Top commentator Simon Holt has selections from both York and Newbury as the Dante Festival draws to a close on Friday.
Recommended bets: Simon Holt
2pts win Dartmouth in 3.30 York at best morning price
2pts win Clear Spring in 2.35 Newbury at best morning price
DARTMOUTH is fancied to give his owner Her Majesty The Queen a high-level victory in Friday's Betway Yorkshire Cup on the final day of the Dante meeting at York.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, this five-year-old improved into a solid Group-race performer last season, winning his first two starts at Chelmsford and Chester before beating Highland Reel in the Hardwicke Stakes (1m4f good to soft) at Royal Ascot.
While unable to confirm the placings with the runner-up when third in the King George at the end of July, Dartmouth maintained his consistency throughout the campaign finishing second to Algometer at Newbury and then second again to the smart French performer Erupt in the Canadian International on his final start in October.
It looks a good move to send this horse down the Cup route, especially as he is very stoutly bred being a half brother to three winners at this sort of trip, and he seems to handle most types of going.
Two mares probably provide the biggest threats, namely Simple Verse and Endless Time.
Simple Verse, winner of the St Leger and on Champions Day at Ascot in 2015, was a bit slow to get going last term but ended the campaign with a flourish, landing the Park Hill over this trip at Doncaster and then finishing third in a close finish behind smart stayers Sheikhzayedroad and Quest For More in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day.
Much will depend how forward she is for this assignment and whether she gets a strong pace in this relatively small field; it could be that Simple Verse will be even better suited by the longer Cup races later in the season.
Endless Time also boasts some high-quality form, notably when chasing home Left Hand and Vazirabad, two extremely talented French-trained horses, on her final two starts in 2016 at Chantilly (Prix Vermeille) and Saint-Cloud (Prix Royal-Oak).
A reproduction of those efforts will see the Godolphin mare go very close to winning, but it is slightly concerning that her one bad run last term came on this course when she was well beaten, admittedly behind the likes of Seventh Heaven and Found, in the Yorkshire Oaks.
Of the others, Muntahaa should be well suited by returning to this trip after out-staying his rivals in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury (1m4f) last time, though is rated 5lb below the selection on official ratings while last year's winner Clever Cookie is ideally suited by this course and distance.
Peter Niven's popular nine-year-old didn't seem to get home in the longer Gold Cup, Lonsdale and Doncaster Cups after winning here last season, and will have been specifically prepared to defend his title. However, this does look a deeper renewal.
For a second selection, CLEAR SPRING can repeat last year's win in the Starlight Handicap at Newbury.
Successful off a rating of 97 that day, he is now 4lb lower in the ratings and veteran trainer John Spearing has repeated the preparation by running him first time out in the same six-furlong handicap at the Guineas meeting.
Whereas Clear Spring was quite well beaten in that Newmarket handicap before winning here 12 months ago, he made a pleasing reappearance a fortnight ago finishing eighth to Mr Lupton but beaten less than five lengths.
Posted 1025 BST on 18/05/2018