On a busy Saturday for racing, and sports in general, we preview a select number of races from Newmarket, Haydock, Curragh and Chester.
The Newmarket Cambridgeshire meeting continues, and welcomes some extremely talented 2-year-olds, as the crowd look forward to seeing future superstars emerging.
The unbeaten Sacred Bridge makes her British debut in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, against very good field.
The Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes is the show-piece for the colts and features recent Deauville hero, Perfect Power.
And good luck in selecting the winner of the bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap!
Magical Morning is currently the 7/1 favourite for John & Thady Gosden and Frankie Dettori. Sir Michael Stoute’s Astro King is at 8/1 for Ryan Moore and it’s bigger the rest.
An intriguing race indeed!
(All prices featured are correct at time of writing)
We shall start in the 2:25 at Newmarket, in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes for fillies.
The favourite, Sacred Bridge, is an Irish raider for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane, a partnership that has proved very successful this season in Ireland.
The two-year-old filly is unbeaten, having raced three times over this trip of 6f on good ground.
In all four of her races so far, the daughter of Bated Breath has gone off as favourite and beaten many good opponents.
Andrew Balding’s Sandrine, mount of David Probert, was unbeaten until her appearance last month at York in which she finished second to Ismail Mohammed’s filly Zain Claudette, a filly she re-opposes again at Newmarket.
Zain Claudette, by No Nay Never, is another that has been impressive, winning each of her last three races having finished a neck behind the winner on debut.
The top three in the market are all drawn in the first three stalls.
Any horse trained by Aidan O’Brien is worth keeping an eye-on, and of the bigger prices the unexposed Tenebrism lines up for Ballydoyle.
She has run only once previously, in a 5f maiden at Naas in March. The ground was soft on that day, but the daughter of Carvaggio won comfortably.
Many believe Desert Dreamer is due a win, having finished second three times, and third once in her last four starts.
Our selection: 5. Zain Claudette 5/1 – (w/o favourite – 3/1) – it is difficult to go against the favourite, however this filly is improving with every run and could be very special.
In the 3:00 Juddmonte Newmarket Middle Park Stakes Group 1 for the colts, Perfect Power reappears on the back of an impressive win in the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville.
Rivals Asymmetric and Armor also featured in that race, finishing in third and fourth respectively.
There are so many potential winners in this race which makes it extremely difficult to predict. Many of these young colts are improving with each run as they are gaining experience.
At a bigger price, Aidan O’Brien’s HMS Endeavour runs for the fourth time, having finished third on debut before winning on his next two appearances.
Our selection: 7. HMS Endeavour 18/1 (EW) – at a decent price for each-way claims.
Turning our attention to the 2:05 Class 2 Handicap at Haydock, Godolphin’s Noble Dynasty is currently the 15/8 favourite for claimer Adam Farragher, and the son of Dubawi has placed in all four of his racecourse appearances so far.
Top-weight Nugget has been consistent throughout his career, never finishing outside the top-4.
The progressive colt has already won a handicap this season, winning the Spring Cup at Newbury in April, but is carrying 9st 11lbs this time.
Tim Easterby’s Cruyff Turn was a surprising winner at York in August, beating Magical Morning, who lines up at Newmarket, by a head.
Last time out he got caught in traffic and couldn’t get a clear run quickly enough, finishing only in fourth when he should have gone close.
Our selection: 3. Cruyff Turn 5/1 – unlucky last time out, we fancy him to get his fifth win of the season here
The experienced Six Strings, who has placed in all of his last seven races lines up in the 3:45 Class 3 Handicap at Chester.
He steps up in trip, attempting the distance for the second time this season.
A consistent runner, he is surely due a win soon having been just missed out on a few occasions recently.
Baryshnikov will be a formidable rival, having raced consistently over this trip, he finished second last time out.
Our selection: 7. Six Strings 9/2 – having failed to win since the beginning of June, and coming close so many times, we’re backing Grant Tuer’s runner to get back to winning ways.
Looking ahead to the 4:10 Group 3 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh, trainer Joseph O’Brien runs two, the more fancied being 3-year-old filly Twilight Spinner.
She won a Listed race at Haydock in May on heavy ground.
O’Brien’s second runner Speak In Colours is surely due a resurgence in form as he has failed to win a race since July of last year.
British-raider Art Power is a consistent Group 1 runner and is clear on ratings in this line-up whilst Power Under Me has placed in his last three outings in Group races.
Our selection: 1. Art Power 11/8 – this Dark Angel colt could prove to be too classy for his rivals.
In the 4:45 Handicap, favourite She’s In The Game is bidding for a hat-trick as she steps back up to 7f. The 4-year-old filly is used to running in big fields and has been very consistent in her last five starts (22211).
Ice Cold In Alex won well in a handicap at Curragh in June, but was disappointing last time out over a longer trip of 8f.
Thunder Rain finished fourth behind She’s In The Game last month before finishing a decent fifth at Listowel last week, and could have possible each-way claims.
Our selection: 5. Ice Cold In Alex 14/1 (EW) – looking to bounce back returning to 7f, this course & distance winner is a likeable type and could well contend for the places.
The big betting race of the weekend is the 3:40 Cambdrigeshire Handicap at Newmarket.
The favourite is currently Magical Morning, and the 4-year-old gelded Gosden runner is attempting to be the yard’s sixth winner in this race.
Stoute’s Astro King has placed in three handicaps this season, finishing a length behind Magical Morning last time out at York.
Keith Dalgleish’s Chichester will carry 8st 7lbs and comes into the race following a 10f handicap success at Ayr. Hollie Doyle takes the ride.
Uncle Bryn was Dettori’s classic fancy for the season at the start of the year, but the 3-year-old hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet. Robert Havlin takes the ride on the second runner for the Gosdens.
Irish Admiral for William Haggas and Tom Marquand won last time out and could go well over this extended trip.
George Boughey’s Anythingtoday has won both outings for new yard and the trip should suit.
Joseph O’Brien’s Raise You has decent form in handicaps and Listed races, and could go well in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Good Birthday at 40/1 is a big outsider for champion jockey Oisin Murphy, whilst Bedouin’s Story is a massive price at 50/1.
You’re Hired finished only a length behind Uncle Bryn last time out, yet is currently 66/1.
Hartswood, Spirit Dancer and Plantadream are all non-runners.
Our selections:
2. Magical Morning 7/1
14. Irish Admiral 20/1
20. Anythingtoday 25/1
4. Raise You 33/1
Good luck to everybody with their selections this weekend and remember to gamble responsibly.
Let’s hope for a fantastic day of racing across all cards, and the emergence of young superstars at Newmarket.
KM
THE CONDITIONAL 