DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY MAY 13
2.20 YORK
Unsurprisingly, the market has centred around horses housed from the Haggas and Beckett stables in this 1m4f handicap but the safest option at the prices is to side with course specialist, STRESSFREE, who bids to go place better than last season.
Runner-up to Almosh’her on his penultimate start on the Knavesmire, David O’Mara’s gelding went on to run another herculean race in the Ebor later in the campaign and his last four runs here now read 4223.
Returning to the fray following a 168-day break at Ripon recently, the six-year-old left the impression he may have beaten eventually winner, Prydwyn, with anything like a clear run and with that all-important run under his belt, the reliable performer rates a strong choice from an each-way perspective.
STRESSFREE – 1-point each-way@11-2 (four places)
4.40 YORK
FIRST LEGION ran with plenty of encouragement for the future in a warm handicap at Newmarket on his seasonal bow and now returning to a track that has seen him enjoy success in the past, Richard Hannon’s gelding can go well on his first attempt beyond six furlongs.
Housed in stall one at HQ, the Memhas colt was always likely to be inconvenienced by being stuck out on the wing away from the main action, but to his great credit, he kept on well to finish an honourable fourth despite being seeing too much daylight from an early stage.
A winner on his debut on the Knavesmire as a juvenile, he was also a shade unfortunate on his only other start at the Ebor meeting and although it is not in tablets of stone that he will stay today’s extra furlong, he is certainly worth a try based on his run style.
FIRST LEGION – 1-point each-way@13-2 (five places)