After Klassleader and Legacy Link’s wins, as well as Binhareer’s narrow defeat, it was a good start to the meeting. I’m back with four more York Dante Festival Thursday tips, the bet of the day being an underestimated filly, while I reckon the Dante is not going the way of the favourite.
York Dante Festival Day 2 Tips: Diamond Making it Rain
| Race | Horse | Odds | Bookie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:55 – Hambleton Handicap | Sea Force | 7/2 | bet365 |
| 3:30 – Middleton Stakes | Diamond Rain | 10/3 | Betfred |
| 4:05 – Dante Stakes | King's Trail | 15/2 | StarSports |
| 4:40 – Westow Stakes | Manatee Mehmas | 7/2 | Spreadex |
Odds correct at 15:45 BST on 13/05/26. Odds subject to change.
Betfred, bet365, Spreadex, and StarSports, some of the best bookmakers around, have provided the prices for my magic quartet here. There’s still more to come this week – look out for Friday’s tips.
I was happy with things yesterday. In terms of the going report – 3mm of rain fell on the track before racing on Wednesday, but there’s a typically good covering of grass and the track is riding beautifully. We should get full value once again with today’s tips for York races.
Sea Force (2:55 – Hambleton Handicap) – Making Waves in the Opener
This is a one-mile handicap for the older horses, and I think William Haggas’ patience is going to prove to be a virtue in it. Haggas targets York very well, and he has the best handicapped horse in this race.
Sea Force, a four-year-old son of super sire Sea The Stars, was considered for the Lincoln Handicap earlier in the spring, but he prefers this quicker ground. It was a wise decision not to go to Doncaster, and he comes into this race fit after outings at Musselburgh and Thirsk.
Latterly, he was a very unlucky loser behind the reopposing Mirsky, and I’m treating him like a winner without a penalty in this one. Tom Marquand is riding the York straight particularly well, and the stable’s main man is on board again.
Why I’m Backing Sea Force:
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Very unlucky loser last time out
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Well handicapped and improving – perfect profile
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Jockey and trainer are experts at finding winners at York
Diamond Rain (3:30 – Middleton Stakes) – Sparkling Performance Expected
Despite not being particularly well fancied elsewhere from what I can gather, I’m making Charlie Appleby’s filly my York NAP of the day.
We’re running here over the Knavesmire’s famous one mile, two and a half-furlong trip, the same track used in the Dante, the Musidora, the John Smith’s Cup, and the Juddmonte International.
After one defection, we’re left with only four runners, possibly making for a tactical race. The pace angle is Fallen Angel, but she always takes time to get going for the season and shoulders a 3lb penalty. See The Fire is one of the market movers, but last year’s sparkling winner wasn’t anywhere near her best last time out, despite winning.
For me, Diamond Rain has just been underestimated. She was a first time out winner last year, is lightly raced and hasn’t reached her ceiling, improved throughout 2025, and went close in not one, but two North American Grade 1 races.
The daughter of Shamardal can cope with a slower pace and a tactical race, given how well she did to win the Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle last summer with some authority. William Buick rides.
Why I’m Backing Diamond Rain:
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High class filly who has gone close at the top level
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Can cope with a potentially slow pace
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Rated only 2lbs behind See The Fire, but improving
King’s Trail (4:05 – Dante Stakes) – Follow the Royal Route
This Group 2 contest is the top-rated Classic trial. It always produces a very good colt, but that doesn’t mean that horse wins the Derby, or stays a mile and a half for that matter.
The other major point about Dante winners is that we don’t always see them coming. SP’s of winners since 2017 are 10/1, 3/1f, 7/1, 13/2, 5/1, 7/2jf, 6/1, 6/1, and 18/1. Improvement from their last race to this is hard to judge for these lightly raced, potentially high-level performers, but I used their form, profile, and the patterns of their close relatives to give me an edge.
The money has been for Aidan O’Brien pair Action and Christmas Day. They could be top level, but I’d prefer William Haggas’ Morshdi and Andrew Balding’s Item in these conditions.
Charlie Appleby’s Al Zanati wouldn’t be without a chance, but he has been passed over by jockey William Buick in favour of King’s Trail, and I can definitely see why.
A brilliant debut winner, the son of Sea The Stars was striking when winning at Newmarket in April, but got a little bit lost when quietly fancied in the 2000 Guineas just under two weeks ago.
We’ve seen this all before back in 2018. Masar, also trained by Charlie Appleby, was exceptional at Newmarket in April, bombed in the Guineas, then came out and won the Derby. The same year, Roaring Lion was disappointing at HQ, but won this race on his next start. King’s Trail has a similar profile, could be anything at this stage, and was always expected to be better going over a longer trip.
Why I’m Backing King’s Trail:
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High class sort who will appreciate this 1m2½f distance
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Trainer and jockey have won the Dante before
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The Derby was always the major aim
Manatee Mehmas (4:40 – Westow Stakes) – Big Splash Incoming
Today’s York racing tips are rounded off by Manatee Mehmas of the David O’Meara yard. We know what level rivals Aspect Island and Revival Power are roughly at, but the debut win of Manatee Mehmas was more than a little encouraging and he has loads more to deliver on his second racecourse start. His sire is an exceptional producer of early speedsters. Back him with Spreadex, who offer free bets for new customers.
Why I’m Backing Manatee Mehmas:
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Very flashy debut and can produce more
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Sire Mehmas gets so many young sprinters
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David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope are excellent at York
