York Wednesday Preview - 11/05/22

The first race of the afternoon is the Class 2 Handicap over 1m4f and at the prices Global Storm for Charlie Appleby takes the eye.

Around the 13/2, 7/1 to mark at the time of writing this five year old holds some of the strongest form in the field over this sort of distance and with the talented claimer Harry Davies taken a valuable 7lbs off it puts him in the frame.

Last season the gelding came into his own when stepped up in trip winning at Newmarket in May over 1m6f and off the back of that placed in smart races like the Copper Horse handicap at Royal Ascot and the bet365 Trophy at Newmarket.

Slightly disappointing on his last two starts in Britain he was put away and returned in February this year at Meydan and he bounced back with a bang landing a good handicap in Dubai off a mark of 102.

Seen once more since then over the same course and distance at Meydan he was a strong third in the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold.

He now drops back into a handicap off a mark of 106, but with Davies taking 7lb off he effectively races off a mark of 99 which sees him comfortably well in and 3lb below his last winning mark.

Having already had two runs this year he should be primed to go close here.

Another tricky event on the first day of the Dante meeting is the Churchill Tyres Handicap over six furlongs and with 22 runners going to post we have took two stabs at the race.

The first is the Michael Dods trained Woven who does have to overcome stall 22 to get involved in the race but has been in fine form over the last six months and is still weighted to go close.

Over six furlongs at Haydock on his final run of last season he was a superb second behind the likeable Chairmanoftheboard at Haydock.

He picked up right where he left off on his seasonal debut this term when second again in a tough 18 runner handicap at Doncaster on Lincoln day.

Off the same mark of 88 last time out he made it a hat-trick of seconds when narrowly beaten again at Redcar on good to soft ground.

Only 1lb higher for this run his form is starting to stack up and getting onto better ground could do the trick.

Highly consistent.

At a slightly bigger price is the David & Nicola Barron trained Venturous who really comes alive in these sorts of races and now back on a lowly turf mark in the handicap, he could strike at a track he likes.

Winning two of his three races this year on the all weather both at Newcastle over five and six furlongs off 103 and 106, running off 9lb lower than his latest run makes him eye-catching if in the same form.

Being a bit of an all-weather specialist, he still races well occasionally on turf and those performances have come at York.

His last performance at the track came in July when scoring over course and distance in a good 14 runner handicap off a mark of 95.

Off only 2lb higher than that he could go close at a price.

Quick ground the key.

The first big race of the three day festival at York is the Group Two Clipper Logistics Stakes over six furlongs and Happy Romance is the horse that has caught the eye.

An extremely smart filly for Richard Hannon over the years, she has only started recently to truly show her full ability at the top level and we think it can continue in this event.

A winner of the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newmarket over six furlongs last year She then went on to finish a valiant fourth in the Group One Sprint Stakes at Haydock, but rounded off the season with a tame effort at Ascot on Champions Day.

Back this year she went to Riyadh over seven furlongs and was a very close third in the G3 Turf Sprint and last time out back at 6f she showed a classy turn of foot to finish second of 16 in the G1 Al Quoz sprint at Meydan behind the talented A Case Of You.

She is going through a big purple patch at the moment and has every chance of going close over a course and distance she has previously won at.

The feature event of the afternoon is the Group Three Musidora Stakes seen as one of the last trials before the Epsom Oaks and John & Thady Gosden's Emily Upjohn.

This three year old daughter of Sea The Stars looks a superstar in the making off the back of her two runs to date.

Making her first start last year at Wolves over 9.5f she saw off a nice challenger for Godolphin in Secret Image, who then went onto frank the form.

Put away for this season Emily Upjohn made her sole start this term at Sandown over 1m2f and in one of the most impressive performances in the division this season, she went on to win by close to 10 lengths under a penalty.

She looks to be a bit of a freak and deserves her chance in this step up in grade.

Should be tough to beat if improving again.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon from us comes in the seven furlong Class 3 Handicap and the Kevin Ryan trained The Cookstown Cafu could be underestimated.

The three year old gelding has been seen three times in his career all last year as a juvenile, progressively getting better and better with each run.

Making his debut in July at Ayr he massively needed the experience finishing last of seven and then off the back of that progressed massively at Doncaster when a close fourth of 16.

He came on for that run on his final start over course and distance at York when a narrow second in a Novice Stakes just getting chinned close home.

It always looked as though he would do his best work in handicaps and now making his debut in this sphere off a mark of 79, there should be progression if not needing the run.

The final pick of the afternoon comes in the Class 4 Handicap over 1m4f and Pearl Beach makes big attraction at an each way price.

A very consistent type at the trip the five year old mare was third of 13 over slightly further three starts ago at Newcastle last year and then over the same C&D in July she won a good event off a mark of 78.

Up in trip and up to a mark of 83, she was a close second at Wolverhampton, being beat by a well backed favourite on the day.

Back down to her preferred trip off only 2lb higher, she could go well.