Tom Collins' York tip: 'His unchanged mark leaves him exceptionally well handicapped'

We might have seen the Oaks winner on day one of York's Dante meeting in the form of Emily Upjohn. She looked a real talent and deserves to head the fillies' Classic market.

There are plenty of classy runners on Thursday, too, but one well-handicapped runner in the Hambleton Handicap has caught SBK tipster Tom Collins' eye.

3.00 York, 1m Hambleton Handicap

Since May last year, Trais Fluors has recorded form figures of 74100600500. Hardy inspiring, wouldn’t you say? In cases like this, a punter is presented with two options: immediately rule out the horse due to poor recent form, or take a chance that they may bounce back. In Trais Fluors’ case, the latter is the wise choice.

Although the Hambleton Handicap tends to attract a competitive and classy field, the general quality of runners in this year’s renewal fails to meet the usual standards. It is fair to conclude that this mile contest is very winnable for regular players in this division, and even more so for those who have plied their trade at much higher levels in the past.

Trais Fluors is a prime example of a horse that possesses the backclass to demolish his opposition if he returns to somewhere near his best. This eight-year-old hit the frame in three French Group 1s when trained by Andre Fabre early in his career and joined Mick Channon with a rating of 106 following a brief stint at Ken Condon’s Irish base.

Starting slowly has been his major downfall ever since and, despite an impressive last-to-first victory at Sandown in June last year, he has regularly disappointed. However, the handicapper has begun to relent and this son of Dansili now finds himself running off just 87, nearly 20lb below where he started 14 months ago.

His two runs this season have been extremely promising despite the questionable form figures. A seventh-placed finish in the Spring Cup on his reappearance can be marked up given he raced keenly throughout - he was clearly fresh following a 190-day break and paid for that close to home, while little went right in the Thirsk Hunt Cup at the end of April. 

If you haven’t watched that race back, I would advise you to do so. Trais Fluors was shuffled back to second-last from his far-from-ideal draw in stall 13 and was initially angled to the inside rail in order to save ground approaching the homestraight.

That tactical decision by Silvestre De Sousa ended up costing Trais Fluors any kind of run in the homestraight as he repeatedly ran up the back of the leaders while his Brazilian pilot searched for a clear passage inside the final two furlongs. It would be foolish to suggest that he may have won the race if he avoided traffic given his finishing position, but there is no doubt that he crossed the line with plenty left in the tank.

His unchanged mark leaves him exceptionally well handicapped and, with a strong pace likely and a long homestraight to get into his full stride, I don’t want to be opposing Trais Fluors. 

Recommended bet

Trais Fluors (3.00 York) @ 9.2