2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tips – DS
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tips
The ground was neither soft nor good at the Curragh on Sunday. I spoke to a couple of jockeys, including Rory Cleary after he rode Clever and Cool, and they said it was really dead, tacky ground. It didn’t suit most of the horses we backed, apart from Verhoyen who bumped into one. Clever And Cool ran a cracker too, she just lost too much ground at the start as feared. With rain forecast, there should be a little bit of juice in the ground tomorrow, check out our 2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting (and Goodwood) tips below.
1.15 Newmarket – Newmarket Stakes (Listed)
Eight are due to line up in the stalls for this tricky looking Listed contest. Salt Bay is the narrowest of favourites for Beckett and Ryan. He has placed G1 form on heavy ground in France and he sets the standard. The more rain there is the more it will suit this horse.
The two Appleby horses, Victory Dance (James Doyle) and Castle Way (William Buick) would both like the rain to stay away. Buick’s mount is a C&D winner, whereas his stablemate has yet to race or win beyond 7f. James Ferguson’s Like A Tiger also scored over C&D last month in a handicap off 83. It was a smooth success by 4 lengths and his superior race fitness could give him an edge over those having their first runs of the season.
Waipiro and Relentless Voyager have both run and won this season, with the former horse scoring in a C&D Novice. Ed Walker’s charge beat a 90 rated Karl Burke horse over 10f at this track a fortnight ago, though he was in receipt of 7lbs. Andrew Balding’s horse hacked up in a 12f Kempton maiden in March, he didn’t beat much though.
The King’s Circle Of Fire and Amo’s Forca Timao both won their final starts as 2yos. However, this looks a big ask for those two on their seasonal returns. The bookies aren’t taking any chances here and it looks like a race that will be dominated by the top four or five in the betting. We’ll give it a wide berth, no bet.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: No bet
1.30 Goodwood – Restricted Novice Stakes (Class 2)
After watching Karl Burke send out two Soldier’s Call colts to finish 1-2 at Pontefract this week, I’m going to take a chance on Call Glory here. Trained by Jack Channon, this March foal is out of a half sister to very useful 2yos Noozhoh Canarias, Money Maker and Wise Counsel. Initially sold as a foal for 16k, his price rose to 26k when he was sold as a yearling.
He will be Jack Channon’s first 2yo runner since he took over the training operation from his Dad. Mick trained more 2yo winners at Goodwood (50) than anywhere else apart from Bath (62) so you would think that Jack will try and target juvenile races at the track too. Call Glory has a nice draw in stall 4 and it is notable that David Probert is riding him rather than Andrew Balding’s Relentless Warrior.
With a bit of rain forecast, the ground should be on the easy side and Vitarli, Dubai Hills and Beenham have already shown form on rain softened ground. They don’t set that high a standard though and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if this went to a newcomer. Hopefully it is Call Glory. At odds of 20/1, he is the e/w selection.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: Call Glory e/w @ 20/1
1.50 Newmarket – bet365 Mile (Group 2)
The first Group race of the weekend at Newmarket is the bet365 mile, a G2 for the older horses. Native Trail, an outstanding Juvenile, makes his return to action after a bitterly disappointing run in the Juddmonte at York last August. He did manage to win the Irish 2000 Guineas but he was narrowly beaten in the English version and also in the Coral Eclipse. After what he did as a 2yo, it was an underwhelming season for the son of Oasis Dream and he had a wind procedure in the off season. Surely he is best watched today at odds of 5/4.
Light Infantry is a serious opponent for the Godolphin horse. Spencer will ride the son of Fast Company and he’ll be hoping for lots of rain. Twice a runner up in G1s on good to soft last season, this 4yo was last sighted running a cracker in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill in Australia where he was beat 2L into 6th.
He needed his comeback in the 2000 Guineas last season and you’d imagine connections will be aiming for G1 glory with him this year. However, this does look a good opportunity for him to add a G2 to the G3 he won as a 2yo at Newbury. If he’s fit, he could be the one they have to beat.
The Rest
Mutasaabeq beat El Drama by 0.75L in a C&D G2 on his final run of 2022. He has form figures of 2241 on his last four outings at this level and he has never been defeated on his first run back. His only defeat on the Rowley course in four outings came in the 2021 Guineas, so he does have a lot going for him. 9/2 looks a more than fair price.
However, at much bigger odds I’m going to chance Imperial Fighter. We backed him in the Irish Guineas when he landed place money, 2.5L behind Native Trail. He’s only run twice since and he had excuses on both occasions (trip/ground). These conditions should suit him perfectly, he has placed G3 C&D form in the book and Oisin Murphy is back on board.
