Thursday 22nd October 2026
1.10 Newmarket – (Class 4 Novice) (1m)
It could pay to side with experience in this novice event, which opens the card at Newmarket on Thursday, as SYDNEY CARTON has solid form for James Owen, despite not getting his head in front in his five starts to date. On his penultimate start, he finished a length and a half behind Wykehurst Park at Yarmouth, and that rival is now rated 101 after finishing runner-up to Drumbeat in the Zetland Stakes on his next start.
Most recently, he finished second over course and distance when a length and a half behind Netherstream here last month, and he should open his account in a race of this nature sooner rather than later. He’s by Uylesses, who didn’t mind soft ground, and he should be knocking on the door at the business end of things once again.
The two big dangers will likely come in the form of Byzantine and Munajad; the former was a winner on debut at Yarmouth, albeit a slightly fortuitous one, and was fourth at Kempton next time out. He has to give weight away once again, but there’s likely more to come. The latter has an appealing pedigree, and Harry Eustace has booked Ryan Moore. Market support will be highly significant in his case.
Selection: Sydney Carton – (4/1) (Each-Way)
4.05 Newmarket – (Class 4 Handicap) (6f)
Fourteen runners are currently set to go to post in the competitive fourteen-runner affair, of which you could make cases for most. Henry Candy’s SPACE PARTY was only beaten by a nose on his handicap debut at Kempton earlier this month, and will contest this race off the same mark under Nicola Currie. Before that, he’d placed in all three of his outings within novice and maiden company, and he has to merit serious contention here, with further progression likely on his second start in a handicap. He’s by Space Blues, who was very versatile ground-wise, and he’s currently a tempting price at the time of writing.
As stated previously, a case could be made for the majority of the field as likely dangers. Sierra Sands has a couple of wins to his name this term on the July Course, and looks solid again with Ryan Moore back in the saddle. The Brian Toomey-trained The Quiet Gent also merits consideration on the back of his soft-ground victory at Salisbury last time out. He’s a player here off three pounds higher with James Doyle in the saddle.
Selection: Space Party – (10/1) (Each-Way) (4 pl)
