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York Racing Tips: Back Sub to make instant impact at 10/1

Mark Milligan
16 May 2023
4:00 min read

Mark Milligan has a pair of selections on the opening day of York's Dante meeting

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Mark Milligan returns to preview the first day of York's Dante meeting, where he has a pair of each-way selections...

Mark Milligan is back with a couple of selections
Gis A Sub down to an attractive mark
Balding filly overpriced in Musidora

The weather has had a big impact on the flat season so far, notably at Newmarket for the Guineas meeting, where some injudicious watering coupled with heavy rain left us with a surface that threw up several odd races and results.

Luckily for punters, the weather seems set fair at York this week for the Dante meeting and that should enable us to get more of a handle on the form.

There is currently no watering taking place on the Knavesmire - as you'd expect with the going currently good all over - although that hasn't stopped certain Clerks getting their watering cans out this spring despite a BHA directive that seemingly calls for artificial irrigation only to maintain good to firm ground.

Anyway, rant over, as the saying goes.

Haggas to maintain stranglehold on opener

York, 13:50 - No bet

The opening Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap (13:50) is one of my favourite races at the Dante meeting and it invariably throws up plenty of horses worth following throughout the rest of the season.

William Haggas has taken this for the last two years with lightly-raced 4-y-os owned by Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum, and I was very keen on the duo making it a hat-trick with La Yakel, who has the same sort of profile as the stable's previous two winners.

No. 10 (12)

La Yakel

Trainer: William Haggas
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Age: 4
Weight: 8st 13lbs
OR: 92

The problem now is the price.

When I was going through the race yesterday, La Yakel was a top-priced 13/2 but that has collapsed in the last 24 hours and 7/2 is the best we can hope for now.

In what is a really competitive handicap, I'd be stretching it to put La Yakel up at that sort of price, for all he's the most likely winner in my book, and I'm prepared to wait and see if he drifts a little on the day.

If he happened to head back towards the 5/1 mark, I'd have no hesitation in backing him each-way, particularly with five places available on the Sportsbook.

Gis A Sub potentially well handicapped in sprint

York, 14:25 - Back Gis A Sub

Speaking of competitive handicaps, they don't tend to come much trickier than the sprints we seem to get served up at every York meeting and the 6f Churchill Tyres Handicap at 14:25 is no exception.

The draw on the straight track at York can be something of a movable feast, so it's probably best not to get too hung up on it and instead try to identify where the main pace will be.

That should at least give your selection the best chance of getting a decent tow into the race.

Lethal Levi looks the main pace angle amongst those drawn low, but there does appear to be plenty of speedy types drawn in double figures so perhaps we'll get something of a fair contest.

I'm plumping for one drawn right in the middle, who has enough early pace of his own to hopefully work out a good trip.

Gis A Sub wouldn't be the first precocious juvenile to struggle the following year before bouncing back as a 4-y-o and the handicapper has given him a real chance off a mark of 88.

No. 20 (11)

Gis A Sub (Ire)

Trainer: Kevin Ryan
Jockey: Shane Gray
Age: 4
Weight: 8st 6lbs
OR: 88

He started last season in stakes company before heading into handicaps off 99 and didn't make a great deal of impact, but there was more promise in his Newmarket comeback race this season, where he shaped promisingly before seeming to need the run following six months off.

It hardly needs me to tell you how much Kevin Ryan enjoys having winners on the Knavesmire and Gis A Sub can surely go well if building on that recent return.

At double-figure odds, and with six places available on the Sportsbook, he looks well worth chancing.

Back Gis A Sub each-way at

11.0

Sea Of Roses the value in Musidora

York, 15:35 - Back Sea of Roses

Infinite Cosmos is a relatively short price to take the step up in class in her stride in the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at 15:35, but I'm not sure there should be as big a discrepancy as there is between her odds and those of Sea Of Roses.

No. 7 (6)

Sea Of Roses

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Age: 3
Weight: 9st 2lbs
OR: -

Andrew Balding's filly has already narrowly beaten the favourite when they finished first and second in a Doncaster maiden last backend, though she did have the benefit of prior experience with Infinite Cosmos making her debut that day.

Sir Michael Stoute's filly has clearly improved since then, but so too has Sea Of Roses, who found only Pensee Du Jour too strong on her seasonal return in France.

Up until we saw Savethelastdance put in that remarkable performance at Chester last week, I'd have had no hesitation in suggesting Pensee Du Jour would develop into the best 3-y-o filly in Europe, so there was no disgrace in losing out to that one.

If you fancy Infinite Cosmos, you've got to think Sea Of Roses won't be too far away from her, which makes 8/1 a very appealing each-way price.

Back Sea Of Roses each-way at

9.0

Mark's P/L

Staked: 375 Returns: 464.47 P/L: +89.47

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