Newmarket Thursday Preview - 23/09/21

The first selection of the afternoon at Newmarket on Thursday is the Richard Hannon trained Dawn Of Liberation who has been given a great opportunity to get off the mark in this Maiden Stakes.

The two year old holds some of the best form in the race, being seen twice to date in decent events and placing on both occasions.

His first start came in July at Newbury when a superb third over 7f behind the smart Reach For The Moon and Harrow, who have both taken the form line to a new level.

The son of Churchill was last seen finishing a narrow second at York in a 16 runner Maiden at the Ebor meeting behind the smart Hoo Ya Mal for Andrew Balding, with the third in that race winning next time out aswell.

He is highly progressive and if improving once more off the back of both his experiences to date, he looks tough to beat.

This race has been won by some smart runners in the past.

Next up is the Nursery Handicap over a mile and although highly competitive the Roger Varian Sed Maarib looks to have a superb chance.

The two year old colt has been seen three times to date, improving rapidly for each start and now making his handicap debut off what looks a feasible mark, he should be weighted to go well.

Having made his debut in June and needing the experience in what has turned out to be a very smart race, he then went to Salisbury and finished a good second behind a nice type for Michael Bell.

The son of American Pharoah was next seen at Beverley when bolting up in a Novice Stakes and off the back of that last time out went to Doncaster making his handicap debut.

He finished a fair second behind the smart Modern Games for Godolphin and only 2lb higher than that run he makes obvious appeal.

Big player stepping up to a mile.

The feature race at Newmarket on Thursday is the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over seven furlongs and the horse that takes the eye is Trident for Andre Fabre.

Very rarely does French trainer Andre Fabre bring a horse over to the UK for a Group Three event and for that reason this colt looks interesting.

The two year old son of Wootton Bassett made his debut over 6.5f at Longchamp in June and got off the mark in taking style on soft ground.

He was thens stepped up into Group Three Company at Deauville and narrowly went down finishing in third.

Back over the same course and distance he learnt a lot for that run to finish a superb second in the Group One Prix Morny behind the talented Perfect Power.

That form is by far the best on offer and now dropping back in grade makes him the one to beat if enjoying the quicker ground.

Another nice event on the Rowley Mile is the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes over two miles and the Ralph Beckett trained Max Vega looks one of the more likelier winners.

The four year old son of Lope De Vega was an impressive winner of two of his juvenile starts earning him Group Three honours in the Zetland Stakes that has worked out really well since.

He never managed to hit the same heights that he did as a juvenile with his three year old campaign’s highlight coming when second to the smart Hukum in the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

Back for another season this term the gelding was first seen in the Group Three Silver Cup Stakes at York when needing the run.

However, he massively came on for that run when heading back over the same course and distance last time out for the Ebor and finishing a narrow fifth after hitting trouble in running.

Improvement is needed once more, but the extra trip could be a big factor for that.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon comes in the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and Bake for Martyn Meade makes the most appeal.

The three year old gelding has been seen four times to date, twice as a juvenile last term when running credibly in behind the likes of Yibir and King Vega.

Saved for this term, the gelding made his return in July at Yarmouth over seven furlongs and bolted up by close to 10 lengths.

He made it back to back wins at Doncaster during the Racing League when just getting up in the final stages of a Class 3 Handicap.

Down in grade and only up 2lb for his latest win he could be very tough to beat.

The final event of the afternoon is the 1m2f Class 4 Handicap and Babindi for William Haggas looks hard to overlook at the top of the market.

The three year old filly has lovely pedigree being a daughter of Frankel and this term has started to see things click, placing in four of her last five events, including winning one of them.

Making her seasonal debut at Newmarket in May she finished a narrow second over a mile off a mark of 77 and then went to Ripon when settling for runner up behind a progressive type.

Running no race at Chester, she bounced back to form two starts ago at Bath when winning comfortably in a Class 4 handicap and off 5lb higher last time out she was a neck second at Nottingham in a Class 3 event.

Dropping back in grade off 3lb higher makes her the one to beat.