York Betting Tips
Leadman (York, 13.30) – 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 BetfredReal American (York, 14.05) – 0.5pts each-way @ 5/1 bet365Mukhtalif (York, 14.40) – 1pt win @ 11/4 LadbrokesClear Force (York, 15,50) – 1pt win @ 4/1 bet365Kinswoman (York, 16.25) – 1pt win @ 9/2 bet365
Racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge enjoyed a superb four-timer at Longchamp in his latest column, coming up with the winner of the ‘Arc’! Here, he runs the rule over day one of York’s final meeting of 2025. As ever, it’s tricky but there’s value to be had.
William Hill Autumn Mile Handicap (York, 13.30)
What else to start a day’s racing at York than a big field handicap where betting sites go 5/1 the field?! As you’d expect, there are several in with claims in a race that only one favourite has won in the past decade and no trainer has won more than once in that period.
David O’Meara trained Shelir to win it in 2021 and, with a respectful nod to Jannas Journey, with whom Jim Goldie has done a brilliant job this season, we’ll side with one of the O’Meara quartet.
LEADMAN has untapped potential over 1m, having done most of his racing over 7f. However, he was twice second over this trip when with Andrew Balding and was not disgraced over this C&D at the Ebor meeting in August.
Admittedly, he’s not been at his best since then but that has meant dropping a few pounds in the handicap and to my eye, he looks on a very competitive mark. A sound surface will suit and he has a handy draw in stall four. He tends to be held up, which may mean we have to sit and suffer as he waits for the breaks in a sizeable field.
A first-time hood may also help this keen going sort settle better than he does on some occasions and he looks worth siding with each-way.
Friday racing tip 1: Leadman (York, 13.30) – 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 Betfred
British EBF £100,000 Final (York, 14.05)
A very tough race to assess with so much untapped potential, including REAL AMERICAN.
Karl Burke’s juvenile have had a tremendous 2025 season. His usual strike rate is a healthy 19% with two-year-olds but this year he’s smashed that out of the park, boasting a superb 28% of juveniles he’s prepared that have won.
The selection is one of them, having obliged on debut at Catterick, when he was clearly learning his trade on the job and won very cheekily under Sam James. I never like to side with horses drawn high over the 7f course on the Knavesmire and he ticks the box of ‘handy’ draw from stall five, while he should be able to improve on that first racecourse outing, when he was well backed.
Andrew Balding-trained Ghost Mode was impressive at Chester last time and both Big Song and Malachy’s Wish are among those respected in opposition but we’ll side with Karl Burke’s colt, who looks a cracking each-way play on horse racing betting sites and could win it.
Friday racing tip 2: Real American (York, 14.05) – 0.5pts each-way @ 5/1 bet365
William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap (York, 14.40)
Based on his peak effort of four starts so far, MUKHTALIF could be very nicely treated for his handicap debut. With only eight runners over an extended 1m2f, the draw is not as vital as some races around here and this William Haggas-trained three-year-old could now really begin to kick on.
Placed in all three qualifying starts, he shows that he acts on a sound or slower surface and his third start at Haydock showed us he possesses ability (1m2f, good). Gelded after that, he wasn’t at his best at Newcastle last time (1m2f, AW) but did manage to hold off his closest pursuer. I think he’ll come on more both for that and also now back on turf.
His trainer’s runners always merit the utmost respect at this venue, while first-time cheekpieces might also just give him a little extra.
Friday racing tip 3: Mukhtalif (York, 14.40) – 1pt win @ 11/4 Ladbrokes
Parsonage Hotel And Cloisters Spa Nursery Handicap (York, 15.50)
Another conundrum and one in which we’ll side with CLEAR FORCE to go one better than last time out at Haydock. Karl Burke’s Supremacy colt has won just one of his six starts, a Ripon novice event (5f, good) in April.
Highly tried since then, he didn’t make the grade in pattern company but nor was he disgraced. He comes here on the back of a career-best at Haydock last time when, on just his second nursery start, he served it up to the winner, Kolkata Knight and only succumbed to him late on.
He beat several previous winners that day and the form looks very solid, while a return to a sound surface could also prove beneficial. He’s up 2lb but his trainer can probably eke out a bit more and, with a good draw in stall two and a style of racing that suits the Knavesmire, he’s the one for me.
Friday racing tip 4: Clear Force (York, 15,50) – 1pt win @ 4/1 bet365
Copper Knight Winning-Most Horse Handicap (York, 16.25)
Named after the seven-time course winner who landed this particular prize in 2018 and lines up again, this 5f dash has seen just two favourites oblige in the past decade, during which time there have been seven double-figure priced scorers.
Copper Knight has been sixth or seventh in ‘his’ race for the past three seasons, all from higher marks, his trainer Tim Easterby (who has won three of the last ten renewals) having saddled last year’s winner, Vince L’Amour.
The horse of the title has given us three reminders this season that, despite his advancing years, he’s not done winning yet and he put success number 18 on the board at Redcar (5f, good to soft) last time, for which he is back up 4lb.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Jim Goldie as a trainer (yes, he knows!) and I think Eternal Sunshine should again run a big race for him in this, with the return to a sound surface a probable plus.
However, she’s not as well drawn nor in quite the same form as KINSWOMAN, who gets the vote. Jockey Tom Marquand got off her back after winning at Windsor in August (5f, good to firm) and said that he felt they’d found the key to her, which was the drop back to the minimum trip.
She backed up that novice success with a first handicap win at Chester (5f, good to firm) under Cieren Fallon. We know she’ll not be found wanting at the business end here and she’s clearly improving over this trip. I think she can complete a hat-trick.
Friday racing tip 5: Kinswoman (York, 16.25) – 1pt win @ 9/2 bet365
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