Racing Chat - Wednesday 17th April

[The Brigadier]

Newmarket 1.50

Day Two of the Craven meeting starts with a maximum field of twenty for this class 2 6F handicap. The race was won last year by Charlie Hills’s Orazio and he’ll be tough to beat back to defend his title even though he will be 11lb higher than last year. He prepped for this by running a fine third in the listed Cammidge Trophy (beaten 1 1/2L by Montassib) at Doncaster (his first since being gelded) and the ground should be ideal for him today with William Buick back on board from a similar stall as last year. He’s the bet here with the likes of Significantly and Chipstead the types who could also run well.

 

ORAZIO 1 point each way @ 9/2 William Hill 1/5th 12345

 

Cheltenham 2.05

A maximum field of eighteen line up for the first of two races aired live by ITV in the shape of this 2M 4F 56 yard class 2 handicap hurdle. The race has an open look with amongst the front of the betting being the hat trick seeking Spring Note of Nicky Henderson’s and Chris Gordon’s easy Plumpton winner Sea Invasion. Both hold solid chances but I prefer the in form Robbie Llewelyn trained Titan Discovery who has been a revelation since going handicapping winning at Ascot and Sandown and going down by half a length to Boombawn at Kempton on the Saturday after Cheltenham. That form has already been boosted by the win of the fourth Dan Skelton’s Kateira at Aintree. He’s risen 20lb since going handicapping and is up another 3lb for that latest second. Llewelyn has won with 3 of his last 4 runners and he looks a good each way bet.

 

TITAN DISCOVERY 1 point each way @ 8/1 Coral 1/5th 12345

 

Newmarket 2.25

Ten promising three year olds go to post for this listed 9F Feilden Stakes which can throw up a nice type (Golden Horn won this in 2015). Andre Fabre is a rare visitor to these shores nowadays and anything he sends over has to be respected so the fact that Narkez is here, having won already in France 22 days ago, is highly significant. His two wins however have come on very soft ground so I’ll look elsewhere for the winner. Charlie Appleby’s El Córdobes who cost 2,000,000 guineas as a yearling being by Frankel out of a Sea The Stars mare improved to take a Kempton novice stakes over a mile on his second start at the turn of the year and looks a horse to follow. This represents a step up in class for him but he looks sure to be thereabouts and can run a big race. Aidan O’Brien also sends one over from Ireland in the shape of Group 2 Zetland Stakes runner up Gasper De Lemos and must also be given plenty of respect.

 

EL CORDOBES 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

Cheltenham 2.40

The valuable 2M 4F 127 yard Silver Trophy Handicap Chase has attracted a dozen chasers and has an open feel about it with Cheltenham’s Grand Annual Handicap Chase fifth In Excelsis Deo high on the shortlist. The ground will be better here now mind and that may play into course specialist Il Ridoto’s hands. Trained in Somerset by Paul Nicholls his course figures here read 844163238 and although theres just one victory there he’s been placed in many of the better 2M 4F handicap chases here over the past three years. He wasn’t disgraced when 8th in the Plate Handicap Chase at the Festival here in March and surprisingly the handicapper has dropped him 3lb putting him onto a mark that he was a short head second to Fugitif over course and distance in the December Gold Cup. He looks sure to run his race with Harry Cobden taking over from conditional Freddie Gingell.

 

IL RIDOTO 1 point each way @ 11/2 bet365 1/5th 1234

 

Newmarket 3.00

Ten have declared for the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes in which last year’s winner Ottoman Fleet, trained by Charlie Appleby, looks sure to go well and enhance his excellent course record of three wins from four starts. He may bump into one here mind in the shape of the Roger Varian trained Embesto who had a good first season last year as a three year old winning three of his five starts ending the season with 2 1/2L fourth in a Group 2 at Longchamp. The vibes are strong from Newmarket about this Roaring Lion colt and he looks the value bet in the contest. Royal Rhyme is a progressive horse of Karl Burke’s but seems best on very soft ground and is overlooked on that reason alone.

 

EMBESTO 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

Newmarket 3.35

A 1000 Guineas trial, the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes has attracted a field of eleven this year including representatives from Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Appleby. The warm favourite trained by the latter is Dance Sequence, who is only a 5/1 chance for the 1000 Guineas itself. She has looked a smart performer winning bath her starts as a juvenile, a maiden on the July course here and the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes over course and distance last October by a neck from Skellet. She has the highest official rating in the field and will be hard to beat although is no value at her current price. The Aidan O’Brien runner is Matrika who was last seen winning a Group 2 at the Curragh over 6F in July. Only rated 3lb behind Dance Sequence she maybe the value bet at the prices to beat the favourite. Best of the rest may well be the Roger Varian filly True Cyan who, like the two aforementioned fillies, holds a 1000 Guineas entry as well (currently a 66-1 chance).

 

MATRIKA 1 point each way @ 9/2 bet365 1/5th 123

 

[richard-westwood]

445 Newmarket 

Bolsena... has shown enough to suggest he could take a weakish looking race like this ....interesting that Ryan Moore takes the ride ....I'll try 5pts Ew 5/1 b365 (generally 7/2)