ITV Racing Tips on May 16th - Friday's best bets at York

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 15 May 2025

Jon Vine 15 May 2025

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Free tips for the ITV races on Friday 16th May
The Yorkshire Cup headlines the final card of York's Dante Festival
Tony Montana and Gulya feature in our selections

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York racecourse. (Getty)

Friday's Tips

ITV Racing Schedule
2:10pm York - Marygate Fillies' Stakes Tips
2:42pm York - Knights Solicitors Handicap Tips
3:13pm York - Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes Tips
3:45pm York - Yorkshire Cup Tips
4:15pm York - Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap Tips

The Dante Festival draws to a fitting conclusion at York on Friday afternoon. The Yorkshire Cup headlines another quality card, that also features two Listed contests and a couple of excellent handicaps.

Here are my best betting tips for Friday's ITV Races at York.

ITV Racing Schedule

Time	Track	Title
2:10pm	York	Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes (Listed Race) 5f
2:25pm	Newbury	Titan Wealth Handicap (Class 3) 1m2f
2:42pm	York	Knights Solicitors Handicap (Class 2) 1m2½f
3:13pm	York	Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes (Listed) 1m
3:45pm	York	Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Group 2) 1m6f
4:15pm	York	Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap (Class 3) 5f

ITV Racing Tips - Friday 16th May

2:10pm York - Marygate Fillies' Stakes Tips

Ollie Sangster has already proven himself to be particularly potent with juveniles and he'll be represented by ETERNAL SOLACE (7/1) in Friday's Marygate.

Sangster's filly made her debut at Brighton two weeks ago, and was backed against odds-on favourite Dapper Charm. Trevor Whelan's mount raced green early on and gave the market leader a bump at the two furlong pole. When asked to open up, Eternal Solace quickly put daylight between herself and Dapper Charm, and was eased down as she recorded a three-length success.

Brighton is by no means an easy track to make your debut, so Eternal Solace's wanderings during the race are easily forgiven. Sangster's filly is bred to be speedy and, if she can navigate a wide draw in stall nine, I think Eternal Solace is well up to collecting Listed honours.

2:42pm York - Knights Solicitors Handicap Tips

Having been handed a favourable draw down in stall six, I'm expecting TONY MONTANA (5/1) to go close in this ten-and-a-half furlong handicap.

Michael Bell's five-year-old opened last season with handicap wins at Chester and Windsor, and responded to pressure brilliantly to finish a fairly close third in the John Smith's Cup over this course-and-distance. David Egan's mount went even closer when third behind Take Heart at Glorious Goodwood, but couldn't repeat those performances on his final four-year-old start at Yarmouth.

Tony Montana hit the front a little too soon on his reappearance at Goodwood two weeks ago, and was run down by well-backed favourite Sir Lowry's Pass. The handicapper has upped his mark by two pounds to 96 for that effort, but this strapping son of Kingman is bred to improve with age and I fancy Tony Montana will progress to a triple-figure mark over the coming weeks and months.

victory queen ascot races — Gulya (right) finishing a close second to Victory Queen at Ascot. (Getty)

3:13pm York - Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes Tips

Glittering Surf, Kon Tiki and Consecrated will put their unbeaten records on the line in this Listed contest. The only maiden in the line-up is GULYA (4/1), who should really have struck in a high-quality novice race at Ascot two weeks ago.

Roger Varian's filly ran well on her sole two-year-old start, finishing second at Doncaster to Aidan O'Brien's Whirl, who we saw bolting up in the Musidora Stakes earlier this week. Silvestre De Sousa had the door slammed in his face by Victory Queen as he attempted to sneak up the rail at Ascot, and the gaps opened too late for the short-priced favourite, as Gulya's late charge came up a head short.

Victory Queen is entered in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, so connections clearly think she could be a top-notcher. Gulya would have won that day had her path to the post not been blocked and I fancy she'll make amends on her first start in pattern company.

3:45pm York - Yorkshire Cup Tips

Read our full guide to the 2025 Yorkshire Cup to find out who we're backing in Friday's main event.

Visit our Yorkshire Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Friday's races at York via a mobile or tablet.

4:15pm York - Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap Tips

22 will go to post ahead of our final ITV contest and I fancy MEARALL (12/1) could improve plenty for this drop back to five furlongs.

Richard Fahey's colt made a winning debut over six furlongs at Ripon on August, before finishing third behind two extremely classy sorts in the Two Yrs Old Trophy back at Ripon later that month. Fahey then decided to get further experience into Mearall, running him under a penalty in another novice race at Thirsk, but the favourite failed to fire on that occasions, fading in the final furlong and eventually finishing seventh.

Oisin Orr's mount broke smartly on all three of his juvenile starts. This son of Cotai Glory travels powerfully enough to cope with this drop back in distance and being drawn in stall eight should be ideal.