Dave Nevison tips: my best four bets at York on Saturday

Dramatic Star is bred to be a stayer - and a good one at that - but he had no chance of showing his prowess when stepped up to this trip at Haydock last time. 

He was backed into 3/1 favourite for a strong handicap but slipped on the home turn and was hampered shortly after. He ended up walked past the line in last place. 

Before that he had been brought along steadily, landing his maiden at odds on at Hamilton over 11 furlongs. 

Both the maidens he ran in have worked out well and the handicapper may have been lenient in allotting Dramatic Star a mark of 87.  It looks as though trainer William Haggas has saved him for this prestigious race after the Haydock disappointment. 

Hopefully, he has a trouble-free race and begins to live up to his illustrious pedigree.  

He has not run since the Dante meeting, where he ran over 12 furlongs in the Skybet Race To The Ebor Handicap and looked every inch a horse needing a step back up in trip when staying on into third place. 

He is 8lb better off for 6 ½ lengths with the winner, Crystal Delight, although I am not convinced the weight pull is the deciding factor here. 

The extra two furlongs looks certain to suit Chillingham. He was beaten half a length by Prydwen on the only time he has tried this trip and the winner is now rated 9lb higher, so his form already looks strong at the trip. 

A high draw has been absolutely no obstacle to winning this race in recent seasons and those of you who have been watching Racing TV this week will know my high opinion of the Ed Bethell yard 

I am not concerned about Chillingham’s absence since the spring and suspect he has been well prepared for this.  

Ballymount Boy was highly tried last season after winning his maiden at Hamilton - being runner-up in a Group Two and winning a Listed race at Doncaster last back end. 

He ran off a mark of 102 for his handicap debut and ran better than his finishing position in finishing sixth suggests after not getting the best of runs. 

Adrian Keatley has had the three-year-old gelded since that run and Ballymount Boy and I am hoping that the operation brings about improvement. 

Lord Protector has beaten only one horse in his past three outings and  but there have been mitigating circumstances. 

Twelve furlongs ihas been too far for him on his past two starts, even though he did go well to this distance on his latest run.  

It was only in May that he ran second in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar off a 3lb higher mark than here. He also won a race last summer off a mark of 94 and doesn’t look to have deteriorated from that level, although he may well have become less consistent. Ruth Carr’s charge is a massive price, but I feel could easily outrun his odds.