Hi all,
The high-class class racing come thick and fast today. It’s the final day of the Cambridgeshire Meeting with the first leg of the “autumn double” at 3:35
The annual cavalry charge over 1m 1f with 35 runners looks as competitive as ever this year The John Gosden trained Uncle Bryn has headed the ante-post market since he returned to winning ways at Ascot last time. However, there was a shock for his backers on Thursday when it was announced that Frankie Dettori had opted for stablemate Magical Morning. That news saw Uncle Bryn drift out in the betting whilst the odds Magical Morning contracted. It’s often a race that can provide a shock result and since 2011 three winners have been returned at odds of 40/1 & 50/1, including last year’s winner Majestic Dawn.
There are also two juvenile Group 1’son the Newmarket card the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (3.00) and the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (2.25). Prix Morny winner Perfect Power is a strong favourite for the former. In the fillies race the unbeaten Sacred Bridge comes up against Zain Claudette and Sandrine in what promises to be a cracker of a race.
The ITV cameras are covering four races from Newmarket and two races from Haydock on a six-race show.
Newmarket
1:50 – Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) – 1m
Masekela runner-up to Native Trail in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes went one place better when holding off subsequent Champagne Stakes winner Bayside Boy to win a Listed contest at Newbury last month. He’s the form pick on that form and should stay a mile.
Royal Patronage made all to win the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York last month. The step up to a mile should suit the colt and he’s a big contender.
Coroebus made a winning racecourse debut on the July Course last month, The son of Dubawi stayed the mile strongly that day and there should be more to come from him.
2:25 – Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies) – 6f
Sacred Bridge looks a worthy favourite after her win in Group 3 Round Table Stakes at the Curragh last month. Granted the second & fourth have both been beaten since but she did run out a very easy winner that day showing a good turn of foot to win the race between the final two furlongs. Trainer Ger Lyons did the Round Tower/Cheveley Park double with Lightening Pearl in 2011.
Zain Claudette made it 3-4 when winning the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York last month. Her improvement has come on good to firm ground. Make no mistake she’s high-class juvenile and is probably slightly underestimated in the ante post betting at around 4/1.
Since 2012 four winners of the race had finished either first or second in the Lowther Stakes on their previous start.
Sandrine was runner-up in the Lowther after winning her first three starts. She finished 1 length behind the winner but was giving Zain Claudette 3lb that day. The stiffer Newmarket 6f should suit her better than York’s and ease in the ground won’t inconvenience her either.
Flotus has looked a smart juvenile when winning on her racecourse debut at Goodwood in the spring but didn’t build on that promise on three subsequent starts in better company. Seemed to enjoy the drop-in class when comfortably making all in beating ten rivals in Ripon’s Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy. The time of the Ripon was good but this a tougher assignment for her.
I have to confess that I don’t know much about Have A Good Day’s overall French form but her 2 ¾ length 6th of 14 against the boys in the Group 1 Prix Morny looks decent enough form.
Aidan O’Brien saddled the winner three times between 2016 & 2018. His possible runner Tenebrism hasn’t been seen since winning a Naas maiden on her debut in March. Clearly, she’s had a setback since that win as she was being talked about as Royal Ascot horse after that success. Looked a smart but winning this is a big ask on just her second career start.
Eve Lodge won the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton early this month. The second and third have boasted the form nicely by finishing first and second in last Saturday’s Middle Park Stakes. She has been supplemented and could get into the money.
3:00 – Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (Group 1) (Colts) – 6f
Perfect Power landed what looked a strong renewal of the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville last time with the Alan King trained Asymmetric back in third.
When I wrote my review of the juvenile colt’s picture last month. I said the Middle Park at Newmarket looked a good race for both Perfect Power & Asymmetric. The former was a best priced 8/1 with Paddy Power for the race at the time. Hopefully some of you got on as he now a best priced 7/4. Interestingly Christophe Soumillon who rode the colt at Deauville comes over to take the ride on Saturday.
Dr Zemph and Go Bears Go finished second & third in the Phoenix Park Stakes. Both should go well again. However, Dr Zemph is open to more improvement of the pair and the latter’s trainer has gone 38-days since he’s had a winner.
Perfect Power had finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Asymmetric in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. I think there is another big run in the colt and the 7/1 with Ladbrokes & William Hill look perfectly fair.
3:40 – bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 1m 1f
Plenty in with a chance among the 35 runners. The four that I have honed in are Anmaat, Astro King, Lucander & Fastnet Crown.
Anmaat has won three of his five starts this season and showed a nice turn of foot to quicken up between the final two furlongs to win at Doncaster 17-days ago. He’s got just a 4lb penalty to carry for his Doncaster win and although takes a big step up in class he’s going the right way and likely hasn’t reached his class ceiling.
Lucander was runner-up in this race last year and is 3lb lower. The 4-year-old bounced back to form when 1 ¾ lengths 4th of 13 at York last time. He goes well in these big field handicaps and is on a winnable mark.
Astro King finished a 4 ¾ length 2nd of 30 to the smart Real World in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot. He bounced back from a poor run in the John Smiths Cup at York, possibly found 1m 2f to far, when a 1 ¼ length 3rd of 18 back at York last time. Was doing his vest work at the finish over a mile that day and a strongly tun 1m 1f could well prove ideal.
Fastnet Crown a winner over a mile last autumn has been running well over shorter this season, winning at the Curragh over 6f in June. Came from off the pace to finish a 3-length 3rd of 27 in the Irish Cambridgeshire (1m) last month. Today’s fast pace will suit and he can out run his big odds if he stays today’s extra furlong.
Haydock
2:40 – Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap (Class 2) – 5f
Royal Crusade beat Glen Shiel in a Deauville Group 3 in July 2020 before running respectably in Meydan during the winter. Has yet to run to his best 3-year-old form so far this season. Showed plenty of pace out in front n Listed race at Newmarket last time before fading between the final two furlongs. Drops into handicap company for the first time in his career and races over the minimum trip for the first time too.
Quick ground and 5f are optimum conditions for Jawwaal. However, he might not get the strong pace to chase that is ideal.
Premier Power has so far performed better on the all-weather than turf but he wasn’t disgraced when a 3-length 9th of 16 in the Portland Handicap last Saturday. The 4-year-old goes well on quick ground and the pace he showed last time suggests he’s worth a try over 5f.
Betting Advice:
Newmarket
2:25 – 2pts win – Zain Claudette – 11/2 @ Bet365
3:00 – 1pt win – Asymmetric – 8/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power
3:40 – 1pt win – Anmaat – 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Lucander – 16/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power and 1pt each way – Fastnet Crown – 40/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 7 places 1/5 odds).
Haydock
2:40 – 1pt win – Royal Crusade – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John