Racing tips: Azure Blue is the dark horse in the Clipper Stakes on Day 1 of the Dante Meeting

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It's always a risk going with unraced 2-year-olds as it didn't pay off. He broke slowly from the gates and from that point on the jockey didn't fancy it at all, never really putting him or trying to get him into a position where he could win, and he used it as a learning race. I thought he showed ability, but far was too back to do anything, so he'll be one for the future that's for sure.

I was surprised to see the Ralph Beckett horse lose, especially when the field became just four runners. I thought the Archie Watson horse had plenty to find with his form of the AW not looking particularly good, but he won well in the end, and I don't think he handle the track all too well either.

York 1:50 – Crystal Delight 11/1 (1pt EW 5pl)

William Haggas' La Yakel was always going to be a relatively short-priced favourite for this race considering the owner and trainer have won the previous two renewals of this race and this horse has that likeable profile for a handicap of this nature. I thought Real Dream would run a big race too, and Thundering was on my list but my dart landed on Crystal Delight, who is definitely overpriced, in my opinion, and that's got to be based on the trainer.

In terms of form in the race, Crystal Delight has to be up there for the best form on offer. He has only won once from six tries as a racehorse but he has been bumping into some very well-handicapped horses, who have either won since or will be winning in the future. I thought his runner-up run behind Teumessias Fox was a great effort, nothing was beating that horse on that day off his handicap mark of 97, as he was simply a Class 1 horse in a handicap, as the RPR showed as he recorded an RPR of 112.

Stall 13 is a concern for me, but knowing that he likes to race close to the place it's not a huge problem as Jim should hopefully use up a bit of petrol to get him a prominent position. With him hopefully getting a good position, I think he could be difficult to catch if he decides to kick for home as the others who are well-fancied at drawn in 12 and 17, and they might not be able to get a good spot. At 11/1 I think this horse is a good EW angle against the favourite, who is simply too short for my liking based on what he's done.

York 3:00 – Azure Blue 9/1 (1pt EW Bet365 4pl)

There is a strong possibility that this is a step too far for Azure Blue and she might just be a 10lb better filly at Newmarket than anywhere else, but I just get the impression that this filly is a talented horse and could be another typical Dods sprinter who improves with age.

I was sort of hoping for slightly bigger odds available on Azure Blue, but I'm happy enough to have a play on her at her current odds. Dods has said that this will probably be the quickest ground she's encountered to date, she handles good to soft ground like we saw last time around where I thought she won with much more authority than the finishing margins would suggest. However, her pedigree suggests she should be perfectly fine on a good surface or even quicker, with the Dam's Sire being Oasis Dream who loved quick ground and Azure Blue's Sire being a US horse who did all of his running on dirt, normally on the fast surfaces. He has produced some decent horses like Masekela and Harrow who have both appreciated the faster surfaces.

If Azure Blue is as good as she was at Newmarket, I think she is a lively player. She travelled so smoothly into that contest that day, and I think the faster they go in this the better her chances become. She sat just off the pace and then glided through the field and won with a decent amount of authority. That was a Mares' only race, so this is obviously tougher, but I think she is the dark horse in this.

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