Cheltenham and Newmarket continue their April meetings on Thursday, with Group 3 action at the latter in the Craven Stakes, a key 2000 Guineas trial. Matty Sutcliffe has picked out four selections across the cards for you to follow.
1:50 Newmarket – bet365 Handicap (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) – Pen Portrait 12/1 1pt EW 5 places
Low to middle draws have dominated this race within the last decade, with no stall higher than nine taking the prize, so it may be best to focus on those particularly given the Rowley Mile favoured the lower draws on Wednesday. PEN PORTRAIT (11) is towards the middle, and a winter gelding operation could improve him a chunk beyond a mark of 84. The son of Night Of Thunder was sent off favourite and joint favourite twice in his three two year old races, so they evidently think a lot of him at home and he fared well in all of them.
He was beaten a length by Almarada Prince on debut who’s now rated 91 after two subsequent victories, before defying taking a keen hold at Wolverhampton, beating City House who’s now rated 89 after bolting up at Kempton next time out. He was again far too keen at Yarmouth back on turf, but he was only beaten a length in second giving away 7lbs to one now rated 92 having placed in listed company next time out.
It’s always tricky deciphering to what extent a two year old has improved over the winter, but his form suggests his handicap mark is no issue, and he’s a well balanced sort who should cope with the undulations of the Rowley Mile. Should a gelding operation have calmed him down and he’ll settle early, then he’ll be able to have enough energy left in the finish and begin the season fulfilling the promise he left us with as a two-year-old.
2:05 Cheltenham – Sporting Agenda Challenger Series Mares’ Chase Final Handicap Chase (Series Final) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+) – Moviddy 6/1 1pt WIN
MOVIDDY caught my eye over fences when second to Marsh Wren at Warwick, where she was anything but fluent but demonstrated an enormous engine to rally back for a two length third having initially been outpaced around the sharp test of Warwick. Her jumping was marginally better at Wincanton in a listed contest next time out behind the progressive Arclight, but Jonathan Burke gave her an easy enough time once the always prominent pair had kicked for home, though still clocked the quickest final furlong in soft ground suggesting this step up in trip on a more galloping track may be what she needs.
Her form reads well enough for her to be competitive in this Series Final, given Marsh Wren finished an excellent six length 3rd in the Mares Chase at Cheltenham now rated 146. I’m willing to forgive her for pulling up over hurdles at Newbury as she was lit up throughout on soft ground, so the addition of cheek-pieces certainly looks as if they’ll improve her in regards to both jumping and travelling. Given she’s by Urban Poet out of a Golden Tornado mare, she’s bred to appreciate this drying, quicker ground which she won her point-to-point on.
2:40 Cheltenham – Catesby Estates Mares’ Challenger Series Final Handicap Hurdle (Series Final) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Mary 40/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
The yard form of Ian Williams raises a stern eyebrow given he’s without a win on the flat for 32 days and 80 days over jumps, but they haven’t all been stuffed in defeat and I’m willing to take a small chance on his outsider here.
Though 0-7, MARY was promising in bumpers last spring beaten five lengths by a subsequent 118-rated gelding on debut, before faring best of those held in midfield when third in a course bumper over two miles, then didn’t look all that straight forward when a beaten favourite at Ludlow by five lengths.
I thought she ran an excellent race on hurdles debut when 12 lengths behind the smart Dysart Enos, shaping as if the two-mile trip was short enough for her. She’s been kept to two miles in three subsequent starts since, finishing six lengths behind the well backed favourite Manimole at Newbury who was last seen finishing four lengths behind the Mares Hurdle winner Golden Ace. She was below par on her last two efforts in handicaps, but she was never put into the races in rear throughout and she retreated six pounds down the handicap as a result.
By Yeats, she’s bred to appreciate the quicker ground and given her bumper form, perhaps she’ll bounce back to form with the spring sun (Langer Dan?) on her back. She’s a half sister to Give Me A Moment for Richard Bandey who excelled on quicker ground and recorded his best RPR over 2m3f, so the pedigree backs up the visual suspicion that this step up in trip will suit Mary and if we can forgive the yard form and those last two efforts, then she has the back form to improve beyond a mark of 107 in handicaps.
3:00 Newmarket – Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Run To Freedom 10/1 1pt WIN
RUN TO FREEDOM was given no chance by David Probert when a staying on three lengths fourth in the contest in 2022, where he was rated 99 at the time, 5lbs, 11lbs, and 6lbs inferior to the four in front of him. Henry Candy has done some excellent work to improve this son of Muhaarar, particularly in the cheekpieces, who subsequently finished second to Kinross in the 2022 Champion Sprint and second to Shaquille in the 2023 July Stakes.
He’s not the most straight-forward of sprinters, but this good ground is key to him and given he’s a better calibre of horse now than he was when 4th in this in 2022, returning here could suit as he stayed on strongly up the hill that day.
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