Tag: Craven Stakes

Newmarket Craven Stakes Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Craven Stakes is the highlight of Thursday’s card at Newmarket with a field of seven set to go to post. The race looks unlikely to have any great impact on the 2000 Guineas but could hold some Epsom Derby clues.

Nafaqa was a top quality two-year-old for veteran trainer Barry Hills and got within a length of Elm Park in the Royal Lodge Stakes on his last run. That was over a mile in September and the son of Sir Percy may already be crying out for a longer trip. He had previously beaten Toocoolforschool by half a length at Doncaster and that horse boosted the form with an impressive win in the Mill Reef Stakes.

Frankie Dettori had a great day at Newmarket yesterday, winning the Nell Gwyn and the Feilden Stakes. He rode Osaila for Al Shaqab Racing and now teams up with Moheet, an unbeaten son of High Chaparral. He won by seven lengths on his debut at Salisbury last year and could be anything. White Lake could also have a big future but has to improve on his disappointing defeat at Doncaster in September.

He was odds-on favourite that day but could never land a blow, finishing a length and a half behind Nafaqa. The Hills’ colt just gets the vote in a fascinating contest.

Music Master deserves to take the Abernant Stakes for Henry Candy after some fine efforts in Group 1 company. He usually runs well fresh and was third to G Force in Haydock’s Sprint Cup in September. He was also fourth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot which will probably be his main summer target again this season.

Following the All-weather form on turf can be the quick way to the poor house but it may be worth making an exception with Rocky Rider in the £200,000 Tattersalls Millions Trophy. Andrew Balding’s son of Galileo made hard work of winning his maiden at Windsor in soft ground in October but was very impressive at Chelmsford last time. Secret Brief is probably the one to beat if you overlook his last start when outclassed in the Dewhurst.

The globetrotting Grandeur could gain his first Group victory in the UK when he lines up for the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at 4.40. Arod was fourth in last year’s Derby but connections don’t seem certain about his best trip while French Navy will be hard to beat on his best form. There are some promising three-year-olds in the last and Muqtaser is just preferred to Mohatem.

Rocky Rider 2.55 @4-1 Paddy Power
Music Master 3.30 @5-2 Bet365
Nafaqa 4.05 @4-1 William Hill
Grandeur 4.40 @5-1 Coral
Muqtaser 5.40 @11-2 Paddy Power

Newmarket Thursday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The opening day of the Craven meeting was packed with competitive racing but Thursday’s card does not look quite so appealing. The headline Craven Stakes has effectively been reduced to a duel between Toormore and Be Ready.

Godolphin have high hopes for Be Ready, a strapping chestnut son of New Approach. He was well-touted before his debut at Newbury in August but he was a big, raw two-year-old and found the more streetwise Somewhat far too good. Although beaten four and a half lengths, he still showed plenty of potential and landed his maiden at Doncaster the following month.

He looked much more the finished article that day and quickened away from Barley Mow to win by three lengths. That form may not be top drawer but he has entries in the 2000 Guineas and the Derby and is clearly well-regarded.

On the bare form, he has no real chance of beating Toormore over this trip. Richard Hannon’s Guineas hope won the Group 1 National Stakes in September to be the top-rated two-year-old. Giovanni Boldini finished third in that race and went on to finish second to Outstrip in the Breeders’ Cup, another horse beaten by Toormore last season. If Toormore is anywhere near his peak, he should provide Ryan Moore with a comfortable success.

The bet of the day has to be Roger Varian’s Aljamaaheer who drops back to sprint distances in the Abernant Stakes. The five-year-old will be having his first race over six furlongs since his debut win at Yarmouth in 2011.

Regular readers of this column will have fond memories of Aljamaaheer from last season, grabbing some each-way profits for us at big prices in the Lockinge and the Queen Anne Stakes. His run in the Queen Anne was arguably a career-best when going down by just three-quarters of a length to Declaration Of War.

He is known to prefer faster ground and conditions should be perfect for him on Thursday. Heaven’s Guest was a real money-spinner for Richard Fahey last season, winning four races including a valuable seven-furlong handicap at Ascot. He should come on for his run behind Dinkum Diamond at Doncaster last month and can claim place money.

Favourite-backers will be on good terms with themselves if both Toormore and Aljamaaheer oblige and Just The Judge could make it three in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes. She won the Irish 1000 Guineas last season but did not run up to that level on three subsequent starts. There were valid excuses for her on each occasion and she is entitled to win this.

Newmarket

Toormore (4.05) at 8-11 William Hill

Aljamaaheer (3.30) at 6-4 Paddy Power

Just The Judge (4.40) at 3-1 Bet365