Millar's Method: Reliable veteran handicapper features among three York tips

If a short-priced play isn't your idea of a good bet, especially on a competitive day of racing, make sure you have a second look at Ross Millar's selections.

1.50 York, 1m Strensall Stakes 

Regular listeners to the SBK Betting Podcast will know that I don’t like tipping short-priced favourites, instead striving to find a value, bigger-priced alternative. 

However, it’s worth remembering that value can also be found in market leaders providing you think they’re not as short as they should be. At a current odds-against, I think that is the case with Mighty Ulysses in this year’s Strensall Stakes. 

He comfortably boasts the best form on offer - he was beaten less than a length in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes, and beat the reopposing Alflaila off the same terms last time out. 

Mighty Ulysses is well favoured by the conditions of this race - he receives 7lb from his elders, all of whom he is rated higher than anyway - and Frankie Dettori has looked to be back in his groove in recent weeks. I expect him to keep things simple here. 

Selection: Mighty Ulysses @ 2.36

4.10 York, 6f handicap

David O’Meara has many talents as a trainer but seems particularly adept at managing his older campaigners and keeping them sweet, which has been well advertised by the exploits of Orbaan and Escobar, who was only narrowly denied in a handicap here on Thursday.

It’s been nearly a year since the likeable Summerghand got his head in front, yet he has performed consistently well in the interim. This season he has finished a close-up sixth in the Wokingham and a credible fourth in the Great St Wilfrid - the latter effort deserves an upgrade as he was racing on the unflavoured far-side.

He’s shown enough to suggest that, at the age of eight, the fire still burns. He can capitalise on his lowest mark for three years and bag this competitive handicap for his masterful trainer. 

Selection: Summerghand @ 10 

5.20 York, 1m2f handicap  

James Horton has made an excellent start to his training career and currently operates at a respectable 17% strike-rate. Phantom Flight has contributed two wins (Redcar and Haydock) to that total and looked progressive over a mile.

He stepped up to 1m2f on his last start but endured a torrid passage through the race - Phantom Flight found himself trapped behind a retreating rival. Jockey PJ McDonald tried in vain to find an exit route, first opting to go to the rail before eventually finding a clear passage down the outside. By that time the winner, New London, had got first run and wasn’t for catching, but the amount of ground Phantom Flight made up in the closing stages caught the eye.

The form of that race looks red-hot (New London won a Group 3 at Goodwood next time, beating subsequent Great Voltigeur Stakes victor Deauville Legend as well as the Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal). I’m confident that, off a mark of 98, Phantom Flight can regain the winning habit and bag this handicap en route to better things.

Selection: Phantom Flight @ 4.3

Recommended bets

Mighty Ulysees (1.50 York) @ 2.36
Summerghand (4.10 York) @ 10
Phantom Flight (5.20 York) @ 4.3