The tipsters’ table, York Races, Saturday, July 28, 2018

Who's tipping what: scroll horizontally to see all the picks

Tipster/ race	Dick Turpin	Sun	Mirror	Daily Mail	Times	Telegraph	Guardian	Sporting Life	At The Races	GG.co.uk
2.05	Culturati	Get Knotted	Culturati	Culturati	Get Knotted	Starlight Romance	Starlight Romance	Get Knotted	Get Knotted	Culturati
2.40	Growl	Intisaab	Tommy Taylor	Foolaad (nap)	Golden Apollo	Intisaab	Harome	Golden Apollo	Enjazaat	Intisaab
3.15	Smart Call (nb)	Elarqam	Elarqam	Elarqam	Elarqam	Forest Ranger	Smart Call	Smart Call	Forest Ranger	Elarqam
3.50	Baronial Pride	Heʼzanarab	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Baronial Pride	Heʼzanarab
4.25	Slunovrat	Suegioo	Graceful Lady	Graceful Lady (nb)	Davy’s Dilemma	Slunovrat	Stormin Tom	Slunovrat	Slunovrat	Suegioo
5.00	Morticia (nap)	Appointed	Morticia	Appointed	Naqaawa	Naqaawa	Morticia	Feline Groovy	Morticia	Appointed
5.35	Deputise	Deputise	Deputise	Que Amoro	Deputise	Que Amoro	Que Amoro	Que Amoro	Deputise	Deputise

Well, you can’t say the first day of the Music Showcase weekend wasn’t eventful.

Fans left fuming after storms scupper Sir Tom Jones gig at the last minute

Stormy showers, six races – and the last minute cancellation of the Sir Tom Jones gig made it a mixed day to say the least.

But things are looking sunnier today, with York Racecourse stating: “Both racing and the concert by Boyzone are set to go ahead as scheduled on Saturday 28 July.

“The updated weather forecasts have removed the threat of thunderstorms and the morning does feel fresher.”

So who should you back? Over to resident YorkMix tipster Dick Turpin…

Anyone who witnessed Morticia thrashing the field at Hamilton a fortnight ago can’t have failed to be impressed by Lanarkshire trainer Keith Dalgleish’s impressive filly, writes tipster Turpin.

There’s a six pound rise in the weights for that victory, but the nature of that win suggests the daughter of Dandy Man and Diksie Dancer will take that penalty well in her stride in the ten-furlong Fillies’ Handicap (5.00). She gets the nap vote in a contest that should see Tim Easterby’s Appointed taking minor honours.

As ever, The Sky Bet Dash (2.40) promises one of the great spectacles of racing, with 19 runners battling it out over the straight six furlongs. Recent York five-furlong winner, Harome, has leading claims.

But preference is for Richard Fahey’s Growl, on an easier mark than recently and, if at the top of his game, has the beating of these. Golden Apollo, Eastern Impact and Enjazaat offer value-seeking punters decent each way opportunities.

In the York Stakes (3.15), Likely favourite Elarqam has understandable leading claims, based on his two-year-old’s form. But disappointments in both the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas leave a big question-mark hanging in the air.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Smart Call could be the answer in a tricky contest. Last month’s Newastle win suggests that the seven-year-old mare is on the upgrade again, and this race comes when she is at her absolute peak.

Turpin’s tips

2.05

Win: Culturati
Place: Get Knotted
Longshot: Arcanada

2.40

Win: Growl
Place: Harome
Longshot: Golden Apollo

3.15

Win: Smart Call (nb)
Place: Forest Ranger
Longshot: Thundering Blue

3.50

Win: Baronial Pride
Place: He’zanarab

4.25

Win: Slunovrat
Place: Stormin Tom
Longshot: Graceful Lady

5.00

Win: Morticia (nap)
Place: Appointed
Longshot: Ladies First

5.35

Win: Deputise
Place: Society Queen

The tipsters’ table, York Races, Friday, July 27, 2018

What with huge storms, and a star struck down by illness, it’s not been the smoothest build-up to a race meeting.

But York Racecourse has come through the intense weather unscathed, and Sir Tom Jones has fully recovered, so we’re all set for an exciting two-day Music Showcase.

Sir Tom performs after the races on Friday evening, with Boyzone headlining on Saturday.

But what about the sport? We’re glad you asked. Here’s YorkMix tipster Dick Turpin with his picks for today…

Rasima’s good showing at Newcastle last month suggests the three-year-old will be the likely favourite in the six-runner feature race, the EBF Fillies’ Stakes over an extended 1m 2f (7.30), writes tipster Turpin.

The inclusion of Pleasant Surprise will make things interesting. It’s nine months since Luca Cumani’s top-rated charge ran, and if she is at her best, she has an undoubtedly good chance.

But it is Desert Diamond, Sir Michael Stoute’s only Knavesmire runner of the day, who gets the vote. A progressive type, she impressed in May when winning a competitive handicap here over the same distance, and maintained fitness with runs in the Sandringham and Coral Distaff; though connections tell Turpin that those distances did not suit her so well.

Back at the correct distance today, I expect Oisin Murphy to score at the main expense of Roger Varian’s Rasima.

But the word from Middleham is that her easy Yarmouth win earlier this month is more than enough to suggest she can cope with this, and is open to much more improvement too.

Punters looking for a nice ending to the meeting, just before Tom Jones takes the stage, are advised to consider Eeh Bah Gum in the last race (8.30). Connections at Tim Easterby’s yard report the gelding back in top form, only narrowly missing out on a five-timer at Haydock.

They exude confidence that he’ll be back to winning ways tonight.

Turpin’s tips