Everyone will be looking towards the QIPCO 2000 Guineas Stakes race today. It’s going to be an exciting race and one that we will get to as well, however we have some excellent races before and after it and we’re going to be looking at all of the racing at Newmarket today,
2:05 MAKFI SUFFOLK STAKES (HANDICAP)
We start off with a competitive handicap race that is being run over 1m1f. Of the thirteen runners there are four that hold the strongest interest for us.
Bsseterre has shown improvement and looks like he will continue to improve. He can be competitive over the firm ground that we have today at Newmarket and certainly has potential. The main concern is that this is his first race for nearly five months and we would prefer to have seem him run more recently.
Patriotic has the highest collateral form rating and looks to be well weighted in todays contest. He hasn’t been running as well as he can recently but overall we have seen some slight improvements. He ran well just ten days ago and we can expect him to do the same again, but he may not have the class to take the winning line today.
Whispering Warrior has won 50% of all his races and is expected to go well today. There has been improvement and if able to match the speed in his last few races could be considered a serious threat. There is a big rise in class for this runner which is of concern.
Icebuster has been running well for the last few races and shown significant improvement. If he can continue on this path then he is going to be a serious threat in todays race.
Of these my preference is for Patriotic and Icebuster who have run recently and shown they can run well.
Selection: I will be betting Icebuster and Patriotic each-way.
2:35 PEARL BLOODSTOCK PALACE HOUSE STAKES
An eighteen runner five furlong race where getting an early break and having speed is going to be absolutely crucial to success. In a race of this length weight is not going to make much of a difference.
The runners we are most interested in are Spirit Quartz, Bungle Inthejungle and Heerat. Of these there is a slight preference for Spirit Quartz and Heerat who have both run a good race recently and shown improvement. Heerat has been running slightly faster but it is a difference that Spirit Quartz could certainly make up.
Of the rest I am interested in Free Zone who has some potential but is one to watch today.
Selection: I will be dutching Spirit Quartz and Heerat.
3:10 QATAR BLOODSTOCK JOCKEY CLUB STAKES
There are just four runner in this one mile four furlong race and, as you would expect, they all have a strong chance at winning.
If you just look at the race quickly then the market seems to have got it right with Noble Mission being the favourite and Wigmore Hall being the outsider (although the odds are still very short).
However, delving a bit deeper and we see that there may be a possibility to go against the market as all these runners have a chance at winning.
Universal and Noble Mission raced each other last time out and Universal won, beating Noble Mission. However this victory was only by a head and it will be a battle again.
Dandino also cannot be forgotten and while not having raced for a while is expected to come back with a strong performance today.
Selection: This is a race where anything can happen and you would be well advised to keep your money in your pocket. Looking at the current odds I will be backing Universal who I think can make all and has more value than the heavily backed Noble Mission.
3:50 QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS STAKES
The British Champion Series race of the day is run over 1 mile and is for three year olds only.
The first horses to be aware of are Dawn Approach, Mars and Toronado, all of whom have so far won 100% of their races. Of course today at least two of them will no longer be able to claim this record but it is an impressive record, particularly for Dawn Approach and Toronado both of whom have had multiple races.
Of these three runners, Toronado has run most recently and has shown the best figures. However Dawn Approach has shown the strongest improvement and will certainly be coming back expecting to win.
Toronado has a slight edge in this race for me because not only has he raced recently on the 18th April, but it was over 1 mile, at Newmarket, and he put in an excellent performance and won. Dawn Approach on the other hand is coming back for the first race since October and the experience of a race already this season could push it in Toronado’s favour.
It is most likely that the battle to the finish line will be between these two runners. But, of the rest, Van De Neer and Garswood have both shown themselves to be consistent and strong performers. They will definitely both be worth watching.
Selection: I will be backing Toronado.
4:25 HARBOUR WATCH TIMEFORM “EUROPEAN CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD” HANDICAP
In this six furlong race we are looking for horses who have shown that they can consistently produce the speed that is necessary to race today.
The first runner that catches our eye is Secretinthepark. Although having not run for a number of months, he has won both of his races so far for a 10% strike rate. Both of these races produced strong and consistent speed figures and there is no reason that he shouldn’t be able to do this again today. He also saw form improvement over these two races, making him a strong contender for today.
Purcell is an interesting runner. He has been showing slow, but steady improvement and has been performing well recently. He is a distance winner and has been racing in some races that have been very competitive. He certainly has the ability to be contending today.
Shahdaroba cannot be ignored. While his speed isn’t as strong as some of the others, this horse has been improving the most rapidly and if this continue then today he could be a serious threat. The only course and distance winner in the race gives him a small edge and if he can get a good break then he could be the one to beat.
Of the rest Fils Anges and Vallarta look to have strong potential and if either of them get a good break then they could be in with a chance in this competitive race.
Selection: A difficult race and another that you would be well advised to make notes on. I will be dutching Secretinthepark, Purcell and Shahdaroba.
5:00 QATAR RACING NEWMARKET STAKES
The second to last race of the day has a small field of just six runners. Maxentius and Hoarding have been rivals more than once before with both having beaten the other at some time. However recently Hoarding’s performance has been on the decline and we would expect Maxentius to perform better today.
Centurius’s last performance on the flat was excellent but there is a big class jump today and that give us cause for concern. While having won his only race this class jump could be too big a leap at the moment.
Windhoek and Unsinkable look to be the major threats in this race today. Both have shown strong improvement and consistent running in the few races they’ve had. Whilst Unsinkable has been producing slightly better figures, Windohoek has been shown signs of faster improvement. This combined with being a course and distance winner could be all he needs to take todays race.
Selection: I will be backing Windhoek
5:35 QIPCO SUPPORTS RACING WELFARE HANDICAP
A three year old, one mile handicap finishes off todays Newmarket meeting. At the time of writing the market is trying to decide between four potential favourites.
The horse showing the best improvement is Country Western. He is also predicted to be amongst the fastest in the race having been very consistent in speed previously. He hasn’t been racing against such tough competition as some of the other runners but when combined with having run a good race just 15 days ago, being fit and a distance winner and well handicapped, he could be the one to beat!
Of the rest Glean is of interest. He came back on the 13th April with an excellent performance at Kempton on the All Weather and if he can transfer this to the flat then he is going to be a danger.
At first glance Flashlight looks to have potential but if we take out his appearance at Southwell on the 4th April in a class 4 All Weather race, he has been on a constant decline which makes it hard to side with him.
Selection: There is nothing in this race that jumps out and if any of the horses get a good run then they could take the race. For me it is between Glean and Country And Western. Currently there odds are not enough to go each-way but a dutch bet will produce a 100% profit should one win. I will be dutching Glean and Country And Western.
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