Architect Tips has two bets in Friday’s feature at the Dante Festival.
Yorkshire Cup
Friday’s feature race at the Dante Festival is the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup, with seven runners set to go to post. The market is spearheaded by Tower Of London, who was last seen winning the Dubai Gold Cup.
Newly crowned champion trainer in Britain Willie Mullins has declared the classy Vauban, whose last taste of the British flat turf resulted in an emphatic success at Royal Ascot last year.
Yorkshire Cup Runners Guide
1. Tower Of London
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Form: 124911
- Odds: 13/8
The current market leader. This four-year-old has won four of his nine starts and has raised his game this year by winning both of his starts. He reappeared with a win in a Group 3 race in Riyadh prior to powering to victory in the Dubai Gold Cup in Meydan.
He was probably suited to the strong pace that was on offer in the latest of those wins, but he did it impressively and could be hard to beat here, with plenty more to come.
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2. Al Qareem
- Trainer: Karl Burke
- Jockey: Clifford Lee
- Form: 001122
- Odds: 10/1
This son of Awtaad is a very solid yardstick and rarely runs a bad race. He won Listed, Group 3, and Group 2 races last year and is clearly on an upward curve in form.
That being said, he’s been held by Hamish the last two times, and he has yet to win over this distance. Although he is unbeaten at this course, this is an even tougher race than last time, and it is difficult to see him winning this.
3. Giavellotto
- Trainer: Marco Botti
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- Form: 915335
- Odds: 15/2
Last year’s winner. This largely consistent five-year-old has yet to add to his big win in four subsequent starts, but there’s no doubt he’s been trained for a potential repeat success.
Nevertheless, he has ground to make up on Tower Of London, having finished behind that re-opposing rival the last two times, and this does look like a deeper renewal compared to the one he won last year. He is vulnerable, despite Oisin Murphy catching the eye in the saddle.
4. Gregory
- Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
- Jockey: James Doyle
- Form: 11135
- Odds: 9/1
This son of Derby winner Golden Horn completed a hat-trick of wins with a gritty success in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, but underperformed in the Great Voltigeur here and in the St Leger at Doncaster.
He’s been given plenty of time to strengthen up since, goes well fresh, and James Doyle is a positive jockey booking, but he will do well to find a new personal best in this field. It is best to look elsewhere.
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5. Hamish
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Jockey: Tom Marquand
- Form: 211111
- Odds: 6/1
The oldest runner in the field, but my word, this eight-year-old is as tough as old boots and is a winning machine. He made it five wins on the bounce with a victory in a Group 3 race at Newbury on his return, and he’s unbeaten in two starts over course and distance.
He will be suited to the way this race will be run, and he should come on plenty from that seasonal reappearance. To be seen at his brilliant best, he could do with plenty of rain, but he’s dangerous to rule out regardless of the ground.
Adding to that, he is the top-rated runner in the field, yet he’s nearly double-figure odds, which seems odd.
6. Naqeeb
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Jockey: Jim Crowley
- Form: 221133
- Odds: 22/1
Stablemate of Hamish, who has two wins and five placed efforts from eight starts. He is unbeaten in two handicap starts but has fared no better than third in two Group races since, including behind Outbox last time out on his return.
He’s entitled to strip fitter, but he has plenty to find on form and ratings, and a place might be the best he can hope for here.
7. Vauban
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Jockey: William Buick
- Form: 11110
- Odds: 4/1
Three-time Grade 1-winning hurdler who absolutely bolted up in the Copper Horse Handicap at the royal meeting last season when making a mockery of a mark of 101. He then followed up in a Group 3 race at Naas, which led to him being sent off as the favourite for the Melbourne Cup next time out.
He failed to meet expectations when down the field in that Aussie race, but he’s capable when fresh and remains unexposed in this sphere.
Willie Mullins dominated Britain towards the end of the National Hunt season, and his six-year-old must enter the reckoning as one of the leading contenders. Lots to like about William Buick in the saddle.
Yorkshire Cup Tips & Predictions
This isn’t the easiest of renewals to dilute, but I’ll take on the favourite with two selections. The first one being VAUBAN (best price 4/1), who has untapped potential as a stayer in this sphere and bolted up in his latest start in Britain.
He is a class act with three Grade 1 wins over hurdles and will love the ground. I think he could have too much pace for the favourite when push comes to shove, and he’s fancied to hand Willie Mullins another big-race victory.
Vauban, 2pts WIN, 4/1
You can back Architect's best bets for the Yorkshire Cup at the best available price through oddschecker by clicking the live odds below the tips.
The other one I like is the veteran of the party, HAMISH (best price 6/1), who is one of my favourite horses in training. This prolific winning machine has won his last five starts and is unbeaten in two starts over track and trip.
Ideally, plenty of rain would aid his cause, but he has proven himself to be versatile under various conditions, and he couldn’t arrive in this race in better form. He’s a massive price considering his capabilities at this level. It will take a good effort from anything else to see his colours lowered.
