Park Hill Stakes Betting Tips

Despite the fact that the Godolphin team has been in such good form of late that it wouldn't be surprising to see than land a race with the stable cat, so it is no surprise to see that the boys in blue's Guadalajara is favourite for the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Park Hill Stakes at York this afternoon. However, while she looks certain to give this a good shot, my advice is to side with the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Allegretto, who is on an upward curve, looks sure to relish this stamina test, and rates value at 5/2 with Stan James. The daughter of Galileo was hard at work form some way out in the Yorkshire Oaks over twelve furlongs here last time but, to her credit, she stuck on gamely in the home straight and was far from disgraced in finishing just over four lengths third to arguably one of the best fillies of recent times, Alexandrova, in that Group 1 contest. Guadalajara is a good mare, but she's certainly no world beater. Indeed, she was essentially readily outpointed by Admiral's Cruise in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury last time and has yet to win in Group company. Looking at it objectively, she looks vulnerable in this grade, especially as she has to concede 8lb weight-for-age to Allegretto. The selection, who hails from the stable that won this race in 1998 with Delilah, is bred to come into her own now that she is stepped up in trip. She acts on any going and all in all rate a supremely confident selection. Fellow three-year-olds Anna Pavlova and Maroussies Wings look sure to make their presence felt. The former landed a decent little Listed race here last time and although she needs to improve to figure, there's every chance that stepping up to this trip will be in her favour. But, like Maroussies Wings, who showed battling qualities aplenty to prevail in a Group 3 at Deauville last time, I reckon that she will find Allegretto too strong. The admirable Rising Cross ran out of her skin when chasing home Alexandrova in the Oaks at Epsom in June, but she may have been flattered somewhat by that effort as few failed to run their race in that contest. Quenched looks likely to find at least one or two too good at this level, while Art Eyes is bound to make a good fist of it from the front but she is an exposed mare and will be there to be shot at. She would need the principals to drastically underperform if she were to win this. Verdict - 2pts Allegretto @ 5/2 (Stan James)