Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting - Day One Preview

A Class 4 Maiden held over 1m kicks us off for the week and it is Charlie Appleby’s Dubawi gelding DISCOVERY ISLAND that we will be siding with.

He shaped with great promise when just edged out in a similar-looking event over C&D on debut, and looked outpaced over an inadequate 7f in a race won by a potentially nice type for the John Gosden yard on his most recent outing.

Now back to 1m, the conditions of this race should be much more suitable and he is fancied to strike at the third time of asking for a yard who landed this back in 2017 with Ghaiyyath.

With many in this stepping up in Grade and the forecasted favourite Light Angel looking fairly exposed and largely inconsistent, we are keen on one who looks a healthy betting proposition e/w.

Mick Channon’s MILLTOWN STAR has contested in much stronger events than this, showing he is clearly held in high-regard back home and ran right up to his best at The Curragh last time.
He caught the eye when staying-on into 5th in what looked a valuable sales race and with this step up to 1m likely to suit, his forecasted double-figure price looks too big to ignore.

In an ultra-competitive event, with many on the upgrade, this race looks a tricky one from a punting perspective with many holding claims.

Of those LADY OF ARAN looks one of the more likelier contenders after her career-best effort last week, when benefiting from the strong early pace to eventually wear down an in-form rival late on, who she again meets in this.

She won going away that day, having had the race run to suit, and given this is Charlie Fellowes only hope on the card suggests he is fairly confident of another bold showing with plenty of pace on offer again, providing this race doesn’t come too soon.

With several in this looking fairly exposed, and the top two in the market very much ground dependant, it could pay to look at another who offers some value e/w.

Charlie Hills’ PERSUASION created a big impression on debut and was well-supported into favouritism for the Acomb Stakes at York last month, and although he was only able to finish mid-division then that race perhaps came too soon.

This colt holds some nice entries in much stronger events than this, so definitely looks worth chancing at around 5/1.

Withhold and Austrian School are the stand-out pair on form, though it is the first-named, who landed the Cesarewitch and Northumberland Plate last season to be the one who we feel has slightly stronger claims.

Roger Charlton’s 6-y-o looked unsuited by the drop in trip last time, and given he has won all four starts when raced over 2m or further he should put together another brave display, if bouncing back from a below-par effort at York last month.

In another tricky looking race we are taking a chance on a former Andre Fabre in-mate, who arrives seeking a hat-trick of victories after putting together two convincing displays in what were slightly weaker events.

DRAMATIC DEVICE has been raised 4lb in a better race than those he has previously contested in, but arguably his best effort to date came when first tried at this trip, so there could potentially be much more to come under the penalty.

TOP RANK looked an exciting prospect when running out a ready winner to maintain his 100% record at Thirsk in April, and has a fine chance of completing the hat-trick off what looks a generous opening handicap mark.

Jockey PJ McDonald has an impressive record when teaming up with James Tate, and his mount looks to have as good of a chance as any in this if taking this step up in class in his stride returning from a 166 day lay-off.

The finale on Day One of the Cambridgeshire Meeting ends with a Class 4 handicap over 1m 2f, and in another open-looking affair we are taking a chance that a recent breathing/gelding operation has worked wonders for the Sir Michael Stoute-trained FELIX.

He looked a real progressive type for Luca Cumani last term, and made a promising start at Doncaster for this yard, though has seemingly gone off the boil in his previous two outings since.

He now has a much more workable handicap rating of 82 and the booking of Ryan Moore suggests a better performance is now expected.