Friday’s opening race at York is a competitive mile handicap at 1.50pm, with a strong field of unexposed three-year-olds set to make it a fascinating contest.
Among the most interesting runners is William Haggas’s Zennor Storm, a horse that has caught the eye in both of his recent outings and looks ready to go one better.
The colt finished with a flourish to claim second place at Goodwood last time out, beaten by just a length by Exclusive Code on that occasion.
Crucially, Zennor Storm did best of all those horses that were positioned towards the rear of the field, while the winner had his own way out in front and made all the running.
Before Goodwood, Zennor Storm also impressed when running on strongly to finish a close fourth over this same course and distance back in June.
He looks exactly the type of horse that should benefit from the likely strong gallop that this competitive handicap is expected to produce on Friday afternoon.
Draw can be a decisive factor over a mile at York, with a low stall widely considered preferable, and Zennor Storm is well placed in stall four.
He is available at around 4/1 for the race, and despite that relatively short price, he represents the most likely winner in the view of our tipster.
Attention then turns to the Group Two Lonsdale Cup at 2.25pm, where Caballo De Mar is fancied at around 2/1 following the recent rainfall leaving plenty of juice in the ground.
The withdrawal of Carmers has weakened the contest, though strong opposition remains in the form of Amiloc and Al Nayyir, making it far from a straightforward race for George Scott’s runner.
Caballo De Mar went too hard early at the Gold Cup at Ascot and suffered heart stress on what was a very hot day, leaving his true ability somewhat masked by those difficult circumstances.
Conditions at the Knavesmire on Friday are expected to be far more suitable for the horse, with the softer ground playing directly to his strengths as a stayer.
Prior to his Ascot disappointment, Caballo De Mar had looked a genuinely progressive stayer when winning the Group One Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp, underlining his class at the highest level.
That form gives plenty of confidence that he can return to winning ways in Friday’s Lonsdale Cup and prove his Ascot run was an anomaly rather than a true reflection of his ability.