5:25 York Tips

Merchant was staying on over ten furlongs at Newmarket first time out this season. He should be suited by the extra distance and fast going at York and is two pounds well in with the handicapper.

Step up in trip looks ideal today judging by his previous runs. He won his maiden before finishing runner-up twice, last time behind today's rival Many Men. However, with a weight advantage and the extra distance, my selection should reverse that form here.

Rahiebb has been in good shape here and has a strong bit of form so can produce another good run here, shaped well in recent runs and trainer is going well.

The rather poignantly named Last Galileo, a 200k colt by the late Galileo, qualified for a mark in Listed company last month on seasonal reappearance. That company was clearly too competitive, and he makes his class 3 handicap debut off an opening mark of 82 and carries 8-12 today. The step up in distance and better ground could yield improvement for Karl Burke's runner.

Won a hot class 2 nursery on final start as a 2yo on soft ground over 1.2 miles @ Newbury and kept on strongly when taking a class 3 handicap over 1.2 miles @ Doncaster, so the step up to this 1.4 miles should actually suit. Blow the start @ Sandown Lto so did well to make some good late headway to come 5/12 beaten 3.5 lengths, good apprentice who was on board for both of above wins back in the saddle claiming 3lb and shrewd Epsom trainer does not send that many North, so current 10/1 would represent very good Ew value here.

Top weight to the fore in this in recent renewals, so Anniversary must be respected on that trend alone. But I’m taking a chance on Novelista, who will have to prove he can take to the surface. That said, he’s related to a couple that acted on quick ground, as did his dam, so I see no reason why he won’t. His dam won over this trip and further, so the step up in trip should be fine, and he looks as well handicapped as anything in here off 75, which gives him a featherweight carry too. Having won 4 of the last 9 renewals, Mark Johnstone knows the toe for the race, so hopefully he’s had some say over this horse coming here.

Pantile Warrior, from John and Thady Gosden stable, is a massive price. We saw one of their stable runners winning yesterday at Yarmouth at 33/1. This one is not far off this price, being 25/1. I know Kieran Shoemark is not the stable number one jockey now, and trainers are going with who is available. Strange that Ryan Moore is booked to ride, which could be a strong pointer towards a solid run appearing. Pantile Warrior has fitness on his side, winning at Chelmsford on return to racing and a fourth at Doncaster over ten furlongs. Stepping up in trip today, which can see him being in the equation, as he is sired by Frankel and dam's sire is Mister Baileys. Stamina in pedigree that can see him in the thick of the action.