York racing tips: Gregory all set to challenge market leaders for Yorkshire Cup glory

15:45 York:  Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes  (1 mile 5 furlongs 188 yards)

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore team up with Tower Of London, who looks to be the justifiable favourite after landing the odds ( not to mention around £2 million in prize money) from his back-to-back wins in Saudi Arabia and Dubai on his last two outings earlier this year.

Planet Sport Bet Daily Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Tower Of London wins, get a £5 Free Bet

His main challenge is likely to come from Willie Mullins’ versatile six-year-old Vauban, who competed at Champion Hurdle level over obstacles last year after winning the 2022 Triumph at Cheltenham, and is also no mug on the Flat, having landed the 16-runner Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot last June.

He struggled to last the distance in the Melbourne Cup last time out, so this shorter trip should suit and the combination of the Master of Closutton with William Buick should not be taken lightly.

Oisin Murphy might have something to say about that on Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, and the same might apply to James Doyle, who is booked to ride the John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory, who gets our final nod to make things difficult for the market leaders in a race that should suit his improving strengths.

Suggested best bet: Gregory each-way in the 15:45 at York

This time last year, this son of Golden Horn was in the midst of kicking off his career with three straight wins, an impressive start that notably culminated at Royal Ascot, where he landed the Queen’s Vase under Frankie Dettori by a comfortable 1½ lengths from Saint George, with their dozen other rivals strung out in their wake. 

Respectable third and fifth-placed finishes in the Voltigeur (over this course and distance) and the St Leger proved he can rub shoulders with top-class company, and under the Gosdens’ wise tutelage, this race could provide the springboard for further progress through his four-year-old campaign.

• Tip advised by On Target Tips on Tipstrr

Among Tipstrr’s each-way aficionados is a whole bunch who have spotted that a few bookmakers are paying out on three places for this six-runner affair, and that has attracted some interest in the rank outsider Naqeeb.

His odds reflect his realistic chances of winning this, of course, but he showed his capabilities with last summer’s back-to-back victories at Kempton and Haydock, the latter of which was over this distance.

His season debut brought a promising third of six at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting a fortnight ago, when he shaped as if he would come on for that 1½-mile pipe-opener, and with William Haggas reverting to this seemingly more suitable longer trip, the four-year-old might just force his way into the reckoning.

Each-way punt: Naqeeb in the 15:45 at York

• Tip advised by Big Priced Winners on Tipstrr

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