Thursday 16th April 2026
The first of my four selections on Thursday from Newmarket on the third day of the Craven Meeting comes within the 3.00, and this is the highly competitive Group 3 Abernant Stakes, which is run over six furlongs. I’m taking a chance on one at a big price here, given the competitive nature of the race, and that’s PRINCE OF INDIA for Marco Botti, who’s the mount of Hollie Doyle. He’s a well-regarded type who progressed nicely last term, the highlight being when winning a Heritage Handicap on the July course here. He made his seasonal reappearance in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month, where he ran with credit to finish a length and a half behind the eventual winner Cool Hoof Luke. He should take a big step forward following that run, and there should be more to come from him.
It’s the feature race of the meeting at 3.35, and this is the Group 3 Craven Stakes, which is contested over a mile. Charlie Appleby won this race with Masar, Master Of The Seas, and Native Trail in recent times, and I think he could well add another to his tally here with HIDDEN FORCE, who’s the mount of William Buick. He comes into the race boasting an unbeaten record, having won both of his starts to date, with each of those coming at Kempton. He’s looked like an exciting prospect in those victories, and he should continue to make significant progress. He got the better of the useful Venetian Prince last time out in a race which the yard previously won with Guineas winner Notable Speech. A big performance would be no surprise.
My third selection of the afternoon comes within the 4.10, and this is a Class 2 fillies’ maiden that’s ridden over seven furlongs. It’s another Appleby charge I like here, in the form of HASSALEH under William Buick. He hasn’t been seen since finishing third on his racecourse debut at Windsor back in June, where he wasn’t given a hard time of things on his first start under rules, where he showed greenness as well as promise. He looks almost certain to have come on a great deal since that outing, and he should be a lot closer at the business end of things the second time up here. He should go well for a yard that excels around here.
Bringing down the curtain on this year’s Craven Meeting is the 5.20, and this is a competitive eighteen-runner Class 3 handicap over seven furlongs. I like the chances of the progressive STORM FREE here for the team of James Tate and James Doyle. The yard has already had handicap success at this meeting earlier in the week with a progressive type in Darn Hot Gallop, and this four-year-old could well follow suit. He signed off last season with a first handicap success, when winning a fifteen-runner affair at Leicester in October, and a five-pound rise in the weights by the handicapper might not be enough to stop him from going close again here. He’s still lightly raced, and there could be more to come from him.
Thursday Selections
Newmarket Craven Meeting Day 3
3.00 Newmarket
PRINCE OF INDIA – (12/1) (Each-Way)
(4 places)
3.35 Newmarket
HIDDEN FORCE – (7/4) (Win) (NAP)
4.10 Newmarket
HASSALEH – (5/4) (Win) (NB)
5.20 Newmarket
STORM FREE – (4/1) (Each-Way)
(5 places)
