York Dante meeting: Friday’s tips

David Metcalf | May 12, 2016

Hat-trick beckons for Barsanti

Barsanti has won his two starts this season in devastating fashion and can make light of a hike in the weights to land the hat-trick in the 1m 4f handicap on the final day of York’s Dante meeting (16:40).

The gelding shaped with promise in four runs last season when trained by Luca Cumani, but has taken his form to a new level since joining Newmarket handler Roger Varian.

After easily landing landing a class 5 handicap at Chelmsford by 3 1/4 lengths despite still showing signs of greenness, Barsanti defied a 10lb rise to land the competitive class 2 Rosberry Handicap at Kempton in scintillating style.

The three-year-old travelled powerfully on the heels of the leaders, and after being produced to take up the running two from home shot clear to win easing down by four lengths from Dutch Uncle off a mark of 85.

Dutch Uncle is a decent sort who brought strong form into the race and has won since, and the manner in which Barsanti disposed of him suggested that he could be a Group horse in the making.

If that is the case, then a further 11lb rise is unlikely to be enough to prevent the ultra-progressive son of Champs Elysses going in again.

West Drive weighted to strike on handicap debut