4.50pm York Tips & Betting Preview 25/08/2017

One co-favourite in four renewals of this race and over £43,000 to the winner sees a large and competitive line-up for this just-shy-of-a-mile handicap. Our full horse by horse race preview ahead of the 4.50pm at York this afternoon follows, complete with our selection.

IN SUMMARY: Not an easy race to call, but it may be worth taking an each way chance on BALESTRA. He looks well weighted on the basis of his very easy maiden win at Bath and could go well at an exaggerated price. Medahim is perhaps the biggest danger in what looks an intriguing contest.

1 MONTATAIRE – Scored four times from nine starts last season, but ran poorly on his return at Newmarket in April, and hasn’t been seen in action since. Must be better than that performance, however he has a long absence to overcome and needs to prove his well-being before being suggested.

2 MEDAHIM – Frankie Dettori rides the son of Kodiac who won a Class 2 handicap over the Newmarket mile in mid-July. He was perhaps unlucky when third dropped back to seven furlongs at Goodwood last time out, three lengths behind Battered who re-opposes here. Every chance of reversing that form and he won’t be far away if granted a clear run.

3 SYPHAX – Kevin Ryan’s Godolphin owned colt returned with a good second to Forest Ranger at Newcastle on the All Weather and has been soundly beaten since in Group 2 and Listed class. The return to handicap company will obviously make life that bit easier for the son of Arch and. His yard is going well at present a 22% strike rate in the last 14 days, so he has his chance to prove whether or not he has trained on here.

4 KINGS GIFT – Deserved a return to handicap company after being outclassed in Group class all season and finished third here over course and distance last month, beaten three quarters of a length. Last time out he was 12th of 13 at Goodwood which was less than expected, but that was over a mile and a quarter and he is far more effective at this trip.

5 WAHASH – Six races without a win this season and all in handicap company, however he was dropped another two pounds for a seven and a half length defeat at Chester last time out. Looks to be the Hannon second string and would be a surprise winner here, even if he repeats his better form.

6 BATTERED – One of the few winners last time out after scoring by a head over seven furlongs at Goodwood when getting to the front in the last strides. The step up in trip should suit him admirably, but he has an added five pounds now and may struggle to confirm the form with the likes of Medahim at the revised weights. Silvestre de Sousa said after his last run, “Battered is a bit tricky and was wandering around approaching the enclosures. He has the talent, but it is just about time he put the effort in”. That suggests that he can improve again and he is certainly one of the main contenders.

7 MOJITO – The second William Haggas runner and looking for his hat-trick after wins at Sandown and, more recently, Newmarket when he beat Perfect Madge by two and a quarter lengths. The son of Requinto has been put up seven pounds for that win which will hinder his chances of following up. However, he should get involved in the finish regardless under Champion jockey Jim Crowley.

8 LA RAV – Plenty of room for more improvement for the son of Footstepsinthesand who has only had the four runs, two of which were successful at Salisbury and then Newbury. Last time out he finished a solid enough third at Chelmsford on his All Weather debut and will need to do better than that, but Luca Cumani is in good form.

9 CITY OF JOY – Won his first two races at Doncaster and Chelmsford, but found an added five pounds too much when encountering traffic issues at Royal Ascot. He then ran a below par race when last of ten to Medahim at Newmarket. He may be better than that, but has a lot to find with some of these and is hard to make a serious case for.

10 HORROOB – Represents a top stable in Roger Varian, but all of his best form has been on the All Weather, with two wins at Lingfield and a good second at Newcastle last time out. This looks a tougher race regardless and he will need a career best to get involved off of three pounds higher here.

11 APPOINTED – Stays further than this mile, with a win over ten furlongs here at York in late July and unlikely to be as well suited to the drop back to a mile today. Trainer Tim Easterby is ticking over with a 10% strike rate and she will be running on through beaten horses if able to repeat her best form. Looks up against it in this field.

12 STARLIGHT ROMANCE – Sammy Jo Bell rides for trainer Richard Fahey and takes three pounds off the filly’s back this afternoon. Her two wins so far have been over seven and a half furlongs, but she ought to get the mile here. That said, her last effort was a poor nine and three quarter length seventh here over seven furlongs and she appears to be the stable second string.

13 AREEN HEART – The second Richard Fahey runner and the gelded son of Exceed And Excel looks to be the stable number one, with Paul Hanagan riding. Second in his last two starts at Haydock and Ripon, this is a step up in grade. Although a place is a possibility, he has his work cut out and will need a career best here.

14 ZYMYRAN – David Simcock’s gelded son of Henrythenavigator won his third race last time out quite comfortably at Newmarket and it appeared as if a first-time hood worked miracles. He runs under a six pound penalty here which will make life harder, yet he does sit near the bottom of the weights for a yard with an 11% strike rate. He could pull off a surprise if the race falls his way.

15 BALESTRA – Bottom weight for Charlie Hills’s son of Bated Breath who won his maiden last time out by a very easy seven lengths on fast ground at Bath. This is obviously a lot harder, but he is improving quickly and could be very well handicapped off a rating of just 84. The Hills yard is in reasonable form with an 11% strike rate, so he clearly has each way possibilities.