Horse Racing Tips: Paddy’s pundits’ epic York day 3 cheat sheet for ITV Racing

I was very impressed with how Insanity won at Ascot and he looks a big each-way player in this opening contest.

MR MONACO is a progressive three-year-old who should have more to offer now stepping up to 1½m so he’s preferred to solid older rival Lieber Power.

Lieber Power was a little unlucky last time not to win back-to-back as he found himself a little bit out of his ground after banging his head on the starting stalls.

I’m not mad on Wafei and will go for the Irish challenger Derry Lad – particularly on his run at Epsom rather than his Galway blowout. He can bounce back now.

WAFEI could easily be a well handicapped horse for William Haggas and Billy Loughnane, who gets the ride due to the low weight. He seems to really like fast ground.

Point Lonsdale has that bit of class you look for in a potential top stayer. He’s been tried in the highest company over middle distances and can make his mark now stepped up to this 2m trip.

GREGORY put his Gold Cup shocker behind him when just edged out for second in the Goodwood Cup and can record his first win since making all in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot. Vauban needs to shrug off a disappointing run at the Curragh and is an obvious threat.

With the staying division looking much of a muchness bar Kyprios, Align The Stars may well be able to stake a claim as a leading contender. The further he goes the better he looks.

Vauban is in good form and should hopefully run better than he did at the Curragh. His time off will suit him but Point Lonsdale looks the one to beat. He looks a better Flat horse than Vauban.  He’s my nap of the day.

A real chance for GREGORY to get back to his best off a strong gallop after a flop in the Ascot Gold Cup. He has decent course form to call on too.

Caburn (each-way) appeals in a tricky, open-looking contest. He’s two-from-two, speedy and will love the ground.

THE STRIKIN VIKING has arguably shaped best in a couple of Group 2s since his impressive debut success over this C&D so remains one to keep on the right side of.

Big Mojo proved up to the task when rattling home over the flying 5 furlongs at Goodwood, looking as if the step up in distance to 6f today is going to be well within his compass.

I’m sticking with Ballydoyle and Camille Pissaro. He disappointed in a couple of Group 1 races but his second to Babouche last time is not to be overlooked.

I’ll go with the potential of SHADOW OF LIGHT for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. Looks a promising colt.

I tipped Asfoora at Goodwood (second) and Ascot (won) and I’m not going to desert her now. She can get her revenge on Big Evs who has to concede 1lb to her now and he has a high draw which mightn’t help his chance.

Having beaten several of these at Ascot, ASFOORA emerged with bundles of credit when a short-head second to Big Evs at Goodwood and on 6 lb better terms, she’s poised to reverse the form.

This track again looks tailor-made for Asfoora who was arguably unlucky at Goodwood as she was hampered a couple of times when making her final thrust to the finishing post.

The swing in  the weights and a return to York should suit Asfoora overcome Big Evs. Both look faster than the rest and the Aussie raider can go 2-1 up in their duels this season.

Regional coming out has changed the look of this race as I thought her had a massive each-way chance. It makes my selection a little boring as I can’t see beyond ASFOORA. The Royal Ascot winner chased home Big Eve at Goodwood last time but I suspect this track will suit the Henry Dwyer runner much more.

Battle Queen has been a model of consistency as she’s been highly tried all season and runs her race every time. She looks a solid play.

POWER OF DESTINY wasn’t seen to best effect when finishing only a head behind the reopposing Al Anoud at Goodwood at the end of last month and remains totally unexposed after just four career outings, so she gets the nod to reverse the form and come out on top.

Roger Varian’s filly Sound Angela has already proven herself a solid performer at Listed level and despite having to give away weight to her rivals today – she looks a safe option in against her own sex.

Battle Queen ran well last time at Newbury, staying on well behind Circe over a mile. The step up to 10f should bring further improvement.

It will surely be a major shock if POWER OF DESTINY is not right in the mix for Sir Michael Stoute and Oisin Murphy. He looks the ideal type to improve with time.

A lot of trainers target this valuable maiden race. Ultrasoul ran very well behind Shadow Of Light (runs today 3pm) and was only beaten a length at Yarmouth. That could look very nice form come race time.

ANGELO BUONARROTI shaped with plenty of promise when very much pitched in at the deep end on debut at Royal Ascot and can come good here having switched to the bang-in-form Ralph Beckett stable since.

Realign can take the required step forward to land this £50,000 contest now after a decent debut run at HQ.

HIGH SEASON (each-way) showed promise behind a hotpot on debut at Beverely and might go well here.

I’m hoping there’s some mileage left in the handicap mark of Native Warrior who ran very well at Royal Ascot and Goodwood, having won a Nottingham maiden before that.

MIDNIGHT GUN gets the nod to continue his upward trajectory having still looked some way ahead of his mark starting out for this trainer at Goodwood just over three weeks ago. Back down in trip, he can regain the winning thread at the expense of Volterra.

This could prove an ideal stepping stone to the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in a few weeks as Dosman looks a fascinating contender on his handicap debut.

MIDNIGHT GUN drops back to a mile after a third to Approval over two furlongs further at Goodwood last time and that looks a good move. Had previously scored well over this 1m trip.