1.55pm York Tips & Betting Preview 15/07/2017

A bumper ‘triple header’ on ITV begins with a mile handicap from York. A competitive contest to start us off, read on for our runner by runner preview and expert tip for the first race on ITV.

IN SUMMARY: It’s tempting to put up Weekend Offender again to confirm his smart run in a Nottingham handicap that has worked out well, but this looks a deeper race. Firnas is interesting dropped to a mile given that his dam was a Group 1 performer at the trip, but the vote goes to Abe Lincoln. He looked in need of the run when fading close home in the Royal Hunt Cup last time, with the cheekpieces he wore when runner up in the 2016 Britannia re-fitted, he is a sound each way option.

1 ARCANADA – Produced a career best at this track last August, winning over this trip from six pounds lower. He has not been seen in action since a respectable fourth at Meydan in February, so could be excused for needing this run to sharpen up.

2 ABE LINCOLN – Well backed, eventually sent off favourite for the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot. He looked like the run would bring him on, in contention until inside the final furlong, fading back into the midfield late. The cheekpieces he wore when runner up in the Britannia the year before are refitted and with the cobwebs blown away, he looks a big player.

3 FIRST SELECTION – Last two starts have been over ten and then six furlongs, running moderately over both. Connections split the difference now, adding a first time eye-shield into the mix. He is still four pounds above his last winning mark, so is best overlooked.

4 FIRNAS – First time cheekpieces are added here for his first run away from Newmarket. A winner over a mile and a quarter in 2016, he has flattened out close home over that trip on both 2017 outings. His dam was an excellent miler, runner up in an Irish Guineas and a Coronation Stakes so the drop to that trip make him a very interesting proposition.

5 CONSTANTINO – Had looked a tricky customer in the past, but a gelding operation and the fitting of blinkers appears to have sorted his quirks. He has improved on the all weather since last seen on turf, re-embarking on a grass career a full stone above the mark he was beaten from last year. Likely capable of more but will need to be to score again.

6 ONE WORD MORE – Just 2/34 on turf, he is a pound above his last winning mark, from Thirsk in April 2015. He was behind both Constantino and Qaffaal when last seen, but has to be given consideration this far down the handicap.

7 SIR RODERIC – Rocketed up the handicap in 2016, wining five times in his first seven starts. He has struggled since, running with promise just once in five starts this season. The return to a flat mile looks in his favour, having just struggled to finish off his effort the last twice at Sandown and Salisbury but still three pounds above his last winning mark, he probably needs a little help from the assessor.

8 GENERAL MACARTHUR – Has outrun big odds the last twice in similarly competitive mile handicaps, the first of which when well in front of Sir Roderic. The big field and likely strong pace will help this hold up type and although he is likely to be a double figure price once more, a pound drop in the weights can see him edge closer.

9 KINGS GIFT – Has contested Group races only since winning on his handicap debut at Redcar last year. He has run well to a point in the majority of those, but having won off 75, he has done little since to suggest that a mark of 100 is workable back in handicap company.

10 JUST HISS – The drop back to this course and distance with the fitting of cheekpieces for the first time worked the oracle on his latest start. That was only a Class 3 contest so this is considerably tougher from a five pound higher mark. He is closely weighted with Weekend Offender on their run here in 2016, in fact three of his tops four career RPR’s have come at this track so a return visit gives him a squeak.

11 QAFFAAL – Improved leaps and bounds on the all weather from last autumn, seeing his mark climb twenty two pounds in the process. His last run on turf saw him well beaten at Redcar from 72, so with his turf mark rising with his all weather one to 91, he could find this is tough going back on the grass.

12 TWIN APPEAL – Scored at Musselburgh in April from a two pound lower mark. That, like all his five career wins came at seven furlongs, the twice he has tried a mile he has been soundly beaten. The way he has been finishing off his races recently suggests that he is worth another go at this trip, but he is hard to support until he proves that it suits him as well as shorter does.

13 WEEKEND OFFENDER – His 2017 reappearance at Nottingham when third has worked out really well. Unsurprisingly he was sent off favourite on the back of that last time at Hamilton, but he got tangled in the stalls, missed the kick badly and was quickly pulled up. The ground had probably turned against him on that occasion anyway, with it on the quick side here, he is well worth another chance to confirm the impression made at Nottingham.

14 GALLIPOLI – Began the season in good heart but his most recent efforts, – including here- have been abject in comparison. He is yet to try this far and while his run style suggests that he will stay, he has more than enough to prove at this level.

15 CHIEFOFCHIEFS – Steadily progressive at a much lower level this season, notching his second win of the campaign last time out. Very lightly raced, he is open to more improvement than the majority of these. This is a sizeable step up in class but he is of each way interest with first time cheekpieces added to help him pull out a little more.