Wednesday 13th April

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

I’m starting my preview for the second day of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket with the 1:50 which is a Class 2 Handicap that’s contested over six furlongs. This is another extremely competitive line-up of which a case could well be made for the majority of the field. I’ve taken an each-way chance on Dig Two though at 15/2 who represents Hugo Palmer and James Doyle. He’s been gelded and had wind surgery over the autumn and winter months and looks to have progression in him this season within the handicap ranks, he’s also got course form and having won his maiden here back in May which is always a positive here. If tuned up for this particular assignment he’s every chance of playing a meaningful role.

Moving onto the 2:25 which is the Wood Ditton Maiden that’s ridden over a mile. This race is probably one of the most famous maiden contests around and it’s likely that we’ll see some potential stars make their debuts here. It’s very much a guessing game trying to find the winner, however, I’ve sided with Secret State at 5/2 for the team of William Buick and Charlie Appleby, who enjoyed success at the track on the first day of the meeting with New Science and Master Of The Seas. Godolphin won this race four times between the years of 2011 and 2017 and this horse has been touted to be another potential top-level performer.

Up next is the 3:00 which is the Group 3 Abernant Stakes over six furlongs. One of my favourite horses in training lines up here in Ebro River who I love dearly, however, for once I’m going with head over heart as I’ve sided with Garrus at 11/2 for Charlie Hills who’s the mount of Ryan Moore. He’s a six-year-old by Acclamation who made his seasonal reapperance at Doncaster’s Lincoln Meeting last month where he finished a fairly disappointing fourth of seven. Despite having a good record fresh, it’s likely that he will have needed that first run of the season and it’s even more likely that will he progress from that effort here. Some of these probably have more exciting profiles than him but he’s a solid performer at this kind of level.

Concluding my Day Two preview is the 3:35 which is the feature race itself, the Group 3 Craven Stakes over a mile. Putting this bluntly, this is all about the Godolphin star Native Trail who dominates the market at a very skinny price. He arrives here with a perfect unbeaten record having taken all before him last season, signing off with two Group 1 victories the most recent coming in the Dewhurst Stakes here. It will take a mighty performance to beat him. Unfortunatley, there are only 7 runners which it doesn’t make an each-way play very appealing, if you are looking for one to follow the hotpot home though I’d take a chance on Hoo Ya Mal at 14/1 for Andrew Balding. He was unlucky not to win a Listed event at Doncaster when he was last season, going down by a nose after dwelling at the start. He won a hot York maiden the time before that when beating the also progressive Dawn Of Liberation in the process. I think he could have a big future ahead of him as well.