Top commentator Simon Holt previews the feature action on day one of the Dante Festival at York.
Recommended bets: Simon Holt
2pts win Brando in 3.30 York at best morning price
2pts win Lovell in 2.20 York at best morning price
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With the leading Oaks fancy Shutter Speed likely to start a very short-priced favourite in Wednesday's Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York, it is the preceding Group Two Duke Of York Stakes which is the most interesting race on the first day of York's Dante meeting.
With a run under his belt, BRANDO looks a worthy favourite after a progressive 2016 campaign which culminated in a superb performance under 9st10lb in the Ayr Gold Cup in September when he gave 9lb and a comfortable beating to the reopposing Growl.
It's possible that race left a small mark as Growl narrowly turned the tables on level terms at Ascot on Champions Day next time when the pair were second and third behind The Tin Man who now has to carry a 5lb penalty.
However, Brando has tremendous scope for further improvement and, after cutting back Ornate to win the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on his reappearance last month, he should be spot on for this test.
The penalty is slightly off-putting with regard to The Tin Man, though Marsha proved it can be done when defying 7lb extra at the Guineas meeting, and James Fanshawe's smart six-furlong specialist ran disappointingly on his only previous visit to the Knavesmire.
Course form is a big plus for last year's first and second Magical Memory and Suedois who were split by just half a length but the latter, who went onto run solidly in various high quality sprints, had the benefit of a previous run that day while the winner needs to bounce back after below-par efforts in the July Cup and Haydock Park Sprint last July and September.
In the opening Sky Bet First Race Special Handicap, the Godolphin representative LOVELL can prove well handicapped.
Gelded since finishing unplaced at Royal Ascot last June, the son of Dubawi must have had a training setback but lack of a recent run is seldom a concern with the 'boys in blue' and, on his previous run last season, when splitting Stargazer and Harrison at Sandown, he has a solid chance.
Whereas the first and third from that race went on to achieve ratings of 100 and 103 respectively, Lovell resides off a mark of just 93 here and this unexposed sort, who cost a whopping 725,000 guineas as a yearling, could be the one to beat.
Of the more exposed horses, Erik The Red and Awake My Soul who finished third and fourth in this race last year are likely to be thereabouts again while Master Carpenter returns to the course and distance of his John Smith's Cup triumph in 2015 and, while without a win since, has dropped significantly in the weights and was beaten only four lengths in the Lincoln two starts ago.
Posted at 0950 BST on 16/05/17.
