Five horses to follow at York on Wednesday

Tipster: Peter Naughton.

Best odds: 8-1. 

Middleham Park Racing have a couple of chances in the opening 5f handicap on Wednesday.  Lexington Blitz was done no favours with the way the race unfolded when a close sixth in a similarly competitive race at Glorious Goodwood.  

Robert Cowell's speedy son of Invincible Spirit was keen in the centre and ridden in rear when attempting to make headway towards the far side.  The leaders were on the stands' side, so Lexington Blitz did well racing alone.  

In addition, Edward Greatrex reported his mount was denied a clear run after two-out and the consistent four-year-old is best when able to lead.  

He acts on any ground and will likely head to Ayr next month too.

Tipster: Mark Rowntree.

Best odds: 13-2.

It’s all too easy to row in with the Vintage Stakes runner-up Haffner, but the Ascot Listed winner Alfred Wallace shouldn’t be three times his price. 

Hold-up tactics (a change of approach) really suited Ed Walker’s charge at Ascot when last seen, and this beautifully bred juvenile – the second foal from the 2021 Falmouth Stakes winner Snow Lantern – could easily have more to offer back in Group company.

Tipster: Andy Stephens (RaceiQ).

Best odds: 2-1.

Maltese Cross found Christmas Day too strong on soft ground in the Derby but can turn the tables on the quicker ground.

He’s since won the Grand Prix de Paris in France, doing well to get ip close home after escaping from a pocket. The winning time was the second fastest in the past 20 years.

York’s long straight should be tailor-made for a horse whose low stride cadence points to him staying well.

In addition, William Haggas’s runners have exceeded market expectation at York by 85 per cent in the past year. 

Tipster: Nic Doggett.

Best odds: 6-5.

Looked at one point as if he might be struggling to pick up his pacemaker Birr Castle (who had gone well clear) when winning this race last year, but soon swept to the front and pulled well clear of his Coral-Eclipse conqueror Delacroix. 

Lost little in defeat to Calandagan in the Champion Stakes at Ascot two months later, and unbeaten since, with recent four-length defeat of Minnie Hauk in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes - where he became the first back-to-back winner since 1994/5 - a stand-out effort, and one worthy of the tag of 'Best racehorse in Europe'. 

Standout chance. 

Tipster: Dave Nevison.

Best odds: 18-1.

Any punters who backed Small Fry at Goodwood will rightly be wanting to get their money back in this race, and if he gets any sort of decent run through, he must go very close this time as he endured a nightmare last time out. 

However, bookies are taking no chances at all with that five-year-old, and I am happy to look elsewhere at much bigger odds than 3-1. 

The Crisford team have their string in good form (four of their past ten runners have won, at the time of writing) and I think Boatswain might still be leniently treated, despite having been raised 6lb for his recent win. 

The four-year-old won a non event by 13 lengths at Southwell when last seen, but the handicapper was still entitled to be more severe, and Boatswain has definitely proved that two miles is well within his compass. 

I believe connections have waited too long to step Boatswain up to this sort of trip, and I think he could be highly competitive over this distance.