York Wednesday review: Reports, reaction and free replays including Gaassee, Highfield Princess and Dakota Gold

A round-up of the rest of the action on day one of the Dante Festival as Highfield Princess took the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes by storm.

Quinn mare powers to victory

Highfield Princess produced a career-best effort to thrash some quality rivals in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes.

Strong in the betting following light rain on the Knavesmire throughout the morning, John Quinn’s mare put her race-fitness to good use and appeared to relish the drop back in distance after winning over seven furlongs at Newcastle on All-Weather Championships Finals Day last month.

Jason Hart gave her a confident ride from stall one, bouncing out and setting pace before careering away from the chasing pack, ultimately scoring by two and three-quarter lengths from Spycatcher and the 11/4 joint-favourite Minzaal back in third.

Garrus was fourth while the disappointment of the race was fellow joint-favourite Dragon Symbol who weakened out of the reckoning after trying to match strides with Highfield Princess through the first couple of furlongs.

Winning jockey Hart said: “I don’t know what the boss does but he seems to get horses to progress through their careers.

“I got her in a lovely rhythm and when I pressed the button I couldn’t believe how well she quickened up. She’s definitely in that [Platinum Jubilee, Royal Ascot] and you’d think that’s where she’ll go.”

Sky Bet go 12/1 (from 60/1) about Highfield Princess for the Group One Platinum Jubilee Stakes while Paddy Power and Betfair go 14/1 from 50s.

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Quinn, who was on his way to the Arqana sales in France, said of the well-supported 11/2 victor: “I got to see it just before I was about to get on the train. I’m obviously delighted, she was very impressive, just what I wanted to see.

“I think we’ll probably wait now until the six-furlong race at Ascot (Platinum Jubilee), that’s the obvious next race for her. What has been really pleasing to see of late is that if anything she’s getting quicker, they were never going too quick for her there.

“Now I just hope I can find the next one.”

Karl Burke was more than satisfied with the runner-up’s effort, but felt he may have been a little unlucky.

He said: “I’m delighted – he ran a great race. It’s a shame we got a little bit hampered because he is quite a competitive horse when he gets upsides. The winner was the best horse on the day, but we’d have been a couple of lengths closer I think if we’d had a clear run.

“He’s suffered with his feet a little bit and should have won on Good Friday really, but to come and do it in that grade is brilliant and gives us a lot of hope for the future. I’m not sure where we’ll go next. He is actually in the Group Two at the Curragh on Sunday week (Greenlands Stakes), but I’d imagine that will come too quick and will be a very hot race.

“We’re not entered at Royal Ascot and I think the ground would be the key to him really with his feet – a bit of juice in the ground is perfect.”

Minzaal was the only one of the first three to be making his seasonal reappearance and Burrows said: “I’m happy enough with that as I felt this might just knock the cobwebs away.

“It was a funny old race. He jumped well, which I was pleased about as he’s been a little bit slow at times and he travelled well, but the winner didn’t stop did she?

“She drifted away from him, so he didn’t have anything then to take him into the race.

“He’s having a nice blow and I’m sure he’ll come forward plenty from that. Like everybody we’ve been waiting to get some serious work in on the grass, so hopefully the rain will allow for that and we can move forwards to Ascot.”

Gaassee on road to the Ebor

William Haggas’ Gaassee landed the first race of the Dante Festival at York and some hefty bets in the meantime with a comfortable success in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.

Sent off the 6/4 favourite in what looked a strong field, the son of Sea The Stars came from off the pace to finish strongly and pick up the prominently-ridden Forza Orta in the closing stages to win by a length.

Just Fine stayed on for third but the winner did this relatively comfortably despite hanging to his left a little when first coming under pressure.

Strong at the line, sponsors Sky Bet went 10/1 about Gaassee for their Ebor Handicap in August and his winning jockey, Tom Marquand, feels he’ll get the extra two furlongs without fuss.

Haggas said: “That’s a good start. He was lugging a bit to the left though, I don’t know why. He might have been a bit rusty, but he wasn’t as impressive as I’d hoped he’d be.

“We put him in the Hardwicke in case something like this happened, but he’s not Hardwicke material yet.

“He wears a tongue-strap but I don’t know if it makes a difference, we’re just now at the stage where I don’t want to take it off.

“Everyone loves winners at York, but I was born up here and I’m always proud to have winners at York.”

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Dakota strikes Gold for Dods

Dakota Gold registered his fifth course success at York with a gutsy display in the Churchill Tyres Handicap.

The eight-year-old drew a blank in 2021 and this was his first success for 18 months, but his mark had dropped to 98 and it proved a winning one for a horse trainer Michael Dods ran in the Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe last season.

Connor Beasley punched him out for a neck success over Makanah, with the winner’s stablemate Pendleton back in third. Asadjumeirah was fourth and Sky Bet paid out each-way on the fifth home, Aberama Gold, as well as sixth Summerghand and seventh Bielsa.

Dods said: “I gave him a run at Musselburgh and he didn’t like it because everyone wants to lead and he was getting hassled – it was a waste of time.

“He looks better this year than last year. I was never really happy with him in his coat and everything last season and he was so high in the weights he couldn’t get in races. He was having to run in Listed races and basically wasn’t good enough.

“They had a bit of rain here today and six furlongs on good ground is perfect for him. It’s nice to see him come back and hopefully he goes on from here. For an eight-year-old to do that, he’s got some heart.”

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