The flat racing continues at Newmarket this week for the Craven Meeting. The action is on the Rowley Mile with its game-changing stamina-sucking dip and it’s tricky downhill finish. The famous old course has been home to some of the top racing in the country since the rule of King Charles II who actually is the only reigning monarch to have ever ridden a winner in a horse race. He did it in the inaugural Newmarket Town Plate, but you have to wonder if the other riders thought it wise not to go out and beat the King.
Anyway, on to the early spring racing action from Newmarket. This is flat racing action and here we take a look at some of the top features across Wednesday and Thursday.
Wednesday 1.50 Weatherby’s General Stud Book Handicap
Ikhtiyaar heads up the field as the 9/2 favourite with bet365* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018). Never really got going at Ascot in October last year, lacking a finish and came home fifth after staying up well. There is form at Newmarket though with two wins from two outings on the course for the 4-year-old over the 6f distance. He took last seasons’ Betway Sprint and the bet365 Handicap. He is going six pounds heavier than he was on his last win. Aeolus had quite a spring in his step last time out in October at Doncaster, was hampered a bit but kept plugging away. Has a nice turn of speed and could be in the frame. Shared Equity and eastern Impact are in single figures ante-post.
Ikhtiyaar 9/2, Shanghai Glory 13/2, Shared Equity 15/2, Eastern Impact 9/1, Aeolus 11/1, Solar Flair 12/1, Danielsflyer 14/1, bar 16/1 (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018).
Wednesday 2.25 bet365 European Free Handicap
This race, open to three-year-olds over 7 furlongs is based on European Thoroughbred Rankings. Jockey Ryan Moore has won two of the last four editions of the race, including last year getting Whitecliffsofdover across the line first. Snazzy Jazzy has come out and won three straight races as a juvenile and he handled himself so well in big company of a field of 29 at The Curragh. Favourite Nebo got a win under his belt last time out which was by half a length over Tangled at Newbury at the end of October. He ran a good second place at HQ last season in the Superlative Stakes as well.
Nebo 5/1, Hey Jonesy 11/1, Snazzy Jazzy 11/1, Finniston Farm 6/1, Folktale 6/1, Rufus King 10/1, Great Prospector 12/1, bar 16/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Wednesday 3.00 bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes
This should be a good competitive race of 1m 1f and Deauville is the strong favourite here. He has been used to a little higher company than this as he was off abroad playing his trade. It wasn’t the most successful of moves, to be honest, finish second from last in Hong Kong in December. It was a good experience if nothing else. Last summer he was showing some promise, landing a win in Chester and a good third place in the Queen Anne Stakes. It’s hard to see what he got out of travels abroad, but should be good enough to handle this drop in class. Frankuus had a good win at Haydock last season and isn’t a bad price to oppose the favourite with if you’re looking that direction.
Deauville 2/1, Robin Of Navan 5/1, Forest Ranger 13/2, Frankuus 15/2, Master The World 9/1, Eugenio 11/1, bar 16/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Wednesday 5.55 bet365 Handicap
This Class 3 action rounds off the day and it is Old Persian who is at the head of the market with plenty of support. He looks like a pretty easy selection after winning easily over a mile here last October. That was his second outing at Newmarket, having gone out in August with a third-place finish behind Vintager. Tracking him at the head of the market is John Gosden’s Casey Jones who has three wins from three, all at Newcastle and all this year. His last was over the distance as well and has to be in the picture. A slightly longer appeal is on Beautiful Memory who has also put in some good work in 2018 over the distance.
Old Persian 3/1, Istanbul Sultan 5/1, Casey Jones 11/1, Bow Street 11/2, Beautiful Memory 15/2, Dukham 9/1, Regimented 10/1, bar 16/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Thursday 1.50 bet365.com Handicap
Ryan Moore is in the saddle for Music Society who hasn’t had a bad start to his young career at all. This season he has had a couple of outings with a win at Chelmsford and then a second place at Wolverhampton where he put in a strong challenge to be beaten by a length by Never Back Down. Both Captain Jameson and Maybride have been showing up well in the odds with Desert Doctor tracking them. The latter has plenty of experience and has done a lot of work this season including getting four wins from seven starts. At a little longer value sits Rebel Assault who started this season well and even though there was nothing there from him on his reappearance in March, may be worth an easy way flutter out at 12/1 with sponsors Bet365* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Music Society 5/2, Captain Jameson 11/2, Maybride 6/1, Desert Doctor 7/1, Consequence 7/1, Dragon’s Tail 10/1, Barton Mills 10/1, bar 12/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Thursday 3.00 Abernant Stakes
The 6f challenge that is the Abernant Stakes has Le Brivido heading up the market as 11/4 favourite* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018). French challenger Le Brivido took a win over Spirit of Valor at Ascot in his final outing last season and hasn’t been seen since. It was a good season that he put in the last term though and has every chance of coming out strong. Six-year-old Brando carries the experience over the youngster challengers around him but the form is what matters. He didn’t find a lot of last season and looked to struggle the longer the season went on. Perfect Pasture will appeal at longer odds because of the wins that he has recorded but Magical Memory out at 16/1 with bet365 is perfect each way value.
Le Brivido 11/4, Brando 7/2, Spirit of Valor 6/1, Projection 9/1, Dream of Dreams 10/1, One Master 10/1, Perfect Pasture 11/1, bar 14/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Thursday 3:35 bet365 Craven Stakes
This 1-mile feature open to three-year-old colts and geldings is a popular draw and Eminent got the win last season. Roaring Lion is the odds-on favourite at bet365* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018) for John Gosden as the highest ranked entry into the race. He was showing well over the distance at the back end of last year including two wins at Newmarket. Glorious Journey should be a serious challenger to him though for Charlie Appleby who also has Masar in the race and the latter has been going well with two career wins.
Roaring Lion 8/13, Glorious Journey 7/2, White Mocha 7/1, Masar 8/1, Just Brilliant 25/1, Sir Hamilton 50/1 Thunderhooves 100/1* (betting odds taken at 00:30 a.m. on April 18th, 2018)
Where you can add services to your horse racing betting like Best Odds Guaranteed it can provide a fair boost. Basically, if the SP is bigger than the price at which you made your selection then you will get paid out at the bigger price where the coverage applies. Another good feature of horse racing is Non Runner No Bet coverage which rewards a stake refund if your horse doesn’t make the post.
