York Saturday Preview - 15/06/2019

Multellie opens up our tips at York on Saturday afternoon, when she heads to the Queen Mother's Cup Handicap for Lady Amateur Riders.

Sitting bottom of the pile in the betting, she has had her form doubts this season, but her trainer Tim Easterby has an excellent record in this race, and is certainly one to watch in the market between now and the off.

Her mark continues to tumble down after a series of defeats, but she is just 3lb above her last winning mark, where she bolted up at Ripon in September.

Ground expected to be no better than good-to-soft, and she does have winning form close to this part of the world on a rain softened surface.

The JCB Handicap over seven furlongs hosts as many as twenty horses, so we have selected both Great Prospector [14/1] and Golden Apollo [20/1].

Great Prospector represents the Richard Fahey yard who have been in decent form of late going into the royal meeting next week.

Well drawn, the four-year-old has had no win since his debut but has put together plenty of useful efforts, including his third-place finish at Haydock on his latest start on soft ground.

Should go close once again, likewise Golden Apollo - another of our selections for trainer Tim Easterby.

He was a beaten favourite last time out at Ripon finishing seventh, but was a bunch finish and was much closer to the leaders than the result suggests.

The chestnut gelding loves it round the knavesmire, and last got his head in front here back on this card in June 2017 in another big runner field.

The third race is the Listed Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes over one mile and six furlongs, and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Mekong will be loving every inch of rain that falls his way.

He pipped Austrian School for second in the Group Three Henry II Stakes at Sandown on return, and proved how well he goes on heavy ground when running away at Haydock in September.

Usually runs with great consistency all on all ground conditions but one off day at Newbury, but the rain will certainly play to his strengths over others.

The one to definitely beat, as Ryan Moore takes the ride.

Again another big field on the card sees twenty-two line up for the Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint Handicap over six furlongs, and Rathbone and Victory Day are our two fancies.

Rathbone has been in top form for Kevin Ryan this season, winning two from two starts, and has been raised 6lb higher in a much more competitive race.

He looks ready for the climb and it can be hard to stop horses on a roll from producing repeated performances.

Striking at Pontefract and Leicester this term, he will need to prove it on a slower going, whilst Victory Day remains a very lightly raced three-year-old and looks well in at the weight on his first start in a handicap.

He struck easily in a six furlong maiden at Ripon last time out and travelled very strongly before drawing clear.

Could be something bright here for William Haggas, and must make the shortlist as a big potential improver.

International Lion is another player for victory on the Knavesmire for Richard Fahey, as the juvenile makes just his second start in the Reg Griffin Appreciation EBFstallions.com Maiden Stakes.

Paul Hanagan climbs aboard the chestnut son of Kyllachy, who looked best at the finish here a couple of weeks ago in a similar contest, and overcame early greenness to run on with much promise in the closing stages.

Coming home fifth, he was detached halfway but made some good headway late on, and we are hoping that he will improve much from what was basically his first day at school.

Fahey would have installed the appropriate work at home, and a better effort is expected.

Our last tip of the day, with no selection in the last.

The final race of the day at York is the Class 4 Handicap and we have sided with the Tim Easterby trained Poet's Dawn to land the spoils.

This four year old holds a modest strike rate but is now dropping down the weights and looks like at this mark he can be dangerous, especially with the soft conditions seeming to be in his favour.

In his last three runs on ground with soft in the description he has figures of 213 meaning he will handle the field better than most of his opponents.