The first leg of the Autumn Double, the Betfred Cambridgeshire, was won by 50/1 chance Dolphin Vista so good luck to the fortunate few with money running on to this weekend’s second leg, the Betfred Cesarewitch.
Betfred are ending their sponsorship of UK racing so this is the last year that the two races will bear their name. But it will be a surprise if there aren’t other bookmakers queueing up to take over as these are the races that betting firms love to be associated with and promote. The layers should be in full control of a race featuring 30-plus fairly closely-matched handicappers and punters have definitely come of worse in recent years in the Cesarewitch.
Betfred are strong supporters of sports, putting sponsorship towards snooker and football. They are a highly popular bookmaker and are able to operate on a user-friendly and fun platform which pulls in other great features like live in-play betting, live sports and the always-popular Tote.
Sweet Selection, 12 months ago, was the first winner of the Cesarewitch at single-figure odds since the three-year-old Darley Sun landed a gamble in 2009. There have been two 66/1 winners, two 50/1 winners and a 25/1 winner in the last 10 years. In fact, National Hunt form can be as important as ability on the Flat and this is definitely a race for the out-and-out stayer and jumps trainers fare just as well as their counterparts on the level.
Cesarewitch History and Trends
The Cesarewitch is a run over a distance of 2m2f (3,621 metres) at Newmarket every October. Unusually for such a long distance, the race is run in almost a straight line (there is just one bend after about 1m2f). A unique feature of the Cesarewitch course is that it crosses a county border – the race starts in Cambridgeshire and finishes in Suffolk.
It’s unusual name is owed to an anglicised version of Tsesarevich, the title of the heir to the throne in Imperial Russia. The race was named in honour of Tsesarevich Alexander (later Tsar Alexander II), after he donated £300 to the Jockey Club.
First run in 1839, it’s been a regular fixture in the racing calendar since and is, traditionally, one of the big betting heats of the year.
As mentioned earlier, Cesarewitch winners require stamina in abundance. Every winner in the last 20 years had previously won over at least 1m6f, with 14 of the 20 having proven themselves over 2m. However, only five of the last 20 winners won their previous race, though often ran well.
A race within the last two months is preferable while 12 of the last 15 winners carried 9st 1lb or less. The draw has no significant impact judged on recent results.
There has been significant ante-post support for John Constable, who is now a general 8/1 favourite. He could be very well handicapped if translating his hurdles form to the Flat, though hasn’t run on the level in well over three years. Who Dares Wins
Who Dares Wins (a best 12/1) is the pick of Alan King’s trio and won the Cesarewitch Trial at Newmarket last month. He finished ahead of Magic Circle and Watersmeet in the Chester Cup in May, though was behind Fun Mac. Time To Study (14/1 with several bookmakers), the only three-year-old in the race, outbattled the luckless Byron Flyer to land the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster and a first try beyond that 1m7f trip is long overdue.
There has been good reports about another general 14/1 chance, Endless Acres, and northern raider Dubai Fifty could not be in better form. London Prize (20/1 in places) has had a break but won the Northumberland Plate consolation race at Newcastle in June and has an excellent overall strike-rate.
Irish runners do not have a great record in the Cesarewitch but are mob-handed this year, led by Willie Mullins’ Leopardstown winner Laws Of Spin (a general 20/1). But he was behind Snow Falcon at Killarney earlier. Landsman is trained by Tony Martin, who won the race with Leg Spinner in 2007. Seamie Heffernan’s mount had no luck in-running behind Laws Of Spin at Leopardstown but still wasn’t beaten far. His handler is a past master at placing handicappers and the four-year-old wouldn’t be running in this if connections didn’t think he’d stay. At 40/1 with the sponsors, it’s a risk worth taking for each-way purposes but WITHHOLD looks to have been laid out for this by Roger Charlton.
Though now only a best 10/1, he was a very good third behind a progressive filly and a subsequent winner (later demoted) at Newbury in his prep race over a trip too short. Successful over 2m at Haydock a year ago, it will be a surprise if he’s not in the firing-line under champion-elect Silvestre De Sousa.
Betfred Cesarewitch Current Best Odds
John Constable (8/1), Withhold (10/1), Lagostovegas and Who Dares Wins (12/1), Dubai Fifty, Endless Acres and Time To Study (14/1), Euchen Glen and Swamp Fox (18/1) Laws Of Spin, London Prize, Shrewd and Magic Circle (20/1) Snow Falcon and Byron Flyer (25/1), Aurora Gray, Duke Street, Watersmeet and Fun Mac (33/1), Rolling Maul, Landsman, Star Rider, Swashbuckle, Digeanta, First Mohican and Getback In Paris (40/1), Oceane, Tawdeea, Taws, Arthur McBride, Percy Veer and Friday Night Light (50/1), Frederic and Mirsaale (66/1), Poyle Thomas (80/1), Cape Caster (100/1)
