How To Bet £20 on day one of the Dante meeting at York

Andy Stephens has five fancies chalked up between 6-1 and 16-1 for a sparkling card at York on Wednesday.

Highfield Princess is the headline act on day one of the Dante meeting at York on Wednesday but looks one to oppose in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes.

The six-year-old mare’s climb to the top has been something to behold but her record first time out is not compelling – she’s been beaten first time up in each of her previous three seasons - and I can’t believe John Quinn will have her fully revved up before she tries to add to her tally of Group One triumphs.

Moreover, she’s got a 5lb penalty to carry and is opposed by some smart, racefit rivals who may just be more ready for this day.

My first instinct was to take her on with either the Aussie raider, The Astrologist, or the improving Azure Blue. However, the former is clearly not among the top speedsters from Down Under, while the latter is taking a significant jump in class.

It’s a speedy juvenile from last term, Marshman, who looks the one to be on at the 15-2 offered by Betfair and Paddy Power.

This can be a tricky time of the year for his generation in the sprint division, but the older British speedsters lack strength in depth and last year’s two-year-olds were a speedy crop – a gauge to their level being provided by The Platinum Queen, who chased home Highfield Princess in the Nunthorpe before going one better in the Prix de l'Abbaye.

Marshman’s efforts last year included finishing a fine second to Noble Style in the Gimcrack at York’s Ebor meeting with such as Cold Case, Royal Scotsman (admittedly not at his best) and Galeron all adrift. That form has a glow, and you can put a line through his subsequent Middle Park reverse as he was too keen and, possibly, unsuited by the track.

He showed his wellbeing when winning in decisive style at Chantilly last month; putting his rivals to the sword some way out and looking like winning by a wide margin a furlong out only for the racefit Wodao, who had run well behind Tenebrism a couple of weeks earlier, to belatedly reduce his margin of victory.

It could be that the Karl Burke-trained colt proves at his most effective over 5f in time but if has come on for that run in France, as he’s entitled to have done, then the son of Harry Angel will take some pegging back on this speed-favouring track. He gets weight all-round with Highfield Princess having to concede 11lb to him.

It could be a day to savour for Burke because his Novakai has plenty going for her in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.

She impressed when winning on her debut at Doncaster in July and ended the season with two cracking efforts in pattern company, finishing runner-up in the May Hill Stakes and then Fillies’ Mile.

It was only late on that Commissioning wore her down in the latter Group One contest, with the 103-rated Bright Diamond (not disgraced in Lingfield’s Oaks Trial on Saturday) being almost five lengths back in third.

Novakai is the clear form choice, has most experience and appeals as the type to do better again this season. In addition, her breeding and running style suggests she will be in her element over this extra quarter of a mile.

Novakai goes close in the Fillies' Mile

She’s up against several promising maiden winners, including hot favourite Infinite Cosmos, but I’m amazed she’s a general 7-1, with Sky Bet going half a point bigger. For instance, Sea Of Roses is a marginally shorter price than Novakai but would get 13lb from her if this were a handicap.

First Folio looks another overpriced runner, at a general 16-1, in the 6f Churchill Tyres Handicap.

This 22-runner sprint handicap is perhaps not quite so competitive as it might seem – half the field are aged seven or over and exposed - but James Ferguson’s charge still has an air of unfinished business about him and ticks plenty of boxes.

The grey was a polished winner at Yarmouth the last time he ran on turf and is only 1lb higher than when an eye-catching sixth in last year’s Wokingham, when unfortunate to be caught on the wrong part of the track.

He looks drawn on the right side this time (more pace is signed up among the high numbers) and you cannot fault his previous two runs at York. On the first occasion, he won a heritage handicap over course and distance at the main expense of Blackrod, who was getting 7lb and subsequently thrived, and he returned later in the year to finish a close fourth when drawn on the flank.

First Folio was not given a hard time when a creditable fourth over 7f at Kempton in March, having had a break, but that race will not be lost on him. He’s yet to win on the all-weather and seems more effective on turf and over sprint trips.

Khanjar heads the market, but he was a big disappointment in the Ayr Gold Cup and ran below expectations on his final start last term.

William Haggas, the trainer of Khanjar, has landed the past two runnings of the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap with a pair of progressive four-year-olds carrying the yellow silks of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum - Ilaraab and Gaassee - and can repeat the trick with La Yakel.

Kihavah can gain a repeat success

An entry in the Hardwicke Stakes indicates connections believe this 94-rated son of Time Test has plenty more in his locker and a gelding operation since last year may help him realise his potential.

Successive wins at Southwell and Ascot led to him going off a well-backed favourite at Newmarket in the autumn but he had to settle for a staying-on fourth. I’m not sure we saw the best of him that day but the form still makes plenty of sense with the third and fifth both gaining notable wins this year (at Chester and in Dubai). He’s had only five runs so it’s early days for a horse whose long-term goal might well be the Ebor.

Finally, make a note of Kihavah, who seeks a repeat win in the concluding Stuey Weston & Friends Getting Out Handicap.

The Adrian Keatley-trained six-year-old was a convincing winner of this prize 12 months despite getting messed about when trying to make his challenge.

He’s only 2lb higher in the ratings and several of his recent efforts, on the all-weather and over hurdles, suggest he’s in similar form. He’s often ridden by an apprentice but this time connections have acquired the services of the excellent Tom Marquand for the first time. Bet365 dangle a carrot by going 8-1.

How To Bet £20 on day one of the Dante meeting

OPTION ONE

1.50 York: La Yakel at 13-2 with SkyBet - £3.50 win

2.25 York: First Folio at 16-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power (five places – other forms offer 14-1 and six places) £2.50 each-way

3.00 York: Marshman at 13-2 with SkyBet and William Hill - £3 win

3.35: York: Novakai at 15-2 with SkyBet - £5 win

5.15: York: Kihavah at 8-1 with bet365 - £3.50 win

OPTION TWO

25p Win Super Yankee (costing £6.50) and 25p each-way Super Yankee (costing £13) plus 25p each-way accumulator