York Dante Meeting Day Three Tips: Back Buonarroti to brighten up your Friday

Tony Calvin
14 May 2015

York was a pretty picture on Thursday - can Tony make it even better on Friday with some big priced winners?

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It's the final day of the Dante meeting at York and Tony Calvin has found a pair of big priced runners to back, while he has talked himself into a bet from the televised card at Newbury as well...

Recommended Bets

Back Silk Bow at 8.07/1 in the 14:10 at York

Back Buonarroti at 34.033/1 in the 14:45 at York

Back Jimmy Styles at 11.010/1 n the 14:55 at Newbury

Rarely the more have I delved into a horse's chance, the more excited have I got, than when assessing the chances of Buonarroti in the 1m4f handicap 14:45 at York on his first start for Declan Carroll after being sold out of Aidan O'Brien's stable.

Back him at 34.033/1 and read on.

He was obviously highly-tried after winning over 1m1f at Tipperary as a juvenile - he was beaten only eight lengths into 5th in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy on his next start - but he wasn't disgraced at all in any of those four starts, and he is 3lb lower than when finishing in midfield on his most recent outing in a valuable Naas handicap back in October.

He was disadvantaged by racing widest that day, and wasn't given a hard time, and I think Carroll has got hold of a well-handicapped horse here off 97.

And this is not the first time Carroll has got hold of an O'Brien outcast. In fact, it is the third time, I believe, though I am willing to be corrected.

He bought Prophesy and President Lincoln out of Ballydoyle after their 2011 campaigns and both bolted up on their first starts for the yard in 2012 (President Lincoln beat a certain Jack Dexter at Musselburgh). Both were also having their first starts after being gelded.

Oh, did I mention, Buonarroti has been gelded since his last run, too? I see a pattern developing here....

Top Tug looks sure to be well-fancied here, stepping back up to what will be his best trip and down 1lb after his reappearance over an inadequate 1m1f - and I respect the chances of Croquembouche and Ambleside - but I am going to take a flier with the selection.

He could be a total blow-out - Prophesy and President Lincoln only won maidens after all, not competitive handicaps at a big meeting - but you'll get nowhere in betting treading the obvious path, day-in, day-out.

Races full of lightly-raced and unexposed horses are not normally my bag but I give a fair better shout to Silk Bow than the odds suggest in the opener at 14:10 at York.

Back her at 8.07/1 or bigger.

I could well be biased here as I tend to back James Given juveniles blind second time up, and I have lucked out this season, as I am currently two from two after successes for the selection (8/1) and Sir Dudley (10/1).

Both made massive strides on their second starts, and I was particularly impressed by the way Silk Bow travelled and quickened at Chelmsford last time to win with plenty in hand. Go and take a look at the video, and you'll be on board, too.

There could be a bit of snobbery from the layers regarding the form of that race on an all-weather track that has its fair share of critics, but it is stacking up pretty well.

The two-and-a-quarter length runner-up finished third in the Lily Agnes at Chester last week, the 8/11 favourite in third had shown decent placed form at Kempton previously, and the fourth wasn't disgraced in a decent Ascot maiden last week.

If she can translate that Chelmsford form to turf, then I think Silk Bow could give these all a race.

I hope Brown Panther does the business again in the Yorkshire Cup at 15:15, but it is not my betting shape of race at all - you can obviously put up at least three against the 2/1 poke - and I'll happily pass.

And I don't find the 1m fillies' race at 15:45 any easier to solve either.

Yasmeen has plenty to find on form but she was very impressive in winning her Newbury maiden and holds a Group 1 Coronation Stakes entry. But she has not been missed in the market, and there looks to be a fair bit of depth to this race. No bet for me.

You can also make a case for a fair few in the 14:55 at Newbury, so little wonder it is a very trappy 10-runner race. I am not going to put up a selection in the race but I'll run you through my shortlist of three, if that's helps.

Valbchek is clearly a very tricky customer but I thought that there was some promise in midfield effort at Ascot last week, and course and distance winner Accession always runs well here and is in peak form.

But the horse I like best is Jimmy Styles. At 11-years-old, he is something of a veteran, but like most old stagers they tend to go really well when fresh and when the old bones aren't creaking, and he is no exception.

He ran one of his better races first time up in 2013 when second in the Abernant and he ran a cracker when fourth in the Cammidge at Doncaster on his reappearance last year.

He has been dropped 6lb from his peak 2014 mark after running below par on his last three starts, is versatile as regards ground - so it doesn't really matter how much rains falls at Newbury today - and his form figures at the track read 1532.

In fact, I have just talked myself in a bet, so I am tipping him, too! Back him at 11.010/1.

Be lucky.

Recommended Bets
Back Silk Bow at 8.07/1 in the 14:10 at York
Back Buonarroti at 34.033/1 in the 14:45 at York
Back Jimmy Styles at 11.010/1 n the 14:55 at Newbury