Hi all,
Monday’s action was low key on the quality front. The good news is the action gets better as the week goes on. Today see’s flat racing returns to Newmarket with the start of the three-day Craven Meeting and it’s Classic Trials.
I love this time of the year. Plenty of 3-year-old bubbles are about to be burst over the coming weeks but for now the dream of classic glory remains alive.
It’s a seven-race card for the first day of the Craven Meeting with the highlights being: The Group 3 bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes (3:00) and the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3:35). The latter is a trial for the 1000 Guineas and has attracted a field of nine 3-year-old fillies.
If you’re lucky enough to be off for the next couple of days you watch the best of the action from Newmarket live on ITV4.
In today’s preview I have looked at the four races live on ITV and the concluding handicap
Newmarket
1:50 – Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Handicap (Class 2) – 6f
A competitive sprint handicap with thirteen declared to run and you can make a case for plenty of them. Here are the four on my shortlist.
Bergerac a 6f handicap winner at York in September, off 1lb lower, has returned from his winter break finishing third at Southwell and then 3rd of 18 at Doncaster 16-days ago. The first time cheekpieces are applied today and hopefully they eke out a bit more improvement in the 4-year-old.
Stone Of Destiny was subject to a Stewards Enquiry after his 6 ¼ length 9th off 11 in this race 12 months ago. Not the easiest to win with, last success came in the 2020 Portland Handicap. Ran well on plenty of occasions last season and there’s no doubt the 7-year-old is down to a winnable mark when all the cards fall right.
Gale Force Maya was in great form last Autumn winning 6f handicaps at Pontefract and over C&D before finishing a head 2nd of 13 in a fillies Listed race over C&D. Form figures over C&D are 2312 and she’s goes well fresh being 2-4 when returning from a 121+day break so lack of recent run need not be an issue for the mare. Likely does need good to firm ground to win today though.
Chipstead, a full brother to the trainer’s smart double Group 1 winning sprinter Oxted. He’s probably not going to scale the heights of his sibling but he developed in to a very useful handicap sprinter last season winning three handicaps, including a Class 2 handicap over an extended 5f at Bath on his final start. Up 4lb for his latest success but is going the right way and we might not have the best of him yet.
2:25 – bet365 European Free Handicap (Listed Race) – 7f
Just the five go to post for this 3-year-old only handicap. The early market leader is the Charlie Appleby trained New Science. A useful juvenile who won a 7f Ascot Listed race last July (firm). Not at his best when a 3-length 3rd of 6 to Sovereign Prince in Listed race at Meydan in February. Remains with potential and is suited to sound surface.
Honey Sweet found improvement for the fitting of the first time cheekpieces when winning a Deauvile Listed race (soft) in October. Both career wins have come on soft/heavy so today’s ground but she has form on a quicker surface. There’s seems to be a lack of early pace so the filly could get an uncontested lead here.
Richard Hannon won the Free Handicap in 2014 & 2018 and he saddles Tacarib Bay today who looked a nice prospect when winning on his racecourse debut at Haydock in May (soft). Off for five months before finishing a useful 2-length 3rd of 7 in a Group 3 Horris Hill at Newbury. First start on ground quicker than soft but he looks capable of more this year. Ryan Moore has been booked for the ride.
Ribhi a winner on his racecourse debut at Salisbury. The colt was then pitched into the deep end in Listed company at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival. Ran a shade green when asked for his effort 2f and didn’t get the clearest of passages 1f out before finishing a 2-length 5th of 9th. Had to dig in to prevail back at Salisbury (soft) on his final juvenile start. Another capable of more improvement this season Today’s better ground will suit as should the return to 7f.
3:00 – bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes (Group 3) – 1m 1f
Just the seven are set to go post for today’s race. However, that’s close to the average field size for the contest since 2008.
Magellan, trained by John Gosden, is an appealing contender given his trainers recent record in the race. He has 5lb to find with the favourite on OR’s. A winner of Salisbury Group 3 on his penultimate start last season. He ended last season with a respectable 5th of 10 at Longchamp (1m 2f) where the ground might have been a bit soft for him. The colt looks the sort to do well as a 4-year-old and today’s intermediate trip could really suit him.
