Jane Mangan’s William Hill Blog: Washington could reach new Heights

York, Wednesday

It’s the first day of York’s Dante Festival and where better to start than with the G3 Musidora (3.45pm). Last year’s Epsom Oaks winner Soul Sister used this as a springboard to Epsom glory and the Gosdens’ return to the scene of that crime with a very exciting prospect in Friendly Soul. I was particularly impressed with her recent performance at Newmarket, where she and runner-up Kalpana pulled 12 lengths clear of the third. The time of the race was extremely good and she’s a beautifully bred filly who I think can go on to prove herself as top-class. She should be the one to beat and is my most exciting prospect on show today in my mind.

A big field has been declared for the G2 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes (3.15pm); 15 runners over the six furlongs. I think Washington Heights has a fantastic chance of backing up that win in the G3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket in April, where he beat Mill Stream and Spycatcher. He’s a four-year-old for Kevin Ryan who’s possibly hitting his prime now. This is his optimum trip and, while there’s not a lot between a number of these on ratings, he might be the value, given that he’s rated 113 and is currently double-figure odds.

Tipperary, Wednesday

The 6.00pm is a mares’ maiden hurdle over two miles and there’s one in there called Ma Belle Etoile. She won a bumper in Limerick back in November really impressively and John Kiely then stepped her into winners’ company, targeting the G3 Mares’ Bumper at Punchestown, for which she just wasn’t good enough. Now, over hurdles and back into maiden company, I think she could run a very big race, given that she’s got standout bumper form and should be more than ready for her first start over hurdles coming from these quarters.

York, Thursday

The highlight of this week’s racing at York is, of course, the Dante (3.45pm), which I think is the key trial for the Derby. It was a fantastic renewal last year and it looks to be a strong renewal this year too. In my mind, Ancient Wisdom should be ante-post favourite for the Derby before this race, but I certainly think he will be afterwards. He’s the standout over a mile as a two-year-old, he showed a very good attitude on heavy ground in the Futurity at Doncaster but he also showed that he wasn’t slow when running a very good race behind Rosallion at Ascot in the Pat Eddery. I think Ancient Wisdom for team Godolphin is going to be really hard to beat and I hope that he is really impressive, so that we can clarify this Epsom Derby picture.

Is there a more frustrating filly in training than Bluestocking? There might be, but there’s not many! She’s only won one of her seven starts, but has been placed in a number of top races, including that last run at Ascot in October when she was beaten just a neck by Poptronic in the G1 British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes. I’m not surprised that she’s stayed in training for this year, because she’s extremely high class and I hope her four-year-old year is her year. The cheekpieces are retained, Rossa Ryan is a huge asset on top as she takes some knowing and I think that she can begin what should be a very fruitful season in the best possible fashion in the Middleton Stakes at York (3.15pm).