ITV Racing Tips on Friday, May 13th
ITV are broadcasting six live races again on Friday afternoon, including five races on the final day of the Dante Festival from York. Racing Tips have provided insight into all six scheduled races, with a selection to follow in each. Check those out below, alongside today’s best bets – which are free to view on site now.
Yahsat (1.50 York)
Trainer Karl Burke could hardly have his team in better form at the moment and runs two in Friday’s opener on the Knavesmire. Pillow Talk was an encouraging second on her debut at Nottingham at the back end of April and will have learnt plenty following her half-length defeat, however, it’s YAHSAT that gets the nod to come out on top.
The Dandy Man filly caught the eye on her debut at Newmarket and after showing plenty of speed, she was only collared in the final strides by Richard Hannon’s filly Powerdress. Faced with a relatively straightforward task on her next start at Pontefract against three rivals, Yahsat comfortably got off the mark, making all in effortless fashion to win by five lengths ahead of two subsequent winners.
With further improvement to come on just her third racecourse outing, Yahsat can take the step up to Listed company in her stride on Friday afternoon and record another success for her in-form yard.
Trainer Karl Burke can continue his fine run of form by winning the opener a York on Friday.
Able Kane (2.05 Newbury)
With question marks surrounding a few of these, the likeliest winner appears to be ABLE KANE, who could be hard to reel in on the front end as he drops back down in trip.
The five-year-old is a useful performer on his day and enjoyed a productive season last year for connections over six and seven furlongs. A creditable second in the valuable Stewards’ Sprint Handicap at Goodwood last July, Able Kane soon returned to winning ways, landing an ultra-competitive handicap at Doncaster over six and a half furlongs before rounding off the year with a seven-furlong victory at Leicester.
Far from disgraced in his two starts at Newmarket this season, Able Kane should be able to dictate matters on Friday afternoon and this looks like a good opportunity for the five-year-old to land his seventh career victory.
Able Kane can return to winning ways at Newbury.
Grande Dame (2.25 York)
It was difficult not to be impressed by the way GRANDE DAME scored at Ascot on her debut last month.
The Lope De Vega Filly was well supported ahead of her first racecourse appearance and while she showed definite signs of greenness after racing keenly throughout, the talented filly soon asserted under hands and heels riding from Ryan Moore to quickly draw away from her five rivals.
Entered in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next month, she is clearly a filly who is held in the highest regard and with plenty more to come following her debut victory, Grande Dame will be expected to claim Friday’s Listed contest and maintain her unbeaten start.
Grande Dame appears to be an exciting filly in the making and will be tough to beat on Friday afternoon.
Cockalorum (3.00 York)
Although the yard is having a quiet spell, it might be worth taking a chance on the returning COCKALORUM who has a very good record when fresh and has often run well on his previous visits to York.
A useful handicapper on his day, Roger Fell’s charge enjoyed a productive campaign last term and was quick to return to winning ways at the start of last season. After an encouraging second on his seasonal return at Newcastle, Cockalorum recorded back to handicap wins at Musselburgh and Redcar before almost completing the hat-trick in the valuable John Smith’s Cup Handicap at York over Friday’s course and distance.
Following three below-par efforts toward step end of last season, Cockalorum finds himself back down to a workable mark of 95 and with fitness unlikely to be an issue on his return from 202 days off the track, Roger Fell’s seven-year-old is worth chancing at the current prices, especially with in-form rider Ben Curtis returning to the saddle.
Cockalorum looks to have plenty of boxes ticked as he returns to York.
Search For A Song (3:35 York)
All eyes will be on the returning Stradivarius as the superstar stayer bids for his sixth win at York and his third victory in the Yorkshire Cup. The eight-year-old has to be given the utmost respect on his return, however, after two disappointing efforts behind Trueshan towards the end of last season, he is worth taking on at the current prices.
Two-time Irish Leger winner SEARCH FOR A SONG has also been a fantastic servant for his respective connections and after running well on her comeback at Navan in Listed company, Dermot Weld’s six-year-old mare should be spot on for Friday’s test and could cause a bit of an upset.
Fifth in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup around this time last season, Search For A Song went on to finish the year in fine form, thumping her Group 3 rivals by nine and a half lengths at the Curragh over two miles before finishing fourth in testing conditions in the Prix Royal-Oak at Parislongchamp.
In receipt of weight from her four rivals on Friday, Search For A Song can record her sixth career victory before being aimed for a potential tilt at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next month.
Will Search For A Song cause an upset and defeat champion stayer Stradivarius?
Wild Crusade (4.10 York)
The Godolphin pair appear to be the two to focus on in ITV’s concluding race. New Comedy made it two from two at Haydock last month but it wasn’t an overly convincing display from the three-year-old as he scrambled home to win by a head under jockey James Doyle.
There should be plenty more to come from WILD CRUSADE who will also be searching for a hat-trick after comfortably scoring on the all-weather at Kempton on his last two starts.
The Dubawi colt failed to get his head in front in two starts as a juvenile but has subsequently improved as a three-year-old for his top connections. With cheekpieces applied for the first time back in January, Wild Crusade defeated stablemate and subsequent three-time winner Nahanni in novice company over twelve furlongs. Following an 88 day break, the colt followed up with another course and distance success on handicap debut from a mark of 83. Sent off at prohibitive odds, Charlie Appleby’s charge quickly asserted in the closing stages and readily drew away from his three rivals.
Up 5lb for his most recent success, Wild Crusade looks likely to progress further now switching to the turf for the first time and the three-year-old colt should take plenty of beating.
Jockey James Doyle can partner Wild Crusade to another victory.