Former Talksport man Charlie McCann has a look at Saturday’s Newmarket Cambridgeshire card, Haydock & Chester. View selections below
A cracking card from Newmarket with the fillies’ taking centre stage with two Group 1s starting with the Cheveley Park Stakes for juveniles. Unbeaten Best Terms gave weight and a beating to her rivals in the Lowther last month and is a worthy market leader but Irish raider Lightening Pearl (2.35) is unbeaten in two starts for Johnny Murtagh and can pay another compliment to 1000 Guineas antepost favourite Maybe.
The brilliant French mare Sahpresa (3.10) is often overshadowed by the record-breaking exploits of compatriot Goldikova but she has won the Sun Chariot Stakes for the last couple of years and she is a confident choice to land the hat-trick. The selection really ought to have beaten Sir Henry Cecil’s Timepiece (who reopposes) in the Falmouth Stakes back in July and as long as jockey Christophe-Patrice Lemaire doesn’t overdo the waiting tactics she can oblige.
John Gosden is looking to become the third trainer to saddle of the winner of the Cambridgeshire four times when 3-y-o Questioning bids to land the first leg of the autumn double for the Newmarket handler. He has been the best backed horse during the week and on a point of handicapping the horse has 10lb in hand, but I’m not convinced about the validity of his recent run at Haydock given the winner has been well beaten since and am prepared to overlook.
The lightly-raced Dare To Dance may want softer ground to be seen at his best although he is one to keep on the right side of this autumn. Man Of Action, formerly trained by John Gosden, bounced back to his best form at Doncaster last time when cutting the opposition down with a fine turn of foot but he is not guaranteed to stay this 9f trip on breeding although he certainly wasn’t stopping over a mile last time; the Cambridgeshire is one of the few big races to have eluded Godolphin to date.
The selection at 25/1 however is Albaqaa (3.50) who remains on a fair mark despite a 6lb rise for winning at Goodwood last time; jockey Kieran O’Neill who was in the plate at the Sussex track again has the ride and takes off a valuable 3lbs. The selection has won on fast ground and many in the 35-strong field would prefer softer conditions.
Betfred Cambridgeshire; ew ¼ first 5; prices from
Dare To Dance 13/2
Questioning 8/1
Cry Fury 10/1
Man Of Action 12/1
Sagramor 14/1
Red Gulch 14
16s Bar
Sir Henry Cecil’s Corsetry (1.40 Haydock) is a half-sister to the yard’s top class former Oaks winner Light Shift and connections will be keen to get a win into the filly; she ran well on debut at Leicester and should appreciate the ease in the ground she is likely to get at the Lancashire track.
The nap of the weekend comes in the Channel 4 race we sponsor from Chester with Mashaaref (4.10) who ran a career best behind the unexposed and unbeaten Beaten Up at Doncaster last time. The third ran a cracker at Goodwood earlier in the week and, if over his Doncaster exertions, the Roger Varian runner is open to more improvement after only five career starts.
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Charlie
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