Simon Holt best bets for day one of the Dante Festival at York
Frankie Dettori is fancied to get the best out of Danzeno at York on Wednesday as Simon Holt previews day one of the Dante Festival.
Recommended bets: York, Wednesday
2pts win Lubinka in 4.05 York at 7/1
1pt win Banksea in 2.20 York at 15/2
1pt win Danzeno in 2.55 York at 12/1
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Despite having the best form on offer, LUBINKA looks over-priced in Wednesday's Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.
Peter Chapple-Hyam's filly kept good company last season, finishing third to Soliloquy in a novice event at Ascot on her second start and was then far from disgraced at odds of 150/1 when sixth behind the recent 1000 Guineas runner-up Laurens in the Fillies Mile at Newmarket.
Keeping on well at the finish that day, the daughter of Mastercraftsman, who has a stamina-laden dam line, will probably need middle-distances and ran out an easy winner of a minor contest over a mile-and-a-half at Lingfield in April, form franked by the brushed-aside runner-up Amourice who won at Doncaster subsequently.
With all of her rivals stepping up in class and unproven at this level, Lubinka has plausible claims.
Best of the opposition could be Ceilidhs Dream who over-turned the well-fancied William Haggas-trained filly Sea Of Class in a one-mile maiden at Newmarket at the Craven meeting and, although by Oasis Dream, is bred to stay further. However, that form is hard to assess as none of the placed horses have run since.
Haggas' Give And Take, another easy winner at Lingfield last September, finished just over a length ahead of the re-opposing Highgarden at Sandown last month without proving any match for the seemingly unfancied but well-bred winner Crystal Hope, trained by Sir Michael Stoute.
That form may be useful but, at this stage, it's a guess.
On pedigree, Ejtyah, a daughter of Frankel out of a well-bred French mare, takes the eye but this is a big jump up after she beat four rivals at Chelmsford in December. Her trainer David Simcock will be on a high after sending out Teppal to win last Sunday's French 1000 Guineas.
Of course, the big draw on the card is Harry Angel, the outstanding sprinter who makes his reappearance in the Group Two Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes.
However, at likely odds-on and carrying a 5lb penalty, Clive Cox's speedster doesn't really appeal for betting purposes and, first time out, last year's winner Tasleet and the race-fit Brando and Sir Dancealot are capable of making a race of it.
In the opening Sky Bet First Race Special Jorvik Handicap, Hamada looks set to start favourite after returning from an absence to win at Wolverhampton nearly three weeks ago.
Charlie Appleby's gelding, the mount of stable jockey William Buick, could be well-handicapped on his second to Atty Persse in a maiden at Sandown in September 2016, though the winner was making his debut that day.
At the odds, I am inclined to take a chance on Appleby's second-string BANKSEA enjoying a first try at a mile-and-a-half under James Doyle.
Successful in last year's Spring Cup (over a mile) at Newbury, the five-year-old ran consistently over a mile-and-a-quarter in Dubai where, on each occasion, he kept on well in the closing stages.
By Lawman out of a mare who won over this trip, this experiment may unlock a bit more from a horse who has always had plenty of ability.
In the Infinity Tyres Handicap, I will take another chance - this time with DANZENO who, despite his advancing years, could be hard to beat off his current handicap mark providing he gets away from the stalls on terms.
Sometimes a slow starter, Frankie Dettori's mount is 13lb lower than his peak career rating, appeared to run well at the weights in a conditions event at Chelmsford last time behind Lancelot Du Lac and has run well at York in the past, notably when third to Magical Memory and Suedois in the Duke Of York Stakes on this card two years ago.
Danzeno may not be quite the force of old but the handicapper has definitely given him a chance.
Posted at 1000 BST 15/05/18.