Newmarket Thursday Preview - 15/04/21

The first race of the card on the third and final day of the Craven meeting sees the Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs and we like the look of Qurtajana.

The John & Thady Gosden trained three year old was seen once as a juvenile finishing fourth on the all weather at Kempton over a mile in December.

The filly returned for her second run in March, this time at Chelmsford over seven furlongs and she was a much better close second behind a nice type for Kevin Ryan.

She has shown ability on both her starts to date having more experience than most of the field could be the key factor for success in this race.

Next up is the bet365 Handicap over six furlongs and Eve Johnson Houghton looks to have a very smart prospect in Jumby.

The three year old colt cost 45,000gns as a yearling and in his three starts to date has shown enough ability to warrant having a punt on today on his first try at this trip.

The son of New Bay won on debut back in July at Ascot on good ground over seven furlongs, seeing off the highly talented New Mandate.

He then backed that up at Newbury when third in a Listed event over seven furlongs, running well in behind two smart types.

The colt was last seen in September stepped up to a mile at Newbury and he looked more to be a horse of pace than stamina when fading into third.

Tried at 6f for the first time today could bring improvement and having shown he goes well fresh last term he looks to have a good chance.

With no bet in the Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes we move straight onto the Group Three Abernant Stakes where we like the look of a big priced fancy.

Shine So Bright for Andrew Balding is a consistent front runner that has put together a spring of seconds of late that put him in the frame for this, dropping back down in trip.

The quicker the ground the better for this horse having shown he can cut it at the top level in the past having won the Group Two City Of York Stakes back in 2019 on good to firm ground.

Last time out he was seen going down by a head in a Handicap at Lingfield in March and he might just have the fitness edge on some of these.

The feature race of the day is the Group Three Craven Stakes and our selection in the mile event is the Godolphin owned Master Of The Seas.

The three year old has been seen three times during his career, making his debut in June at Newmarket over seven furlongs and getting off the mark in good style.

He then went into the Group Two Superlative Stakes over the same course and distance and beat a smart field by three lengths.

Trying to keep his unbeaten juvenile record he went to the Curragh for the Group One Vincent O'Brien National Stakes and finished a stellar fourth behind the best of the Irish, that have all since franked the form in the Dewhurst Stakes.

The colt was last seen at Meydan in February having his first run of the season in a Listed event over a mile and he finished a good second behind stablemate Naval Crown.

He will come on a bunch for that run and having handled this track in the past he looks sure to run a big race, with the trainer also landing this race in 2018.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the 1m2f Novice Stakes and Zoom Tiger looks an interesting each way bet for Andrew Balding.

He faces some potentially smart opposition here but he gets a handy 7lb from most of them which should give him a cracking chance of at least hitting the frame with the yard going great guns.

He finished well over 1m at Lingfield on debut and he will improve for this extra 2f.

The final event of the afternoon on the Rowley Mile is the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and with a decent sized field heading to post we have two each way selections.

The Ralph Beckett trained Bullace is the first of the two with the three year old looking like a very talented son of Toronado.

He made his debut at Sandown in September over seven furlongs and finished a good second behind a talented youngster for Sir Michael Stoute.

Bullace then got off the mark on his all weather debut at chelmsford over seven furlongs and then made it two wins in a row at Kempton last time out.

He steps into handicap company for the first time on Thursday and off a mark of 84 he can go well.

At a bigger price Crossford for the inform Charles Hills has a big chance at 8/1, having shown clear ability on his three starts to date.

The three year old made his debut at Doncaster in the same race as John Leeper, finishing third behind a next time out winner.

He then went to Newmarket over seven furlongs and again finished third behind a useful horse for John Gosden.

The son of Dawn Approach finally got off the mark in Novice Stakes at Newcastle in October getting the better of Cardouan, who has since franked the form.

Charles Hills is some serious form to start the season with three winners from his last 10 runners which sees him pose a 30% strike rate.