Any mention of the Betfred Cambridgeshire almost demands the addendum: first leg of the Autumn Double. Punters have been trying to find the winners of the two big handicaps run on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course (the second leg is the Cesarewitch) since well before off-course gambling was illegal. A shilling double on the two winners could keep the average worker in bread and ale well into the New Year, providing your back street bookie paid up.
Of course, that was in the days before TV when the big races in the calendar were still something out of the ordinary. Nowadays, there seems to be a big gambling heat every weekend and you can bet on anything and everything.
The Autumn Double still entices punters, however, and can help sustain interest as the nights draw in. So let’s try and find a bit of value in the Cambridgeshire, in which Skybet are offering place betting on the first six for a race which will feature the maximum 35 runners.
Cambridgeshire History and Trends
There has been horse racing on Newmarket Heath since before King Charles I lost his head in an argument with Oliver Cromwell. Charles II and his brother, the future James II, were regular attendees. Though, in those days, races were matches between aristocrats not handicappers partnered by professionals.
The Cambridgeshire was first run in 1839 and seven horses have won it twice. Bronze Angel, in 2012 and 2014, behind the most recent. Marcus Tregoning’s seven-year-old is bidding for unique hat-trick this year and has been kept largely under wraps this season. Third Time Lucky will bid to become the first horses since 1970 to record back-to-back victories in the Cambridgeshire. The 2013 winner Educate also tries again.
There has been no winner aged seven or older in the last 10 years and only one winner aged six, underlining the theorythat this is now generally a race for unexposed handicappers. Nine of the last 10 winners had finished in the first five in their previous race so recent good form is also a positive with most winners having had a run in the preceding seven weeks.
The effect of the draw has diminished, however, in a race in which the field invariably races in groups of two or more. Two of the last three winners were drawn low but Bronze Angel was drawn 21 and 11 respectively for his two triumphs and Prince Of Johannes started from stall 31 when successful in 2011.
Ante-post punters have already been hit by the late withdrawal of the well-backed Sacred Act and Eddystone Rock and neither of the fancied pair, Bravo Zolo and Examiner (a best 12/1 and 16/1 respectively) meet the aforementioned criteria of having had a recent run.
My short-list comprises a likely half-dozen. I think THIRD TIME LUCKY (a general 8/1) will run another big race in search of an encore as he’s been brought along quietly this season, though is 5lb higher than last year. Stablemate DOLPHIN VISTA has form at the track and is progressive so is also respected and I can’t believe he is 50/1 with Paddy Power.
When you become a new customer of Paddy Power via online-betting.me.uk you automatically receive a free £30 bet. Place a minimum stake of £10 with minimum odds of 1.50 (1/2). When that is done, Paddy Power will give you 3 free bets of £10 each.
Another three-year-old, VERY TALENTED, wasn’t beaten far by a subsequent Listed winner on fast going at Ascot at the start of the month. As that was his first run since April, he’s entitled to strip fitter this weekend and the 20/1 in a place makes plenty of appeal. AMERICAN ARTIST and INTERCONNECTION catch the eye at bigger prices (33/1 and 40/1 respectively) near the bottom of the handicap with the latter having the claim of the excellent Josephine Gordon in his favour.
But the way this race is usually run should play into the hands of BANKSEA. A general 14/1, Luca Cumani’s coly has won over 7f and 1m2f and been second twice over a mile in competitive handicaps at York and Doncaster the last twice. Fast going is ideal and he has the perfect man on board in Jamie Spencer to play the waiting game while those around go for broke.
Betfred Cambridgeshire Forecast Best Odds
Third Time Lucky (8/1), Bravo Zolo (12/1), Spark Plug and Banksea (14/1), Examiner (16/1), Master The World (18/1), Very Talented, Carry On Deryck and Knight Owl (20/1), Bronze Angel, Dark Red, Educate, First Sitting, Treasury Notes, Azraff , Erik The Red, Goodwood Mirage, Oasis Fantasy, Ode To Evening, Secret Art, Stipulate and Zhui Feng (25/1), American Artist, Balmoral Castle, Bancnuanaheireann, Bastille Day, Chil The Kite and Gabrial’s Kaka (33/1), Interconnection and Lat Hawill (40/1), Raising Sand and Dolphin Vista (50/1), Ginger Jack (66/1)
