ITV Racing Tips: Picks On Yorkshire Cup Day

The York Dante Festival wraps up on Friday, and what a meeting it has been! The final day brings with it some good races, the best being the Yorkshire Cup, and Billy Grimshaw has a couple of tips to get stuck into...

14:42 York

AUSTRIAN THEORY is a horse I scribbled down as one to back next time out following a luckless second at Chester when - you guessed it - drawn wide last time out and I'm pleasantly surprised to see we can get prices as big as 12/1 about him winning here. This horse has no issues being busy if we look back over his schedule and his second at Redcar earlier in the campaign was another fair effort when running over the seven furlong trip which is patently inadequate for him now he's a bit longer in the tooth. That was the same trip he ran over when last at York, finishing 11th and blatantly being outpaced, but with a much longer distance to run over here and his proven wellness at Chester I think he has a right chance in what is admittedly a competitive race.

Austrian Theory's stamina is no concern, nor is the draw as crucially he is drawn low near the assumed pace setters Thunder Run and Salamanca, who head the market. I rate the former as the chief threat as he has a good record at York and had a cobweb blower last time out, which he has done to good effect in the past. Thankfully he's drawn on the pacey side of things as I don't want Clifford Lee being able to get a freebie, so with pace all around I fancy Austrian Theory will be ridden prominently but not too forward before coming with a late challenge as he did at Chester. Hopefully this time he's not forced to take a disadvantageous route and can at least land us some place money.

15:45 York

I do respect the globetrotting favourite here Rebel's Romance and were the market less decidedly speaking in his favour I wouldn't be in such a rush to take him on, but with sub 2/1 quotes against rivals as good as Sweet William and CONTINUOUS he must be a favourite to oppose. The Dubawi gelding wonplenty of races last season and also his first of this campaign before a decent enough fourth in the valuable Sheema Classic last time out. Arguably his best performance was when third behind eventual Arc winner Bluestocking and Goliath in the QEII of last season, and the firm ground will be in his favour here, but against bonafide stayers I worry he may not quite have the stamina to fully see this out.

They're sure to go an honest pace and that'll suit Sweet William, who is a confirmed stayer having finished second on Champions Day in the two mile race, but at 5/2 I don't really fancy backing him on seasonal debut with the ground rattling quick like this. It's a leap of faith to back Continuous too, truth be told, but I am willing to forgive him a few bad runs last season and look back to his three year old campaign when an impressive winner here in the Great Voltigeur and then in the St Leger.

He's always struck me as the type who will excel as a stayer but coming from the same yard as the best stayer around in Kyprios could mean his season is carefully plotted by Aidan O'Brien, and unlike some others from the stable who may be using York as a stepping stone I think he'll be cherry ripe for this big prize. If Ryan Moore can get to the front early I've no stamina concerns and given he won the Voltigeur here on similar ground a few seasons back, I think he can add this to his trophy cabinet.