Newsboy’s ITV4 racing tips from York and Salisbury, plus selections from Thursday's other meetings

PASSENGER is taken to stake a Betfred Derby claim by beating 11 opponents for the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes (3.35) at York on Thursday.

It’s hard to gauge the substance of what Sir Michael Stoute’s son of Ulysses achieved when he beat Kathab by three lengths for the Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes at Newmarket last month – none of the eight participants had ever run before.

But the style of the win was unmistakable and Stoute entered the colt for the Dee Stakes at Chester last week before pulling Passenger out on account of the rain-softened ground.

A supplementary fee has been paid to add my selection to this Derby trial and Passenger has the potential to step up in class and book his place for Epsom.

(Getty Images)

The other Group 2 contest on the card, the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes (2.25), is a good opportunity for FREE WIND to make a successful return to the fray.

He captured the Sky Bet Hambleton Handicap (3.00) 12 months ago, and CRUYFF TURN should go well in defence of his title.

His head defeat of Brunch was his second over course and distance and the Tim Easterby six-year-old is 1lb lower in the handicap here.

Course form also speaks in favour of the lightly raced ILLUSIONIST in the opening Lindum York Handicap (1.50) and WALBANK in the British EBF 40^th Anniversary Westow Stakes (4.10).

At Salisbury, JUNIPER BERRIES created a lasting impression with a debut score at Bath last month and the follow-up is very much on the cards in the Highclere Castle Gin Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (2.05).

THURSDAY'S SELECTIONS

SALISBURY
1.30 MY GENGHIS
2.05 JUNIPER BERRIES
2.35 NOVATION
3.10 PRINCESS NAOMI
3.45 GOLSPIE
4.20 TARRAFF
4.55 GREASED LIGHTNING

YORK
1.50 ILLUSIONIST
2.25 FREE WIND
3.00 CRUYFF TURN (NAP)
3.35 PASSENGER
4.10 WALBANK
4.45 IMPRESSIVE ACT
5.20 TORRE DEL ORO

PERTH
2.15 LACILA BLUE
2.50 CONKWELL LEGEND
3.25 BORN FAMOUS
4.00 SCOTS POET
4.35 UPTOWN HARRY
5.06 SWORD OF FATE
5.38 MINELLADESTINATION

FONTWELL PARK
4.50 SOMESPRING SPECIAL
5.25 TARA ITI
5.55 ANY NEWS
6.30 WATERGRANGE JACK
7.05 PURE THEATRE
7.40 POST NO BILLS
8.15 SAN PEDRO

NEWMARKET
5.15 WHITE CHRISTMAS
5.45 ZABBIE
6.20 SPRING DAWN
6.55 BRASIL POWER (NB)
7.30 LISEO
8.05 CONNEMARA COAST
8.40 ERTEBAT

DOUBLE: CRUYFF TURN and BRASIL POWER