Racing
Newmarket tipping preview: Hudson River to capitalise on winning debut
For two consecutive days Steven Dowler has been landed five out of six in his Newmarket tipping preview, today he’s aiming to go one better. Read on for his Newmarket tipping preview ahead of the Boosted £7,000 Place 6 and join his Syndicate.
Newmarket tipping preview
12.10 – Class 3 Handicap – 1m4f
As expected, the big yard’s haven’t gone unnoticed in the market for the opener of my Newmarket tipping preview.
At the top-end of the weights, I’m quite attached to the Archie Watson-trained MEDAL WINNER who has won two of his last three races, with his victory at Chelmsford two runs ago off a mark of 90 working out well as the third horse Cape Cavalli justified favouritism this week. He then ran an excellent race to finish sixth in the Duke Of Cambridgeshire at Royal Ascot considering he was hampered at a crucial stage. Left alone on the same mark here, with the step up in trip likely to suit, I am quite confident he will go close to winning this race.
COUNTRY looked progressive last year, winning three of his six races, and shaped nicely when keeping on well to finish third on seasonal debut at Haydock last time out at a similar-level. That form has been advertised with the second, fifth and sixth all winning since. On the back of that promising display, the handicapper has been quite lenient with him, dropping him a valuable (1lb) so providing James Doyle can conserve his energy, I think he has a huge chance.
Ralph Beckett has his team in good form so FUTURE INVESTMENT can be expected to go well. He’s won twice, and placed four times from seven races – also proving he handles all types of ground ranging from good to soft. He finished an eye-catching second on his seasonal debut in a similar contest over this trip and Newbury, and a similar effort here, especially with fitness now assured, should see him heavily involved.
Selections: MEDAL WINNER, COUNTRY, FUTURE INVESTMENT
12.45 – Class 3 Fillies’ Stakes – 7f
This is a tough race to weigh up as there isn’t much form to base your case around. The only one with racecourse experience is Wedding Dance, who will be ridden by William Buick. She finished fourth at the track on debut, but I think a few of these have the potential to be above-average for their powerful connections.
That includes the likes of the Hugo Palmer-trained ADDOSH, William Haggas-trained LILAC ROAD and NASH NASHA, who will be ridden by James Doyle. All three fillies have good pedigree’s being related to the likes of The Gurkha, Mastercraftsman and Dubawi – so they are all entitled to go well, and with a bit of luck, hopefully we can get past this tricky leg!
Selections: ADDOSH, LILAC ROAD, NASH NASHA
13.15 – Class 4 Novice Stakes – 1m
The draw could have been kinder to AL MUTATHER who has been handed the berth of stall 14, but he sets a very high standard for the rest to aim at having made a bright start to his career when winning over course and distance. The form of that race has been boosted since with the third horse Montather winning easily next time out off a rating of 94. Al Mutather showed plenty of greenness on debut, but had plenty up his sleeve at the line, so with more to come, I think he has an outstanding chance of remaining unbeaten.
RUSSIAN VIRTUE looks to have been slightly underestimated by most firms having gone down fighting on debut at Newbury when just touched off in a four-way finish, rallying well once headed. Menuisier’s runners always tend to come on plenty from their previous outing, and with top-class french jockey Charles Poudot booked to ride, he could offer some nice value to hit the frame at least.
DECLARING LOVE has to come into the equation based on her debut third at this track 420 days ago. Obviously, it has to be a slight concern that she hasn’t been seen since, but that piece of form is the best on offer as the first and second – Daahyeh and Raffle Prize have both won plenty of Group 1’s and Group 2 races between themselves since, and are both rated 110+ top-level performers. That puts things into perspective what Declaring Love achieved on her debut so providing she is fit enough first time up – I think she could prove to be a class-above this field, but stall 16 would have to be a concern.
Selections: AL MUTATHAR, RUSSIAN VIRTUE, DECLARING LOVE
13.50 – Class 2 Handicap – 1m
Another tricky handicap to complicate matters in today’s Newmarket tipping preview. Having said that, I do like the William Haggas-trained SURF DANCER who won two of his first three races, including when beating a now 90-rated horse at Chelmsford convincingly. Ultimately – he could never land a blow in a Group 3 race next time out on heavy ground, but shaped well on his reappearance last time at this level. He’s up 3lb in the handicap, but the mere fact is that he’s capable in this grade and should give his running once more.
