Horsebetting.com experts fancy Scotland to cash-in on a drop in class to land a long overdue success in their Silver Cup Stakes betting tips at York on Saturday, 14 July. Dal Harraild is the top rated in the five-runner 1m 5f Group 3 contest and is feared most. Time To Study is a tough sort and appeals each-way. To find out all about these horses’ chances, read our 2018 Silver Cup Stakes betting tips preview.Scotland looks pure gold in Silver Cup StakesScotland looks worth a bet to take advantage of a drop in class and score an overdue success in the 1m 5f Group 3 Silver Cup Stakes at York on Saturday (14:35). The Andrew Balding trained seven-year-old has just one win to his name in 14 starts with that success coming at Epsom in September 2013.
However, he has been placed in some very competitive affairs and has clearly not been the easiest to train. They include when third to Eagle top in the 2014 running of the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was also beaten just a head by Elite Army in a hot handicap at the same venue in 2016.
Scotland has had just two runs this season following 695 days on the sidelines, and showed that he retained plenty of ability last time out when outrunning his odds when fifth of nine to Stradivarius in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup over 2m 4f.
Although eventually beaten 11 lengths, Scotland ran better than that suggests and only weakened out of contention two from home. Dropping him back markedly in trip looks a good move and this is far less taxing. He is also entitled to come on again for that outing and hails from a yard that has been amongst the winners of late.
This small field may also play to his strengths and enable Scotland to outpace his rivals late on. So, taking everything into account, he looks the answer to a trappy five-runner contest in which a case can be made for the majority of his rivals.Top rated Dal Harraild feared mostDal Harraild is officially the top-rated in the race off a mark off 111 and that gives him 4lb in hand on Scotland. He, therefore, looks the one to beat if bouncing back from a disappointing effort last time out.
That came in a Group 2 at Meydan back in March where he trailed in a 39-length last of 15 to Vazirabad. That run was simply too bad to be true and something was clearly amiss.
Prior to that, the William Haggas trained five-year-old has bolted up by 10 lengths on seasonal reappearance in a conditions contest at Chelmsford. That was impressive and he has a good strike rate having won five of his 15 starts.
Dal Harraild has also gone well fresh, so the fact that he has not been seen since Meydan is unlikely to be an issue. He has also won from behind and from the front, so is versatile as regards tactics. That is a big plus in this small runner affair and he is 1-1 over course and distance so a bold showing looks assured now that he drops back in grade.Time To Study another to considerTrainer Mark Johnston had high hopes that Time To Study would develop into a Cup horse this season, but he has failed to live up to expectations. However, he has run well in defeat – including when runner-up in a Group 3 at Ascot – and that entitles him to plenty of respect.
The four-year-old was also not beaten far when fourth to Marmello in a Listed contest here over 1m 6f and also ran well last time out when sixth of 20 to handicap blot Withhold in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.
Time To Study likes to race up with the pace and made all when registering his last success at Newbury back in October. That could be a plus in this, as there is every chance he could get an uncontested lead if ridden aggressively.
If that proves the case, then he could prove hard to peg back and pass as – like most Johnston horses – he is a battled-hardened and a tough sort who always gives it his best shot. So, that makes him another to consider and our each-way selection in a race in which bookmakers are paying on two places.Your Next Bet
