2 minutes Barry Hill has his tips for Fridays jam packed Raceday and the last day of the Dante Festival.
2.42 YORK
Knights Solicitors Handicap (GBBPlus Race)
AUSTRIAN THEORY - 9/1
You’d do well not to overlook AUSTRIAN THEORY, who could go one better here after a couple of solid placed efforts already this season. He found just one too good at Chester last time, and with a clearer run around the turn, he might well have finished even closer than the half-length verdict suggests.
The strong early tempo expected here should play right into his hands, and if he travels as sweetly as he did last time, Tim Easterby’s charge could well land one for the yard at a venue they rarely leave empty handed from.
MAN OF DESERT - 16/1 (E/W)
MAN OF DESERT showed precious little on his first two starts but took a big step forward when third at Yarmouth behind Roman Centurion and Spy Kingdom. That form reads well and, off 82 with De Sousa booked and a nice draw in stall 2, further progress looks on the cards.
3.13 YORK
Sky Bet Fillies' Stakes (Listed Race) (Registered As The Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes)
CONSECRATED 7-2
Plenty of potential on show in this Listed mile for the three-year-old fillies, but CONSECRATED stands out. The Frankel filly made a sparkling debut at Newbury, making all and winning with real authority for the Haggas yard.
That form has worked out well the runner-up has run to a decent standard since and others in behind have franked it too. With Tom Marquand now taking over and a Royal Ascot target on the horizon, she can take this en route to bigger things.
5.15 NEWMARKET
TrustATrader You Can Trust Our Traders Handicap
DAPPER GUEST - 4/1
DAPPER GUEST will need to jump sharper than he did at Windsor now dropping back in trip, but there was enough in that run to suggest a win’s not far off. He wasn’t disgraced behind Shadow Of Light last season, and things haven’t quite gone his way in handicaps since. A half-brother to the smart Azure Blue, he’s worth keeping on side.
7.30 AINTREE
HA Civils Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mares' Handicap Hurdle
VERSACE TWENTYONE - 6/1
Sheila Lewis went close in this back in 2017 and VERSACE TWENTYONE could go one better for the Brecon yard if building on her Ludlow win. Still raw that day, jumping right and showing signs of greenness, she stayed on strongly to get off the mark over hurdles.
A 4lb rise looks fair, and the form’s been well boosted since. With more to come, she’s one to take seriously and a cracking bet at 6/1.
