Horse Racing Tips
Horse Racing Tips: Christmas Comes Early For Punters In The Dante?
The Dante is the feature race of York’s three-day May Festival and William Hill News preview every race on Thursday, with all eyes on the main event on the Knavesmire.
We move onto the second day of the York Dante Meeting, with the Dante Stakes, a respected Epsom Derby Trial, being the feature contest on the afternoon.
York Tips Thursday:
- 1.45pm – Leave The Bag In (E/W)
- 2.20pm – Stormy Impact
- 2.55pm – Cerulean Boy
- 3.30pm – Fallen Angel (NAP)
- 4.05pm – Christmas Day (NB)
- 4.40pm – Dickensian
- 5.15pm – Stoneacre Donny
Our William Hill News tipster Steven Mullington is here to preview all the action on the Knavesmire.
1.45 – 6f Novice Stakes
Adrian Keatley knows how to ready a fresh young two-year-old and his LEAVE THE BAG IN catches my eye in the York opener on Thursday.
Family owned, the Cotai Glory-colt was bred by the Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland, and his sire’s offspring includes The Platinum Queen, who broke the 5f juvenile track record at Goodwood and won the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
At odds of around 25/1 in our current market, he has to be worth an each-way flutter.
2.20 – 5f York Handicap
Trained by Richard Fahey, STORMY IMPACT is a talented filly best known for her impressive come-from-behind victory in the 2025 Epsom Dash, under jockey Warren Fentiman.
Warren is reunited with her again today, but the duo will have to negotiate an extremely wide draw.
2.55 – 1m Hambleton Handicap
CERULEAN BOY ran a nice pipe opener for this 19 days ago at Haydock, where he was three quarters of a length fourth in a bunch finish to a seven furlong handicap.
David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope have an impressive record at York down the years, and Cerulean Boy is a solid looking pick.
3.30 – 1m2½f Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (Group 2)
FALLEN ANGEL (NAP) has established herself as one of the most resilient and talented fillies in training, winning at the top level as a two, three, and four-year-old.
Owned by Wathnan Racing, she looks sure to run another big race.
4.05 – 1m2½f Dante Stakes (Group 2)
Aidan O’Brien has not won the Dante Stakes since 2010 but can break that long losing streak on Thursday with CHRISTMAS DAY (NB).
The son of Camelot arrives at York in peak form, having landed his most recent start (Ballysax Stakes) on his seasonal debut.
The Dante Stakes is universally recognised as a Derby trial and Christmas Day is currently trading at odds of 12/1 in our ante-post sports betting market for the Epsom Classic.
4.40 – 5f Westow Stakes (Listed Race)
The famous yellow colours of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid have always been synonymous with the Knavesmire, and they can be carried to glory again by DICKENSIAN in this sprint over the minimum trip.
After finishing second in last season’s Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, the Pinatubo-colt ran three close races in both Listed and Group Company.
Now a three-year-old, he should be a much stronger and rounded horse and can give Shane Gray a top spin.
5.15 – 1m4f Handicap
STONEACRE DONNY was last seen running a competitive third at Doncaster, funnily enough, and will appreciate the less demanding ground conditions today.
I suspect the firm ground on Town Moor was far from ideal for the three-year-old, but he ran a solid race nevertheless behind a useful looking Al Azd for Roger Varian.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
