2025 Newmarket & York Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Newmarket & York Saturday Preview
It was a poor day overall on Friday but at least our NB managed to nick place money at 14s. We go again, Dave Stevos’ 2025 Newmarket & York Saturday tips are below.
2.35 York – City Walls Stakes (Listed)
With a rating of 90 Rosy Affair has a lot to find on the figures but she may well outrun her odds in this Listed heat. A two-time handicap winner last season, she reappeared with an excellent effort when narrowly denied off 88 in a Newmarket fillies’ handicap in May. The winner of that race, Circe (then rated 85), has won twice since and is now rated 97 and Rosy Affair was conceding 3lb to her.
George Boughey decided to try and nick some black type last time out at Ayr and the plan very nearly worked. Rosy Affair missed out on third by a short head and finished just 1.25l behind the winner despite not getting the smoothest of runs.
This is admittedly a deeper race but this daughter of Havana Grey is still just four years old so there could be plenty more improvement to come from her yet. At odds of 22/1, back Rosy Affair e/w.
2025 Newmarket & York Saturday Tip: Rosy Affair e/w @ 22/1 NB
2.50 Newmarket – Bunbury Cup Handicap (Heritage)
More Thunder is a very short price for this competitive looking handicap. He deserves to be the favourite but one that could go well at bigger odds on ground he will relish is the Charlie Fellowes’ trained Gorak.
The ground can’t be quick enough for this son of Goken and while he has disappointed the last twice, he proved he can be competitive off his current mark when he was beaten half a length by Myal on his seasonal return at Haydock. That rival reopposes here and Gorak is 9lb better off yet he is 3x his price.
He finished seventh in this race in 2023, beaten 4.75l and he is 11lb lower now. Last year he ran a stinker in it but the ground may not have been quick enough. Harry Davies comes in for the ride and he is 10/87 for Fellowes with 33 top 4 finishes, a frame hitting strike rate of almost 50%. Hopefully he can steer Gorak into the money at odds of 33/1.
2025 Newmarket & York Saturday Tip: Gorak e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
3.10 York – John Smith’s Cup Handicap (Heritage)
Marco Botti had a nice handicap winner at Newmarket on Thursday and from a lovely draw in stall 4, perhaps Soldier’s Empire can outrun his odds for him here.
Formerly trained by Ger Lyons, this horse had his first six starts for Botti in Bahrain. He ran crackers in the first four of them before gaining a deserved win on the fifth occasion, beating the 97 rated Mr Alan by 1.25l over 1m2f on rattling quick ground.
He was set a huge task on his UK debut in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot and could only manage a midfield finish, though in his defence 1m was probably on the sharp side for him and it was his first run for three months. Botti’s charge should be sharper now, he steps back up to his best trip and he gets his optimal ground.
Hollie Doyle is 20/139 with 47 top 4 finishes when riding for Botti, hopefully she gets a good tune out of Soldier’s Empire at odds of 50/1.
2025 Newmarket & York Saturday: Soldier’s Empire e/w @ 50/1 (5 places)
4.35 Newmarket – July Cup (Group 1)
I am backing two horses in this G1 sprint. My first and main selection is Jasour. I thought he shaped with real promise in both races at Ascot and he may be starting to realise he has the full use of his lungs again after his wind-op.
It is also good to see Saffie Osborne getting a go on him as sometimes a horse can respond very positively to a new jockey. I would imagine this has been the plan given that he won the July Stakes at this meeting in 2023 (we were on) and I can see him running a huge race at odds of 22/1.
I also can’t let Run To Freedom go unbacked at 50s. Yes, he came up short at Ascot but it wasn’t a dreadful run, he had a crap draw and it was only his second run back after a long layoff. He was second in this for us at huge odds two years ago and I still believe he has a G1 in him if he puts it all together on the day. At the prices, he has to be worth a few shillings e/w.
