Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips – DS
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips
I had a feeling Friday would be tough and so it proved. Most of the races were dominated by horses at the head of the market. Improvised ran well, missing out on 4th by a nose. Bright Start ran no sort of race and Quenelle D’Or was ridden as I hoped but wasn’t good enough. Teumessias Fox was far too keen and Dubai Jemila never got into the race. The Wizard Of Eye capped off the day with a stinker. Let’s hope for a bounce back tomorrow, Saturday Newmarket and Curragh tips are below.
1.35 Curragh – Beresford Stakes (Group 2)
We get a couple of bonus races from the Curragh on Saturday. It has been pretty wet in Ireland the last week or so and it will be yielding at best for this 8f G2 for the juveniles. Frustratingly, only seven will go to post so there’ll only be two places for e/w players. Adelaide River will like the ground and he ran well in a G3 last time. Pivotal Trigger was just behind in 3rd in that race and those two head the market.
Even with just two places on offer, I’m backing Crypto Force here. Michael O’Callaghan’s horses are going well again and the form of this fella’s maiden win has since been franked by the runner up. Rattling quick ground may not have been to his liking at Ascot and the son of Time Test is now reunited with Champion Jockey Colin Keane. 10/1 looks a fair price and if he is ready to go after a break, Crypto Force is more than capable of making his presence felt.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: Crypto Force e/w @ 10/1
1.50 Newmarket – Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2)
A dire turnout of just four for this year’s Royal Lodge. It makes absolutely zero appeal as a betting heat. Flying Honours is odds on for Appleby and Buick. The son of Sea The Stars hosed up in a Listed heat last time and he has now won his last two starts by a combined total of 15L. He is miles clear on the figures and the only slight concern will be this kinder ground.
Greenland looks the biggest danger on ratings. Ryan Moore rides the son of Saxon Warrior and he came up short on his only try to date in stakes company. If I was doing a forecast I’d probably go with Dubai Mile. By Roaring Lion, he too is on a three timer after novice wins at Windsor and Kempton. However, with no e/w betting I’m keeping the powder dry. No bet.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: No Bet
2.05 Haydock – Old Boston Handicap (Class 3)
With a bit of juice in the ground, today could finally be the day Young Fire regains the winning thread. This horse handles better ground but all his winning has been done on soft and the all-weather. The last time he won was in July 2021 off a mark of 96 at Haydock over 7f. He gets in off 2lbs lower here and Danny Tudhope is back on board for the first time in six runs.
He went very close on board Young Fire at York (7f gd) in June, beat 0.5L off 98. His last win came over 7f but he has won over 8f and 9f so the trip is not a concern. David O’Meara’s charge has form figures of 113145 at Haydock on soft or better and he was only beat 1.75L over a mile here on fast ground in June 21. A small field and slow pace didn’t suit on his last visit but hopefully, they’ll go quick enough today. This horse is surely going to win at least once this season, hopefully it’s tomorrow.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: Young Fire e/w @ 18/1 (4 places) NAP
2.25 Newmarket – Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1)
The first of two G1s on today’s card at Newmarket is the Cheveley Park. This 6f heat is for fillies only and ten will go to post. Meditate’s winning sequence was brought to an end last time on Champions Weekend in Ireland. The daughter of No Nay Ever beat everything bar the winner Tahiyra easily and while I’m not sure this drop back to 6f is the right move, she is the going to be a tough nut to crack.
We have made a few bob from backing Trillium already this season. She won for us in a 5f G3 at Goodwood and then she landed a 5f G2 at Donny last time on soft. Stepping back up to 6f is definitely going to suit the Hannon filly judging by how she finished her race last time and her maiden win came over this distance. She might just have the turn of foot required to topple the fav, it’ll be fascinating to see how she fares.
Each Way
It is very difficult to split those two fillies. I’m instead going to back one e/w at bigger odds and I think Mawj could outrun her odds for Bin Suroor and Ray Dawson. This filly lowered the colours of Lezoo on the July course here in July. She was only 1.75L behind Meditate at Ascot too.
Her price is based on her last run when 4th at York, 3L behind Swingalong. That fast track didn’t play to her strengths and I would expect her to close the gap markedly on this course. If anything is going to upset the top two, Mawj could be the one. At odds of 16/1, she is worth backing e/w.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: Mawj e/w @ 16/1
2.40 Haydock – Lester Piggott Handicap (Class 2)
Another sprint, this time over the minimum trip and a nice pot of £65k. The winner will take home over £30k so hopefully, most will be trying. On his last two visits to Haydock, Copper Knight has been beaten a head. One of those runs came in this race last season when he found Mondammej too good. Those two good runs came off 96 and 98 and he is in off just 1lb higher today (99). However, the fact Adam Kirby is on board tempers enthusiasm and I’m going to look elsewhere for e/w value.
Show Me Show Me has really rediscovered his spark in recent weeks. He actually ran in this race last season too and was beat 6L off 85. Fahey has returned to have another crack with Ontoawinner’s son of Showcasing and he is now 4lbs lower. He’s only been beaten 2L off 80 on his last two Haydock runs, finishing 5th in August and 3rd in July. In both those races he finished off well so I am hoping that he gets a proper pace to aim at here.
