Newmarket Friday Preview - 29/04/22

The first selection of the afternoon at Newmarket on Friday comes in the Listed Newmarket Stakes over 1m2f and Hoo Ya Mal looks the value for Andrew Balding.

The three year old colt has been seen four times to date, three of those runs as a juvenile, finishing a good third at Sandown on heavy ground on debut and then on a quicker surface at York got off the mark in a 16 runner maiden.

His final start as a two year old came at Doncaster in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes and he was a nose second to the talented Noble Truth.

Seen for the first time this season stepping up to a mile in the Group Three Craven Stakes and he was a staying on third of six behind Native Trail and Claymore.

That sets the form standard in the race for us and with his pedigree suggesting he will handle the extra two furlongs, he could strip a much better horse for this trip and off the back of his seasonal debut run.

Another nice Listed event on the Newmarket card is the King Charles II Stakes over seven furlongs and Noble Truth looks the pick of the bunch if getting back to form.

The three year old was seen frequently as a juvenile, finishing third on debut behind Lusail over seven furlongs and then franked that form on quicker ground over the same track beating the exciting Ehraz.

Looking to frank the form he ran no race in the G3 Accomb Stakes at York, but then bounced back at Doncaster in the Listed Flying Scotsman, beating the talented Hoo Ya Mal.

Seen twice more last season he was second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere behind Angel Bleu who franked the form in G1 company next time out but then the season seemed to take its toll on him and he could only manage fourth in the G3 Horris Hill Stakes.

Given his first run of the term in February this year in Saudi Arabia he ran now race in the Saudi Derby, effectively being pulled up.

Back to 7f at a track he has performed well at could see him bounce back to form again.

The feature race of the afternoon on the Rowley Mile on Friday is the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes and it would be a huge shock to see Yibir not win.

The Charlie Appleby trained Yibir, who managed to win both of his last two starts as a two year old and made his seasonal comeback last year in Group Three company at Sandown.

He ran really well to be third behind Alenquer and Adayar, with the latter going on to complete the Derby and King George double.

The four year old struggled to kick on from that however, despite dropping in class he kept finding his rivals too good and would fold quite tamely at the business end of the race.

A gelding operation looked to have fixed whatever issue he was having and he bounced back with a dominant display over 13 furlongs at Newmarket to win a good Group three.

Back to form he was pitched into the Group Three Gordon Stakes and he was outclassed, but then went to York's Ebor meeting and landed the Group Two Great Voltigeur in serious style.

Yibir was then seen being sent to Belmont for the Jockey Club Derby where he landed the race in Emphatic style and seeking a hat-trick last time out in the Grade One Breeders' Cup Turf, he went on to take the event.

Having his first run this year he ran a cracker in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic to finish a neck second behind the Japanese Shahryar.

He holds some of the best form heading into the race and should just win.

The Maiden Fillies' Stakes over 1m2f sees some potentially nice runners head to post and Picual looks the pick of them for Sir Michael Stoute.

The daughter of Lope De Vega has some of the most experience in the field running twice to date and being related to a French Derby winner New Bay suggests she will improve for this step up in trip.

Making her debut in August at Kempton she seemed to need the experience, with the race turning out to be quite a nice event.

She improved massively for that run next time out when second to Love Interest at Newcastle over 7f again and now making her turf debut she should be better again.

The final selection of the afternoon on Friday comes in the Class 3 Handicap over a mile and Carolus Magnus looks tough to beat if coming on for his latest run.

The son of Holy Roman Emperor has shown some decent form in his six races to date making his debut in March last year when third at Doncaster in a smart Novice Stakes.

He got off the mark next time out beating a nice type for Charlie Appleby in Magical Land and then on his all weather debut bumped into Just Beautiful, who went on to win a Group Three event.

Having a blip at Lingfield during the Racing League, he then got back on track at Sandown with a strong third behind the talented Kettle Hill.

Carolus Magnus rounded off last season by winning over a mile at Newmarket on rapid ground, seeing off some nice types.

Looking to kickstart this season in the same manner he went over the same C&D and looked to need the pipe opener not finding much when off the bridle.

Today he has handy claimer Harry Davies taking 7lb off his back which sees him 2lb lower than his last winning mark.

Dangerous.