Former Talksport man Charlie McCann has a look at Saturday’s Newmarket card and also York and Chepstow. View selections below
It’s the inaugural Future Champions Day at Newmarket with four Group races for juveniles including the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes with the winner likely to head into the winter as antepost favourite for the 2012 Qipco 2000 Guineas.
Power (3.10) has already won in Group 1 company having landed the National Stakes at the Curragh last month; he has been on the go since the spring but has improved throughout the season and can give Aidan O’Brien his third win in the race having first landed the prize a decade ago courtesy of Rock Of Gibraltar. Note trainer Aidan O’Brien had six horses entered earlier in the week but relies “solely” on Power in his quest for the hat-trick.
Strong Suit (2.05) faces a stiff task giving weight to older horses in the opener but he will be fresher than most and can confirm his progression through the ranks at the expense of the gutsy Cecil filly Chachamaidee who doesn’t know how to run a bad race.
The big betting race of the day is the 36-runner Betfred Cesarewitch the 2nd leg of the autumn double run over the marathon trip of 2m 2f. David Pipe has three runners as he tries to emulate father Martin who saddled the winner of this prestigious race twice at the beginning of the century and the nod goes to the lightly-raced Beyond (3.50).
The selection is the mount of William Buick and has been given a very favourable draw in stall 3; off the track since landing a gamble at Sandown (1m 6f) back in July the selection is not guaranteed to stay this additional half mile but in a wide open event he is a tentative selection.
Irish raider Rainforest Magic is much respected for Dermot Weld but has been given a very poor draw in 29 and is ought to be noted that many of the antepost market leaders must overcome a high stall including Keys who has been given the all-clear to run despite a late scare. Victor Chandler are betting ¼ odds first 5 with immediate effect.
Cesarewitch: ¼ first 5 prices from
Veiled 10/1
Beyond 10/1
Tuscan Gold 12/1
Keys 12/1
Rainforest Magic 14/1
Cosimo De Medici 14/1
Sentry Duty 14/1
16s BAR
Three of four selections obliged at Longchamp last weekend to show a decent profit but Bannock was a bitter disappointment at Redcar and is readily overlooked in the York feature; on official figures Desert Gazelle (3.25) has a bit to find but she should improve for the drop back to 6f and if more amenable to restraint she can go close in a fascinating listed race for juveniles.
Mystic Meg owns Astromagick (4.40) and the filly improved dramatically for the step up to two miles for the first time at Yarmouth last time and she can maintain her upward profile in the staying handicap
There is a terrific jumps card at Chepstow with the former Champion Bumper winner Cue Card (3.35) making his Chase debut for Colin Tizzard; the trainer walked the course himself at the Welsh track earlier in the week and reported himself satisfied with underfoot conditions.
The selection failed to justify the hype over timber but he has some engine and remains, potentially, a top class animal. One word of caution he did pull on occasions and it would be a worry for jockey Joe Tizzard if he ran with the choke out on his first start over the larger obstacles. Silviniaco Conti is another potential top-notcher over fences and although there are four runners it looks sure to be a most informative race.
Trainer Alan King has saddled the winner of the opening juvenile hurdle twice in the last five years with the top-class pair Katchit and Franchoek and I can pass on a good word for his Secret Edge (2.25) especially with the Paul Nicholls’ trained Hinterland a non runner.
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Charlie
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