STAR RACING PREVIEW: Newmarket Saturday

The winter is certainly on the horizon and for the first time in what feels like months, it’s heavy ground everywhere you look at Saturday’s premier fixtures where I’ve landed on three selections, writes LEWIS WILLIAMS.

1.30 Haydock – Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap (Class 2) 1m

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It was only 18 months ago that the Boughey team were adamant that Raadobarg had a big summer handicap win in him over a mile, but the caveat was that the going had to be as heavy as possible. The only time he was gifted with that ground this season was in the Irish Lincoln back in April when finishing a creditable 3rd but his six subsequent starts have not provided the goods underneath him, for which he’s been compensated a more than fair 8lbs for, and tomorrow could just be his long awaited day. Although there’s no rain forecast throughout Friday evening into Saturday, it certainly won’t be rock hard come the Saturday opener after a heavy ground card on Friday.

Runs within close proximity of Chindit, Ottoman Fleet, and Poker Face last season in the likes of the Earl Of Sefton and Fortune Stakes show that running to a mark of around 105 on soft is well within reach for this now 6 year-old, and a huge run at Ascot at 40/1 in 3rd on fast ground tells you there’s still plenty of life in this son of Night Of Thunder. His only previous run at this venue came with a win in the Silver Bowl and he’s a fair bet at ? to make it two from two.

2.25 Newmarket – Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) 6f

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I’m firmly against the Whistlejacket formline in the Middle Park which means by extension Babouche who is the current favourite for the Cheveley Park is simply unbackable for me, not least least after an average beating of serial loser Camille Pissarro on her penultimate run.

I’m instead leaning with Lake Victoria who boasts a two time beating of Ger Lyons’ best filly in my books, Red Letter. Granted that horse was an unlucky loser when meeting the selection on debut, but those two fillies have looked simply the best that Ireland has to offer ever since that day.

She went on to win the Sweet Solera on the July Course beating Mountain Breeze of Godolphin who has closely linked form with Simmering, which was confirmed in the Moyglare just two weeks ago when a storming run down the outside kept her unbeaten record and if she’s ready to go again after a short layoff she’s not a great bet at ? .

The ground is always a slight guessing game with the juveniles but dam Quiet Reflection was a prolific heavy ground winner including the Sprint Cup and Group 3 Prix Sigy, with half brother stablemate 3yo by Galileo (The Equator) an easy winner on heavy. There’s not much to dislike about Lake Victoria.

Honourable mention goes to Daylight who ran a fast finishing 3rd in the Morny under contrasting tactics to Ryan Moore on Whistlejacket and with a heavy ground romp on debut, the market support is more than understandable although the boat has surely gone at shorter than 7/2.

3.40 Newmarket – bet365 Cambridgeshire (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) 1m 1f

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The feature cavalry charge over the mile trip takes place at 3.40 and the question that jumps out to me is whether Poniros has perhaps been running over the wrong trip for his last few runs? The son of Golden Horn has always been well touted by the Beckett team and his last run over a similar trip to Saturday looks more than fair in the London Gold Cup at Newbury, finishing 2nd to King’s Gambit (116) with recent Doonside Cup winner Persica (112) back in 4th.

A gelding op allowed him to travel a lot smoother through his race when smashed most recently at Ascot. He came there like a dream that day but failed to sustain the challenge to put the race to bed, beaten only 4 lengths to the progressive The Reverend and French Duke. Back down to this 9f trip on preferred soft ground, everything seems to be in his favour on this feather weight, and drawn in the middle could end up yielding a better result than the objective wrong side. He’s a nice E/W bet at a double figure price (currently ? ).

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Raadobarg to win the 1.30 at Haydock 1pt at 6/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Lake Victoria to win the 2.25 at Newmarket 2pts at 11/4 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Poniros to win the 3.40 at Newmarket 1pt E/W at 10/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)