Frankie Dettori, on the fancied Wissahickon, won the first leg of the Autumn Double, the Cambridgeshire, so there may be a few bets running on to this Saturday’s Dubai £500,000 Cesarewitch worth a massive £307,250 to the winner.
Cesarewitch History and Trends
The Cesarewitch is a run over a distance of 2m2f (3,621 metres) on the Rowley Mile course 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 Tsarevich, 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.
- Cesarewitch winners certainly require stamina in abundance as every winner in the last 20 years had previously won over at least 1m6f, with 15 of the 20 having proven themselves over 2m.
- Only five of the last 20 winners won their previous race, though most often ran well.
- A race within the last two months is preferable while 13 of the last 16 winners carried 9st 1lb or less. The draw has no significant impact judged on recent results.
- Only one three-year-old winner this century
Stratum ( a best 6/1) has been very popular in ante-post betting since an unlucky run in the Ebor when also strongly fancied. He heads a seven-strong team for Willie Mullins in a maximum field of 34 for Saturday’s race at Newmarket. The five-year-old has already finished third in the Ascot Stakes this year and won a valuable handicap at Newbury. Stablemate Low Sun was a winner over hurdles at the Galway Festival in the summer and is joined by Whiskey Sour, Uradel and Cheltenham Festival heroine Limini who will be ridden by leading French jockey Piere-Charles Boudot. Law Girl and Meri Devie complete the Muine Beag team.
Jumps trainers have a good record in the Cesarewitch and the weights are headed by Scotland, due to have his first run for Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by 7lb claimer Shane Crosse. Another jumps trainer, Neil Mulholland, thinks Vis A Vis (12/1 with Ladbrokes), winner of his only two starts in the UK since arriving from France, has a good chance and has booked champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa for the ride. Precious Ramotswe will attempt to complete the Autumn Double for John Gosden and Ian Williams runs three including Cesarewitch Trial winner Stars Over The Sea, who is penalised, Speedo Boy and Blue Rambler. Alan King is also triple-handed with Top Tug, Coeur De Lion and Just In Time (a general 16/1) representing the stable that won this in 2016 with 50/1 chance Grumeti.
Talented Irish apprentice Ray Dawson takes a valuable 5lb off the penalised Uber Cool (a general 25/1), who has won three of his last four but, at similar odds with Ladbrokes, HERE AND NOW makes more appeal.
Ralph Beckett’s gelding took the notable scalp of Stradivarius last year and has shown himself to be well suited by 2m this season. He beat a strong field at York in August doing metaphorical cartwheels and wasn’t suited by dropping back down in distance at Chester next time when just behind Top Tug, who is 2lb worse off. A strong traveller, Harry Bentley will have to bide his time to conserve his mount’s stamina but he could arrive cantering if the gaps appear and looks excellent value at his current odds.
Cesarewitch Current Best Odds
Stratum 6/1, Southern France 9/1, Limini, Vis A Vis and Low Sun 12/1, Uradel 14/1, Cleonte and Just In Time 16/1, Stars Over The Sea and Whiskey Sour 20/1, Golden Spear, Here And Now, Law Girl and Uber Cool 25/1, Precious Ramotswe, Cliffs Of Dover, Coeur de Lion, Kloud Gate, Meri Devie, Speedo Boy, Stargazer, Theglasgowwarrior and Making Miracles 33/1, Stanley, Melinoe, Night Of Glory and Top Tug 40/1, Dominating and Garbanzo 50/1, Coeur Blimey, Fun Mac, Blue Rambler, Eye of The Storm, Its’afreebee and Scotland 66/1
(Odds Correct at 6.00pm October 11)
