Five horses to follow at York and Haydock on Saturday

Best odds: 9-2.

Tipster: Dave Nevison.

The two horses that Durham Castle beat at Goodwood on his final start last season have both been running well off much higher marks this season, so it seems evident that the form was strong and that the Crisford four-year-old might actually have got away with a lenient rise, even though he was raised 9lb for that win last September.

Winning that race by three lengths and going up 9lb is pretty much a slide rule interpretation of the win but, with his stable being in excellent form, I am pretty confident that he will be fully ready on this his seasonal reappearance, even though Royal Ascot may be the main target.

A further rise would mean he was certain to get into the Wokingham and this looks the ideal stepping stone. 

Best odds: 4-1.

Tipster: Harry Allwood.

This consistent sprinter produced some brilliant efforts last season, with the highlight being his victory at this track on Juddmonte International day. He was also narrowly denied in the Portland Handicap which was among numerous noteworthy outings in defeat. 

The five-year-old has returned as good as ever this season, and was denied by American Affair at Musselburgh on his return plus again chased home that rival over this course and distance last time out. 

Both of those outings were career-best efforts, and are probably the two strongest pieces of recent form on offer, especially as American Affair was not beaten far in Group Two company last weekend. 

JM Jungle travelled extremely well last time out and may have hit the front a shade too soon, but is clearly in the form of his life, and a repeat of that performance will surely see him go close again, despite a 3lb higher mark.

His form figures at read 40234712, and there are no ground concerns, so from a handy draw, he looks to have plenty in his favour.

Best odds: 3-1.

Tipster: Page Fuller. 

The first horse that has taken my fancy on Saturday is the progressive Scenic in the Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes (3.15) at York.

It seems unusual to think of a five-year-old mare as being still on the upgrade, but she signed off last season with a smart win at this track, and her seasonal reappearance at Goodwood also left us with plenty to get excited about.

She is a horse with plenty of speed, and I think it will be put to good use today, especially as it’s her first try at the trip on ground quicker than good to soft.

At Goodwood last time, she was the slowest out of the stalls, taking 3.33 seconds to reach 20mph and Saffie Osborne assumed her normal hold up tactics, settling her right at the back of the field. Tactically this was perfect, until the pace suddenly steadied dramatically in the sixth, seventh and eight furlongs.

Unfortunately at this point, the eventual winner Shaha made up some cheap lengths, and Scenic was stuck at the back of the field, having to try and quicken past horses that were also quickening. Her Top Speed of 40.58 mph in the penultimate furlong was the quickest of the field, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap with the winner.

Over a bit further here, hold-up tactics should be far more effective, and the horses in front of her are more likely to be stopping, making her turn of foot more deadly in the closing stages.

Best odds: 14-1.

Tipster: Alex Scott.

This half-brother to Frankel opened up as favourite on his reappearance in the Spring Trophy over course and distance last time out but was easy to back after connections were open about the fact he would need the run. Nevertheless, he was only beaten two lengths by the re-opposing Alyanaabi that day, who was clearly fit having been backed off the boards, and this horse is over three times the price.

He was unlucky in a Grade One at Keeneland in the Autumn and finished a short head behind Haatem in the Jersey Stakes, and has Oisin Murphy back aboard this time. There are plenty of horses in this race making their reappearance or with a preference for soft ground, so if Kikkuli comes on plenty for his run last time, which I believe he will, then he rates a great each-way bet in this race at odds of 14-1.

Best odds: 6-1.

Tipster: Andy Stephens.

At first glance, the 22-runner 7f handicap that closes the card at York is a tough getting-out-stakes but Delicacy stands out  and the early 6-1 on offer with William Hill makes plenty of appeal.

This daughter of Saxon Warrior has won her past three races on turf and has looked a different proposition since being switched to the yard of James Owen.

She won with something to spare on her stable debut at Leicester this month and then, six days later, beat a big field in taking fashion over the course and distance she will encounter on Saturday.

York can be a tricky course to swoop from off the pace and she was still languishing in 18th place with just two furlongs to run. But Delicacy then picked up in remarkable fashion and zoomed past virtually the whole field to eventually win by half a length.

The sectionals reveal just how electric she was through the final three furlongs. She was fastest through furlong five, second fastest in furlong six and by some way quickest in the final furlong, when she clocked 12.11 seconds.

Only one horse managed a quicker final furlong on the card that day, and that was the classy Epic Poet at the end of a Yorkshire Cup that turned into a sprint. The finishing speed of all the runners in the race was at least 115%, whereas Delicacy's FSP was about 102%.

Delicacy has gone up 4lb in the ratings but, in the circumstances, that looks lenient. I like her draw in stall 5, too, because most of the pace in the race looks low to middle.

The one niggle is whether that big finishing effort last time has left a mark, but that is offset by the 6-1 on offer.