Raul Da Silva has a 1st and a 2nd from six previous rides for Richard Fahey. Show Me Show me won two starts ago at Newcastle, scoring off 79. He was last sighted over the same C&D 9 days ago when he should have finished closer off 82. His last four runs have been rock solid, hopefully he can put another good effort in today. At odds of 14/1, Show Me Show Me is the each way selection.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: Show Me Show Me e/w @ 14/1 (5 Places)
3.00 Newmarket – Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)
A cracking renewal which may not have quantity but there is no shortage of quality. Eight 2yo colts are due to go to post and a case could be made for six of them. Marshman currently heads the market for Burke and Lee. By Harry Angel, he won his first two starts before running a huge race in the Gimcrack at York. The 3rd from that race, Cold Case, subsequently landed the valuable 2yo sales race at Doncaster.
The centre of attention pre-race tomorrow will be Blackbeard. He is a big, talented baby whose antics in the prelims couldn’t fail to put a smile on your face. He’d remind you of a kitten the way he jumps and plays around but don’t be fooled because this is a very talented son of No Nay Never. Once the stalls open he usually switches on and this out and out sprinter will likely try to make all.
Magic Show?
Mischief Magic has been flawless since his 6L defeat on debut at Goodwood. He made amends in a maiden at the same track and then he added a July course novice and a Kempton G3. The son of Exceed and Excel is a very exciting prospect but this is going to be his toughest test by far. Persian Force is another one with solid form claims. He has only 0.5L to find with Blackbeard on their meeting at Deauville last month. He has had a relatively busy season with six runs but he has yet to finish outside the first two. Of those at single figure odds, he looks the best value at 6/1.
Close Up
The Antarctic was close up behind Blackbeard and Persian Force at Deauville. He had previously landed a G3 at the same track. He was beat 2L by Blackbeard in France and 3L by him three runs back at Chantilly. The son of Dark Angel may well close the gap again, but if both run to their best then Blackbeard should finish in front of him.
Zoology is the unknown quantity. A very impressive winner on debut at Yarmouth, the son of Zoustar now takes a huge step up in class. He could be up to this but it is a massive ask on just his second start. At the prices, I am going to take a chance on The Antarctic e/w. I think 18/1 is too big given how little he has to find with Blackbeard and Persian Force. He may struggle to win if all run to form but that isn’t a given and at the odds, it is worth a go. Hopefully it’s a cracking contest.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: The Antarctic e/w @ 18/1
3.20 Curragh – Goffs Million (2yo)
A field of nineteen will go to post for this monstrous pot. The winner will take home over £600k and the English raiders will be hoping to plunder the prize just like they did in the big sales race at Naas. At huge odds, I am going to take a chance on the Ralph Beckett trained Creatively. This filly has only seen the track twice. She ran a poor race on debut at Kempton but the switch to turf at Beverley on her second start showed her in a much better light.
She finished just 0.5L behind Cell Sa Beela and she went on to be beat just 4L in a G2 next time out. That filly did flop at Newmarket on Friday but even so, she isn’t a bad horse and she is rated 90+. The drop back to 7f from 7.5f should help Creatively and I’d imagine Gary Carroll will ride her aggressively.
She gets the 5lbs filly’s allowance and being by Zoffany, this soft ground could be exactly what she needs. Beckett has had seven Irish runners in the last five years, returning one winner and four places. I don’t think he’d be travelling over unless he thought this horse could be competitive and at odds of 50/1, Creatively is the each way selection.
Saturday Newmarket and Curragh Tips: Creatively e/w @ 50/1 (5 places)
3.40 Newmarket – Cambridgeshire Handicap (Class 2)
A cavalry charge down the 9f Newmarket straight closes the show on Saturday. This race has been kind to us in recent years. In 2020 we backed Majestic Dawn at 40s and they didn’t see which way he went. In hindsight, I wish I had the mortgage on him that day because he was absolutely chucked in off 94. He is now rated 111 and even with his jock’s claim, he is effectively 10lbs higher this year.
In recent years a high draw has proved beneficial and when I looked at this race on Thursday night, Arqoob stood out from stall 29. He was 33/1 but someone else must have tipped him because he is as short as 20s now. I just think a really strongly run race over 9f could be right up his alley and William Jarvis does well at Newmarket. I’ll be having a little e/w on but at bigger odds, Perotto is the each way pick.
Race To Suit
Just like Arqoob, this fella will be well suited by a strongly run contest over 9f. Trained by Marcus Tregoning, he has been running mostly in stakes company in small fields and nicking bits and pieces of place money. Last time he finished last of four in a Haydock G3, but he was only beaten 1.75L for the win.
His last victory came in the Britannia off 99 at Ascot last season, a 29 runner handicap. This will be his first start in a field of that size since and he is now only 4lbs higher. He has won and placed in his two runs in 20+ runner fields and it looks like Tregoning has trained him specifically for this race.
The booking of Billy Lee catches the eye and he has a nice draw in stall 20. AT Windsor in June he was beat 0.75L by My Oberon (rated 113) off levels. So, off 103, Perotto looks well handicapped and hopefully he can run into the frame at 25/1.
