York Dante Festival day two

What catches the eye on Thursday

The group two Dante Stakes tops the bill for horse racing backers on Thursday, with the highlight of York’s festival scheduled for a 3.30pm start. You can back the champion of the big one, or have your say on any of the day’s racing, right here at Coral. Click to find those winners!

Wednesday was a difficult round for punters, but we’re confident the meeting will spring to life on Thursday, boosting our betting balance in good time of the weekend. We give our views on the Dante Stakes below, as well as a bet worth having in the Middleton Stakes. If you’re targeting big returns, scroll to the bottom of this page where you’ll find a selection in every race, which can be used in your multiple bets.

Big price upset in Dante Stakes

The 2017 renewal of the Dante Stakes has attracted a fierce six-runner field, and Coral’s traders at the Stratford HQ have thrown their support behind Cracksman, 5/2 leader in the current market. It’s difficult to argue against that stance, with Dettori riding for Gosden, which proved a winning combination last year on Wings Of Desire, but we’re going to take a chance and oppose the shortest price.

With a touch of value in mind, we take a pop at big price outsider Syphax, who has been scratched up as a 22/1 shot. Jamie Spencer takes the ride for trainer Kevin Ryan, and the pick goes into the day with two wins and a runner-up from three starts. Making a perfect start at Musselburgh, he followed that with victory in the group three Acomb Stakes, beating odds-on Best of Days by a head, again off a chunky SP.

Improvement expected from Syphax