Who’ll win at York Races? Tips for the October Finale meeting 2017, Day 2

The tipsters’ table, York Races, Saturday, October 14, 2017

It’s the last hurrah for racing in York this weekend.

York’s final two-day meeting of the year, worth a record £465,000, starts on Friday (October 13), with the Knavesmire season concluding the following afternoon with a seven race card that includes another £100,000 handicap – the Coral Sprint Trophy.

So who should you put your money on? Over to YorkMix resident tipster Dick Turpin…

Turpin writes:

Just one winner yesterday, so here’s hoping we can do much better in trying to work spot who will handle the good-to-soft ground best today.

The feature Coral Sprint Handicap (3.15), looks to be a battle between Al Qahwa, Spring Loaded and Stake Acclaim. Turpin’s preference is for the latter, Dean Ivory’s five-year-old is in the capable hands of Robert Winston.

With wins at Ascot and Windsor already this season, and a commendable second in heavy going at Haydock last month, and no questions about his explosive stamina, we are hoping for a big end-of-season payday.

We’ve had a strong word from a major connection at the Haggas stable for Awesometank in the Coral Nursery (3.50).

Form alone would be enough to make this promising filly stand out – after an impressive Newmarket win – and in the hands of Daniel Tudhope, she is likely to start favoiurite.

Turpin always tries to find a non-favourite selection, but this descendant of American champion Giant’s Causeway is hard to oppose.

The tipsters’ table, York Races, Friday, October 13, 2017

Turpin writes:

There’s one key question for backers – and tipsters – today and tomorrow, the last days of racing on Knavesmire this year. Will it rain, and will the going yet again be the decisive factor?

The prospect is for good ground, which augurs well for the best-fancied mounts. So far this season, the soft and very soft going has thrown up some remarkable long-odds winners.

That’s fine for the pinstickers; but we professionals like to know that the form has a good chance of working out – and that’s only possible when the going is reliable.

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So, today’s advice comes with the usual warning, if it rains heavily overnight and the going is reported on the soft side of good, exercise great caution.

The feature race of the day, the Unibet Handicap (3.55) promises a thrilling battle between Godolphin’s Gold Star and William Haggas’s The Grand Visir.

Gold Star improves with every run, having impressed over 12f at Wolverhampton last month. The extra furlong today should not trouble him, and David Egan’s 3lb claim is an extra plus. Softer ground shouldn’t present a problem either.

But preference is for the Frankel colt, The Grand Visir, fifth here over the same distance in the Melrose Stakes in August. All his rivals that day have gone on to impress too, so the form is nicely boosted.

Turpin is hoping that race rounds off a Haggas double, as Tulip Fever in the first (2.10) looks to have what it takes to see off challenges from Ginbar, Roundhay Park, Zap and Canford’s Joy.

A usually reliable source has whispered for Turpin to watch out for Qianlong in the 5.05; and also David O’Meara’s Mujassam in the last race (5.35), who showed well at Pontefract recently, and could offer excellent e.w. value.