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

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

Tipster/ race	Dick Turpin	Sun	Daily Mail	Times	Telegraph	Guardian	Sporting Life	At The Races	GG.co.uk
6.00	Where’s Jeff	Where’s Jeff	Data Protection	Data Protection	Data Protection (nb)	Data Protection	Humbolt Current	Humbolt Current	Humbolt Current
6.30	Dirchill	Suitcase ‘n‘ Taxi	Tylery Wonder	Dirchill	Dirchill	Pennsylvania Dutch	Ninjago	Dirchill	Tylery Wonder
7.00	Persian Moon (nb)	Persian Moon	Persian Moon	Persian Moon	Persian Moon	Persian Moon	Absolute Dream	Persian Moon	Persian Moon
7.30	Desert Diamond (nap)	Desert Diamond	Desert Diamond	Desert Diamond	Rasima	Desert Diamond	Rasima	Desert Diamond	Rasima
8.00	La Rav	La Rav	Kaeso	Fashion Theory	Kings Gift	Racemaker	Kings Gift	Third Time Lucky	La Rav
8.30	Eeh Bah Gum	Eeh Bah Gum	Cameo Star	Machree	Laith Alareen	Airglow	Harrogate	Laith Alareen	Eeh Bah Gum

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…

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. 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-ols 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.

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.

In the preceding event, a seven-furlong novice contest (7.00), Mark Johnston saddles Persian Moon. Seven of these 11 runners are on a racecourse for the first time, so there is always a risk that a hotpot will emerge.

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