Timeform: Can Highgarden stick it to Give and Take at York under Frankie?

Considering that a piece of art was sold for the fourth-highest amount ever this week (for an eye-watering $157 million) it would make sense for Banksea to sculpt himself a win in York’s opening handicap at 14:20.

Banksy the artist regularly winds up Keep Britain Tidy with his art, and the organisation can’t be too impressed with the amount of losing betting slips his namesake has produced over the winter.

We can draw a line under that, however, considering that he did place in all three of his runs in Dubai since joining the Godolphin operation, and none of those runs showed him in his best light.

Like West Brom in the Premier League, he tends to save his best form until the very death, but he looks the one to be with here off top weight.

Our second race at York (14:55) is equally as open, but you don’t need a horoscope to scope out the chances of Orion’s Bow.

He’s found life tricky since rolling off a five-timer in the summer of 2016, the glory days, but he shaped well on reappearance at Pontefract last month, catching the eye over the minimum trip, which is just a touch too short for him these days.

The thriving Foolaad was ahead of Orion’s Bow at Ponte Carlo and deserves respect, but like several rogues on Timeform’s annual Golf Day, the latter suddenly seems very well-handicapped, and looks worth backing in this.

Harry Angel proved to be the Usain Bolt of the horse world last term, and the Duke of York Stakes (15:30) looks a fine opportunity for him to make a winning start to his season.

He was the star of the sprinting division in 2017, scorching clear to win two Group 1s, and recorded a huge Timeform performance rating in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Brando and Tasleet are no pushovers, and will be ready to take advantage if the favourite underperforms, but Clive Cox’s star is fancied to do a Tony Bellew and win whilst conceding plenty of weight against two heavyweights.

The winners of the Musidora Stakes at 16:05 tend to go on to bigger and better things, and it’s been quite easy to find the winner of late to be honest, considering that John Gosden and Frankie Dettori have paired up to take each of the last three renewals.

They team up again with Highgarden this year, who will have to turn the tables with Give And Take if she’s to come out on top here.

Highgarden was third at Sandown last time (Give And Take second), a performance that very much didn’t live up to expectations for boffins and punters alike, considering she was an odds-on jolly.

She took a long time to get going that day, but showed plenty of potential nonetheless, and can gain revenge in this – something that David Haye of course couldn’t manage.