Gold Cup, run down late by Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter. He ran well throughout the winter in Dubai (gave Red Galileo a 10½ length beating and that gelding went well for a long way in the Jorvick Handicap earlier this week) and looked to appreciate the step-up to longer distances. There might be more to come yet from the 4yo at around two-mile distances and at 11-2 with Power is an each-way punt as if the jolly falters I think he could be the one to take advantage.

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