Bell Rock has won over C&D in the past and indeed all his career wins have come here on the Rowley Course – 3 wins from 5 runs + 41.50 4 placed. His sole poor run here came when down the field in last season’s Cambridgeshire. Good or quicker ground suits him and his record fresh is excellent 3 wins from 4 runs when returning from a 121-day layoff.
Catch Twentytwo, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, is an intriguing runner. The 4-year-old won a Grade 3 and finished runner-up in two Grade 1’s when trained in South Africa. First run since July and first start for his new yard. Hard to weight up his South African form but on OR’s he’s just 1lb behind Master Of The Seas.
Brunch, a smart handicapper at a mile and won a Listed race at Pontefract last summer. The 5-year-old finished 3 ¼ lengths eighth of 22 to Johan in Lincoln on his seasonal return. He will be sharper with that run under his belt but does have a bit to find on ratings with the likes of Master Of The Seas & Magellan.
3:35 – Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (Group 3) – 7f
Cachet & Hello You come into the race with the best juvenile form. The latter beat the former by 1 ½ lengths when the pair were first and second in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes last September and ended last season finishing 4th & 5th respectively in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filles Turf at Del Mar. Cachet gets 3lb from her old rival today and that should swing it in her favour here.
Romantic Time won a Group 3 over 6f at Salisbury last August but failed to settle when a well beaten 7th in the Rockfel on her final start of 2021. She’s surely better that performance suggests. Hollie Doyle who was in the plate at Salisbury is back onboard today and the filly has place claims if she settles better than last time.
The most interesting of the nine runners is Ribbon Rose. The Marco Botti trained filly won a maiden over C&D in October and showed she had trained on from two to three when beating eight rivals in a Kempton novice last month. The daughter of Time Test only has an OR of 81 so it’s interesting to see connection pitch her in the deep end rather than take advantage of what looks a decent handicap mark. Open to further improvement she also has the benefit of race fitness on her side compared to all her rivals who are making their seasonal reappearance.
4:45 – Just the seven 3-year-olds for what could turn out to be an informative 1m 2f handicap. Six of the seven runners look open further improvement this season. Just one of the seven runners Thunder Max has the benefit of a recent run with the rest all returning from a winter break.
Thunder Max won on quick ground on his racecourse debut before disappointing on soft ground in a Pontefract Listed race in October. Shaped like the run was needed when a 4 ½ length 3rd of 8 at Doncaster 16-days ago. Doing his best work at the finish he can do better now going handicapping.
Wind Your Neck In was in good form at the end of last season winning at Salisbury and a C&D nursery on his handicap debut. Up 5lb but likely capable of better as a 3-year-old. Both wins came on soft ground but Ryan Moore who rode him to both success stays in the saddle.
Israr a winner of a Doncaster maiden on his juvenile debut before a 3 ½ length 2nd of 13 to Wind Your Neck In at Salisbury. He was trying to give 6lb to the winner that day so that was a decent effort and he’s 8lb better off here. The Gosden yard won this 2014 & 2017.
Educator improved with each of his three starts as a juvenile and seemed to appreciate the fitting of the first time cheekpieces when winning a Haydock in September. Today’s trip will suit as he’s bred to appreciate middle distances this season and is open to further progress.
High Fibre looked a big improver stepped up to 1m 1f when a 5-length winner of a nursery here on his final 2-year-old start. Has been hiked up 10lb for that that win but should improve further for the step up to 1m 2f+ this season.
Independent Act, trained by Charlie Appleby who saddled Old Persian to win this in 2018, was weak in the betting when winning a Lingfield maiden on his racecourse debut in November. Not disgraced when 4 ½ lengths 4th of 11 at Kempton a month later under a penalty. Going for home a bit to early that day. Remains with potential on his turf debut and has been gelded since his last start.
Betting Advice:
Newmarket
1:50 – 1pt win – Bergerac – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Chipstead – 7/1 @ Bet365
3:35 – 1pt win – Ribbon Rose – 10/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John