Thursday 22nd September 2022

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Welcome aboard to this preview for the opening day of the Cambridgeshire Meeting at Newmarket! The action at HQ kicks on Thursday, and the first race I’ll be looking at is the 2:25 which is a Premier Fillies’ Handicap that’s contested over six furlongs. I’m taking a chance on Farhh To Shy here at 6/1 for the team of Tom Queally and George Masteron. She’s not been seen since finishing down the field in a typically ultra-competitive Royal Ascot handicap back in June, however, before that she was in fine form and notched up a course and distance success when in said form. At the start of this campaign, she proved that she can go well fresh when winning impressively at Doncaster on her first outing of the season in April, and if bouncing back from that Ascot effort I think she’s got every chance of having a say here.

It’s the 3:00 where I’ll be turning my attention to next, which is the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes that’s ridden over seven furlongs. This isn’t normally the kind of race I’d be getting involved with, as this year’s renewal has only attracted the four runners, however, the three that are battling it out for favourtism all have significant potential. I’ve sided with Victory Dance though at 15/8 for William Buick and Charlie Appleby, who arrives here off the back of success within listed company at Newbury last month. On his penultimate outing, he was narrowly denied here on the July course when going down by just a head in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes to the smart Isaac Shelby. This is all very solid form, and I’m under the impression that considerable progression is left to come from this Dubawi colt for his all-conquering connections.

The final race I’ll be taking a look at is the 4:10 which is a Class 2 Handicap that’s contested over a distance of a mile and four furlongs. I’m taking a chance on another Godolphin representative here in the form of Dhahabi, currently trading at a best price of 4/1 for William Buick and Charlie Appleby. He was given a rather difficult assignment on his most recent outing, which was also his first run since being gelded, when finishing behind his King George winning stablemate in Adayar in a conditions race. However, this race presents a much more realistic opportunity for him, on his penultimate outing in June he ran a very solid race when finishing second of seven, also at Doncaster, with that occasion being within handicap company, and off a pound higher mark. His breeding suggests that he should also be at home when contesting middle distances, he cost a massive 3.1 million guineas as a colt, and whilst it’s unlikely that he’ll reach the heights that price tag suggested he might, I think he’s a player within this company.