Newmarket‘s Craven meeting comes to a close on Thursday. The race after which it is named takes place, with seven runners with Classic aspirations going to post.
Matty Sutcliffe has provided his tips for every day of the meeting, with three more for Thursday fancied to go well.
Newmarket Racing Tips (Thursday 16 April)
The Group 3 Craven Stakes is the headline race on Thursday, but it is not the only Group race on the card. Matty’s three Thursday tips all run at the meeting.
1:50 Newmarket – Betway Handicap (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) – Advertised 25/1 1pt EW 5 places
The booking of Jamie Spencer and a trip down south to Newmarket suggests connections think plenty of Advertised, who finished his two-year-old career with a half a length fourth in the valuable EBF Final at York last season. He travelled strongly down the outside there and looked to be coming with a winning run, before his finishing effort just petered out, but that form has already been franked this season with the second bolting up four lengths last month now rated 98, who he was giving 3lbs to.
His two victories have come on the all weather, but his two turf runs suggests we shouldn’t be concerned by that. Given he bloomed in the Autumn, he appears to be one who’ll improve as a three year old and his family backs that up as his dam and two of his siblings were unraced at two, but winners at three.
3:00 Newmarket – Abernant Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Aramram 11/2 1pt WIN
Aramram was an excellent winner of the Cammidge for the column at the Lincoln meeting, confirming my suspicions that he has the ability to figure at this level and with natural progression he can back up here.
It was a big step up on his prior efforts, posting an RPR 9lbs higher than his previous best, but he wasn’t winning out of turn judged on his earlier form with More Thunder, twice second to the now 114-rated Group 2 winner. Both of those efforts came over course and distance including at this meeting, which bodes well for the return here.
He still has something to prove on the figures, but he wasn’t stopping at the line at Doncaster and the authority with in which he won with suggests he can continue improving upped to his level.
3:35 Newmarket – Craven Stakes (Group 3) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Hankelow 9/2 1pt WIN
A fascinating albeit slightly weak looking Craven Stakes, headlined by Hawk Mountain, who I suspect may be using this as a prep for something later down the line. Oxagon, Venetian Prince and Commander’s Intent would have to improve on their two-year-old seasons to take this, which leaves three.
Of the Godolphin pair, Hidden Force is two from two albeit on the all-weather, but perhaps the main threat over stablemate Avicenna who will need to have matured to cope with the nature of this race. That leaves us with Hankelow, who was agonisingly beaten a nose by Avicenna in the Flying Scotsman.
He improved when stepping up to a mile over course and distance in the Autumn Stakes, travelling comfortably from the front and fending off the challengers with ease. That was a pleasing effort, and the second followed up in Group 3 company next time out.
Karl Burke hasn’t had the strongest of starts to the season, particularly with his two year olds, but Al Qareem and Evolutionist have picked up good contests and Hankelow can follow suit with his course experience to boot.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Best Bets – Craven Meeting Day 3
1:50 Newmarket – Betway Handicap (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) – Advertised 25/1 1pt EW 5 places
3:00 Newmarket – Abernant Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Aramram 11/2 1pt WIN
3:35 Newmarket – Craven Stakes (Group 3) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Hankelow 9/2 1pt WIN
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Newmarket tips – Craven Meeting Day 3 – Thursday 16th April
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets for the racing at Newmarket on Thursday 16 April.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 2.20pm on Wednesday 15 April.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
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