He would probably have beaten Checkandchallenge with a clear run the day they met at Newcastle last year. Hopefully he can gain revenge on that rival and if he reproduces his Curragh run, he could easily run into the money here at odds of 25/1.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: Imperial Fighter e/w @ 25/1
2.05 Goodwood – Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
With her yard in flying form, maybe Alaroos can pick up some precious black type in this 12f contest. Formerly trained in Ireland by Kevin Prendergast, she was moved to Harry Eustace in the off season. A two time winner, once on turf and once on the all-weather, she signed off with a respectable effort on heavy in a Listed heat behind Duke De Sessa at Naas on her final run of 2022.
This 4yo daughter of Golden Horn handles an ease so if the forecast rain comes it won’t bother her too much. Her turf win came on good so it won’t really matter what the weather does. Harry Eustace will be keen to get off to a flying start with the first horse he has trained for Shadwell. His horses are flying generally. Three of his last six runners have won and two more of them were placed. Alaroos has won on good, she handles soft and once it doesn’t turn heavy, she is capable of reaching the frame here at odds of 12/1.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: Alaroos e/w @ 12/1 NAP
2.25 Newmarket – King Charles II Stakes (Listed)
Another Listed contest, this one for the 3yos over a trip of 7f. It is restricted to horses yet to win a G1 or G2 and Majestic Pride is the jolly for Appleby and Buick. He has won his last two starts, including over C&D last time out. He isn’t the highest rated here with a mark of 96 but he gets 3lbs from the 101 rated Iconic Moment and he is less exposed than his other main market rival, Shouldvebeenaring. Rain would be no problem but odds of 2/1 aren’t very tempting.
Of those at bigger odds, perhaps Wiltshire can make his presence felt on better ground than he had last time. In that Newbury G3 he was keen early after getting a bang leaving the stalls but he moved into the race well and it looked like he might get third at one stage. In the end his effort petered out in the final furlong but he still finished 5th, well behind the first two but only a couple of lengths off a place.
The fact he was sent off at triple figure odds for that contest suggests that Martyn and Freddie Meade may have left him a bit short of fitness. He’ll tighten up for that run and his dam is from the family of Sinndar so he should be a lot more effective on ground with good in the description. The Meades haven’t had a winner yet this season but they’ve had very few runners and they had one go close in a Newbury maiden last week. Hopefully Wiltshire can run a big race for them here at odds of 22/1.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: Wiltshire e/w @ 22/1 nb
2.35 Goodwood – William Hill Handicap (Class 2)
Angle Land is a filly that has been kept busy in the Winter months on the all-weather. After successive wins in late December/early January she was given two months off and she returned in top form with form figures of 212 at Southwell and Chelmsford. The win came off 75, she was then beat a head off 79 and she races off 2lbs higher today.
Simcock’s charge returned to turf at Yarmouth earlier this month and ran just ok off 81. A slow start was no good for her last time at Epsom but I am hoping that the return to Goodwood sparks a revival. She has run once at this tricky track before and it was an excellent effort to finish 2nd, beat 1.25L behind Kape Moss. That came off a mark of 75 on good to soft ground and it should be very similar conditions today for the daughter of Mayson.
David Egan now takes over in the saddle and while he has never ridden a winner for Cowell, he has finished in the money in four of his eleven rides for the trainer. Angle Land has been placed on her last two runs on good to soft, including over C&D, and at odds of 18/1, hopefully she can do the same again today.
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: Angle Land e/w @ 18/1
3.00 Newmarket – Nyetimber Handicap (Class 2)
Not a race we’ll be getting involved in. Lord Rapscallion is a grand old horse and he’d have claims if at his best. With Rose Dawes’ claim he is effectively racing off 77 and he has recent form off much higher marks than that. Billy The Kid Loughnane looks a very notable booking for the Nicola and David Barron trained Persuasion. He steered Jer Batt to a facile win at Musselburgh last week for these connections and if the money comes like it did for that horse, watch out!
2023 Friday Newmarket Guineas Meeting Tip: No bet
3.35 Newmarket – Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2)
Not a betting race. The bookies make it a match between West Wind Blows and the 2021 Irish Derby and St Leger winner Hurricane Lane. The Appleby horse hasn’t won since landing the Leger at Doncaster and he’s been beaten a combined distance of 30.5L on his last two starts. West Wind Blows’ recent form has been much better, albeit in G2 and G3 company. This is his first run of the season and Simon and Ed Crisford will be hoping he gives them something to build on.
If either of the top two fluff their lines, Global Storm or Outbox are next best according to the betting. The former horse was beat 32L on his last start at Meydan (16f gd) but this 12f trip should suit better. Outbox was beaten even further at Musselburgh last month and after that wayward display he is best left alone for now. Jewel In My Crown could outrun her odds but with just five runners, we’ll keep the powder dry. No bet.
