Newmarket plays host to a superb card on Saturday, featuring two Group 1’s, plus one of the biggest handicaps of the year – the Cambridgeshire Handicap.
Tote are guaranteeing a huge £150,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.50pm
Leg 1 Selections: (4) Capulet
The Royal Lodge Stakes looks a cracker to kick off the card and I’m really keen on CAPULET for the lethal A P O’Brien/Ryan Moore partnership. He won going away on debut and the third has since won both of his races to boost the form, but it was the performance last time out in the Champions Juvenile Stakes that was most impressive. He pulled clear of the rivals with stablemate Diego Velazquez and that certainly looks the best bit of form on offer here. I’m confident he’ll win so I certainly can’t see him finishing out of the top three.
Leg 2: 2.25pm
Leg 2 Selections: (8) Relief Rally (9) Sacred Angel
On to the Cheveley Park Stakes and I’m going to have to side with two in here. First up is RELIEF RALLY, who took the step up to six furlongs in her stride when winning the Lowther Stakes comfortably last time out. She’s beaten plenty of these rivals already this season and considering she’s finished in the top two in all five of her races, it’s difficult to see her not making the top three in here.
The other one I’m keen on at a bit of a bigger price is SACRED ANGEL, who won the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot before a huge run when 4th behind Vandeek in the Prix Morny last time out. That was a superb performance and now she’s back against her own sex I expect her to go extremely close here.
Leg 3: 3.00pm
Leg 3 Selections: (9) Vandeek
I’ve actually done a runner-by-runner guide to the Middle Park Stakes which you can read here, and the one I’ve come down on is VANDEEK. Simon & Ed Crisford’s unbeaten star was ultra impressive when winning the Prix Morny at Deauville last month, finishing over two lengths clear of River Tiber, who is his chief market rival in here. The race looks set to revolve around those two, and I don’t think River Tiber will be able to reverse that form, so Vandeek is a confident selection.
Leg 4: 3.40pm
Leg 4 Selections: (6) Haunted Dream (8) Eagle’s Way
The last seven renewals have gone to horses drawn in stalls 21 or higher, so I’m going to focus on those drawn highly. Four of the last ten renewals have gone to 4YO’s, so I’m siding with HAUNTED DREAM, who is drawn nice and high in stall 32. He chased home Astro King and Oviedo at York last time out, and when you factor in apprentice jockey Morgan Cole’s valuable 5lb claim, he’s much better off with those rivals this time around. He’s finished in the top three in each of his last four races, so fingers crossed he can do again here.
The other I’m keen to side with is EAGLE’S WAY, who has been a model of consistency since stepping up in trip. His three runs over 7f saw him finish 8th, 8th and 7th, but since stepping up to 1m 2f his record reads 1111274 (4/7), with his most recent fourth a solid effort considering he was drawn in the highest stall. He’s now 8lb better off with the winner that day (Dual Identity), and he’s reunited with his regular jockey Luke Morris too. Perfectly drawn in stall 24, he can go close at a big price.
Leg 5: 4.15pm
Leg 5 Selections: (20) True Cyan (6) Islanova
This race is an absolute minefield, with the majority making their racecourse debut, so I’m going to have to have two selections to give myself more of a chance! Roger Varian has an excellent recent record in the race – In the last six renewals he has sent out six horses, two of them won and one was runner-up in last year’s renewal. With that in mind, I’m hoping TRUE CYAN could be another one they’ve targeted for the race.
The other one I want to side with is ISLANOVA, who is a half-sister to one of the yards current stars, Potapova. She bolted up to win on debut so I’m hoping her half-sister can do the same! Ryan Moore has been booked for the ride which is a huge positive too.
Leg 6: 4.50PM
Leg 6 Selections: (5) Key To Cotai (1) Wild Goddess
I want to play it safe in the final leg and put up another two selections, with the first of those being KEY TO COTAI. Her only win may have come over the minimum trip, but she was staying on when fifth in a good race at York last time out, with the form working out incredibly well. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th have since come out and won, so you can’t ask much more than that! The step up in trip should suit, and with the application of first time cheekpieces I expect her to go close.
The other one I want to side with is the top weight WILD GODDESS for the Charlie Appleby yard. She bolted up here on the July course when making just her second start, and wasn’t disgraced in Group 3 company here last time out too. The drop in class will help and she’s capable of giving weight and a beating to her rivals.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (4) Capulet
Leg 2 Selections: (8) Relief Rally (9) Sacred Angel
Leg 3 Selections: (9) Vandeek
Leg 4 Selections: (6) Haunted Dream (8) Eagle’s Way
Leg 5 Selections: (20) True Cyan (6) Islanova
Leg 6 Selections: (5) Key To Cotai (1) Wild Goddess
16 Lines x 50p = £8
Check out this weeks Weekend Watch, where Andrew gives his tips for the ITV action on Saturday alongside Dave Young and Kate Tracey. The trio also give their picks for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday:
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