Horsebetting.com experts provide punters with City Walls Stakes betting tips for the Listed 5f sprint at York. Veteran course specialist Take Cover appeals most, while Alpha Delphini is the main danger in this race on Saturday, 14 July. Mr Lupton, a course and distance winner in a handicap earlier in the season, is an each-way angle too. Learn all about these horses in our City Walls Stakes betting tips preview.Take Cover a tasty punt in City Walls StakesVeteran sprinter Take Cover looks the answer to the Listed 5f City Walls Stakes that gets proceedings underway on a cracking seven-race card at York on Saturday (13:55). The 11-year-old has been a terrific servant over the years for trainer David Griffiths, winning 14 of his 47 starts.
He also boasts an impressive 30 per cent strike rate over the minimum trip and is a three time course and distance winner who relishes fast ground. Take Cover loves to blaze a trail and play catch me if you can, and is really tough sort to pass when on-song. He comes into the race having shaped as if retaining all his ability in two promising runs.
Take Cover looked in need of the outing when showing plenty of pace before weakening late on to finish seventh of 11 to the brilliant Battaash in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock, and duly came on for that when third of five to Judicial in a conditions contest at Beverley.
Sticking to the task well, Take Cover was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths and faced a stiff task in trying to give the winner a whopping 12lb. Judicial is a progressive sort, who has since gone on to beat Muthmir by a neck off level weights in a Group 3 at Sandown.
So, on a form line through Judicial, Take Cover is the clear pick at the weights in receipt of 3lb from Muthmir. Indeed, he is officially the top rated in the line-up off 110 with Muthmir being rated 2lb inferior.
The race terms give Take Cover outstanding claims of bagging another success and he needed two runs last season before getting on the scoresheet. So, he should now be primed to do himself justice at a track he loves and therefore rates a solid bet.Alpha Delphini sure to go wellAlpha Delphini has posted three solid efforts to make the frame this season and looks the one most likely to give Take Cover most to think about. The seven-year-old, who also likes to front run, got beat just three-quarters of a length into third behind Mabs Cross in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on his second start of the campaign.
That form reads well in the contest of this contest as the winner has gone on to finish a cracking third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Alpha Delphini backed that up with an excellent short-head second to Muthmir in the Achilles Stakes at Haydock. He attempted to make all and rallied bravely when headed inside the last to go down fighting.
Bryan Smart’s charge now meets the winner on 3lb better terms, so that should be enough to see him turn the tables. Another plus is that he is a course and distance winner who goes well for jockey Graham Lee.
The big question is whether he will be able to win the battle for the lead with Take Cover, who is rated 3lb his superior. If he can, then it could turn into a battle royale between the pair.Mr Lupton the each-way optionWith Take Cover and Alpha Delphini both confirmed front runners, along with El Astronaute, they could possibly cut each others’ throats and set it up for a closer. Mr Lupton fits the bill if that proves to be the case and therefore looks the each-way play in the race.
The Richard Fahey trained five-year-old has a good record at the venue, having won twice and been placed once from five starts. One of those successes came over the minimum trip of this and all his best form has come on quick ground.
His last victory actually came over course and distance three starts back in a competitive 19-runner handicap. After being held-up in last place, he scythed through the pack and produced a power packed finish to beat El Astronaute be a head.
Mr Lupton backed that up with a solid eighth of 28 to Bacchus in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and was far from disgraced last time out when seventh to Judicial in the aforementioned Group 3 at Sandown.
Although his best form has come in big fields, the make-up of this race given its strong pace angle could be tailor-made for him and he has every chance on the pick of his form of hitting the frame at the very least.Your Next Bet
