It is day one of the John Smith’s Cup meeting at York on Friday and Phill Anderson of the Racing Post supplies us with his best bets on the card.
There are seven races to get stuck into on the Knavesmire, starting with the 14:10 and ending with the 17:40.
York Horse Racing Betting Tips
14:45 York - Royal Fixation @ 13/2
16:30 York - Frankies Dream @ 11/2
17:40 York - Golden West @ 10/1
14:45 York - Royal Fixation @ 13/2
It looks like a cracking renewal of York’s Summer Stakes with Flora Of Bermuda bidding for another renewal and Spicy Marg bidding to back up her career best at Royal Ascot last time.
However, one that has been a little forgotten about in the market is Royal Fixation. It’s fair to say that she produced a low-key yard debut for Karl Burke at Newbury on her return but she has several pieces of form from her two-year-old campaign that entitle her to be shorter in the betting.
This Palace Pier filly was narrowly denied by Venetian Sun in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes second time out and gained compensation with an impressive success in the Lowther over this course and distance.
She then produced another cracking effort back at Newmarket when just under two lengths behind True Love in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, form that could hardly have worked out any better in the interim.
She was too keen on her return outing but that run should take the freshness out of her and with bet365 paying an extra place on the race, she looks worth supporting at 13/2.
16:30 York - Frankies Dream @ 11/2
Later on the card, the middle distance handicap could be a good opportunity for Frankies Dream to get his head back in front.
This progressive four-year-old has been knocking on the door all season in competitive handicaps, including at this venue on his last couple of starts and he’s been shaping like he is ready for a step up to this new distance, given how strongly he sees out his races over a mile/nine furlongs.
His stride data also suggests this trip is well worth a go and in four outings on the Knavesmire, the son of Belardo has form figures that read 5123, not beaten more than two lengths in any of those starts.
He should get a decent pace to aim at, is ideally drawn in stall two, and looks worthy of outright favouritism in a race that is not quite as competitive as one might expect for a York handicap.
17:40 York - Golden West @ 10/1
Jake Dickson is a rider that’s starting to look like good value for his claim, particularly in races confined to apprentices in which he can still claim 5lb and he gets on board Golden West in the finale.
This five-year-old missed all of 2025 but has shaped like he retains plenty of his old ability in two runs for Tim Easterby so far in 2026, and while he was no match for a very progressive winner in the Cumberland Plate last time out at Carlisle, he travelled through that race strongly and beat the rest of the field comfortably enough.
He’s lurking on a dangerous handicap mark at present and if he can find his best, he looks like a big each-way player with bet365 offering standout odds of 10/1.
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Tipster's Recent Winners
Phill Anderson hit the frame with two each-way picks from three selections for bet365 at Royal Ascot (Great Acclaim 16/1 and Outback Heat 9/1). He also returned a profit with a 33/1 second at the Curragh last month and got a winner on the board with Royal Zabeel (15/2) on Saturday.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
