Wednesday 19th April 2023

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

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Welcome aboard to the Day 2 blog for this year’s Craven Meeting at Newmarket where once again I’ve got four selections to share with you all, all of which are featured on ITV.

My first pick comes in the 1:50 which is a ‘Class 4 Handicap’ that’s contested over a distance of a mile. This is another competitive affair, and I’ve taken a chance on one at a big price in the form of Seductive Power at 12/1 for Richard Hannon and Jim Crowley. He comes into the race race-fit having had two recent outings on the all-weather in March and April, where he finished second on each occasion, at Chelmsford and Kempton respectively. He was the winner of a Newbury novice event last summer, and I think he has more to offer. If he builds on his recent runs he’s got a solid chance at a nice price.

The 2:25 is where my next pick comes from and this is a ‘Class 2 Handicap’ which is contested over six furlongs. Following the theme of the previous race, this is another extremely competitive affair, and also following the theme of the previous race I’m going to try my hand with one at a big price with Chairmanoftheboard at 10/1 for Jack Channon and Tom Marquand. He’s not been at his best as of late and posted an underwhelming effort on his seasonal reappearance last time out at Doncaster. However, he’s got some decent form to his name in the past and has slipped to a mark that’s a few pounds below his last winning one. Also, arguably his last good run came in a competitive handicap at this track last year where he finished third of nineteen off a six-pound higher mark. If he returns to that level form here he’s got every chance of playing a role.

The 3:00 is the third race of the day and where my next selection comes from, and this is the ‘Feilden Stakes’ which is a listed event that’s ridden over a mile and a furlong. I’m siding with Bold Act at 10/3 here for Charlie Appleby and William Buick, who comes into the race having won his last four starts, with his only other run coming when he ran second on debut on the July course here last year. He’s since gone on to win on the Rowley Mile, with that win coming back in September, and returned to the track at Chelmsford in April in a Kentucky Derby Trial, where he continued his winning sequence. It remains to be seen how far he could go and if he’s in the same kind of form we’ve become used to he could prove to be tough to beat.

The 3:35 is the feature race of the day and comes up next, and this is the ‘Nell Gwyn Stakes’ a Group 3 contest for fillies that’s ridden over seven furlongs. In this year’s renewal of the race, I like another Godolphin runner in the form of Fairy Cross at 9/2 who’s my NAP of the day for William Buick and Charlie Appleby. She signed off her season with a win in a Group 3 affair at Goodwood last August and posted a solid effort at Meydan in the Jumeriah Fillies Guineas when finishing second to the smart Mawj. I think that she has the best form on offer here and despite being slightly vulnerable to a less exposed sort, they’d have to run up to a fairly high level if they were to beat her if she runs to the best of her ability.