The Godolphin team-member EASTERN WORLD could prove to be better than his current mark of 90. Having finished second on his first couple of races, he deservedly went one better when making all to score over course and distance last time out. A good draw in stall 6 can only enhance his chances in today’s race, and I am finding it hard to find any negatives in his armour.
LASER SHOW is the other Godolphin representative, and has been running well in Meydan this year at a higher level. His form prior to those runs in the UK are rock-solid pieces of form having beaten Riot on debut who has won off a rating of 90 since, but arguably his strongest piece of form in comparison to the majority of today’s rivals was his second at Kempton when only finding Hukum too strong at the finish. That form has been well advertised by the winner, who won the King George Stakes at Royal Ascot impressively.
Form-wise, Laser Show should be a lot shorter then his odds suggest – currently available at 16/1. From a form perspective, his second behind Hukum deserved more praise then initially thought, based on the fact that he was giving the winner 7lb, became unruly at the start and raced far too keenly throughout that event so to his ultimate credit that he was only beaten one length at the line indicates he’s a very good horse. There’s just too much to like to let him go unbacked from a generous-looking mark of 97, and, for me, he looks the most glaring each-way proposition here with an actual chance of winning the race.
FINEST SOUND represents the in-form Simon Crisford and Andrea Atzeni combination, and has shown a lot of promise on all four career races to date, including when a clear-second of 22 at Royal Ascot behind ultra-impressive winner Khaloosy. A repeat performance here should make him very hard to beat being drawn nicely in stall 9 and with soft ground being no hindrance.
Selections: LASER SHOW, EASTERN WORLD, SURF DANCER, FINEST SOUND
14.25 – Class 2 Fillies’ Handicap – 7f
GRACEFUL MAGIC is a model of consistency for connections and ran above expectations to finish eleventh in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on seasonal debut. Prior to that huge task, she had dead-heated with Rose Of Kildare at this track and was then beaten just half-a-length by that same rival in a Group 3 on her final race last season. The winner won another pattern race earlier this week, and on the face of it, not much separates our selection and Mark Johnston’s runner. She will strip fitter here now fitness can be assured, and this good-looking filly holds strong each-way claims.
Richard Spencer has an excellent record in this race and both his runners ALABAMA WHITMAN and ODYSSEY GIRL are expected to go well having both run good races in defeat in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot off similar marks. James Doyle and Silvestre De Sousa have been booked to ride each which is eye-catching, so that bodes well for their chances this afternoon.
Selections: GRACEFUL MAGIC, ALABAMA WHITMAN, ODYSSEY GIRL
15.00 – Group 2 Stakes – 7f
Richard Hannon loves to target his best two-year-old’s at this race having won four of the last ten renewals, and VENTURA TORMENTA looks an above-average sort for connections. The mere fact that he made his racecourse debut in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, gives out clear indication that he’s held in high esteem. It is not often you see a racehorse make their debut at Royal Ascot at that sort of level let alone show plenty of promise to finish a creditable keeping-on sixth of 12 runners having been handed such a difficult task.
Impressively – it should be acknowledged that he wasn’t beaten that far considering he was up against experienced classy-opposition, and he then made good use of an excellent opportunity when making all to score at Yarmouth. I would have firmly had him towards the head of the market for this race, so I’m quite surprised to see him available at around 10/1. He’s a very exciting prospect and is well worth siding with here with the step-up in trip to seven furlongs expected to bring out even further improvement.
Meanwhile, HUDSON RIVER and King Zain both made exceptional winning debut’s and are well worth a go at this level. Aidan O’Brien won this in 2017 and this beautifully-bred colt knew his job at the Curragh on debut. Hudson River looks a high-class sprinter in the making for connections and is expected to take this step up in class in his stride. On the other hand, King Zain will need more to win this, but he won easily on debut and it’s appealing to see Frankie Dettori ride him over John Gosden’s runner Seventh Kingdom. We will just stick with two in the final leg of the Newmarket tipping preview though.
Selections: VENTURA TORMENTA, HUDSON RIVER
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