Newmarket Saturday Preview - 08/10/22

The first race of the day from Newmarket on Saturday is the Group Three Zetland Stakes over 1m2f and we giving a chance to Flying Honours to get back to winning ways in an easier event.

Making his debut in July at Newmarket over 7f, he was fourth in a decent maiden learning a lot for the experience as next time out he got off the mark in emphatic fashion at Sandown, going clear by nearly 10 lengths.

Stepped up to a mile next time out at Salisbury, also stepping up into Listed company, he made a mockery of the field again.

The form of that event has been franked in a big way with the second Stormbuster for Andrew balding since winning a good conditions stakes at Newbury by five lengths.

Last time out at Newmarket only 14 days ago he was underwhelming in a tactical four runner renewal of the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes when third, albeit not beaten far.

Getting more of a pace in this race will help and dropping in class gives us the expectation that he can bounce back.

Next up is the Group Three Autumn Stakes over a mile a race won by some superb horses over the years, none better than this years 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus.

This season although Godolphin have a strong hand in the race, we are taking on the favourite with the John & Thady Gosden trained Epictetus.

Only seen once to date this son of Kingman could be a very smart type winning convincingly on debut ahead of the talented Leadman, Desert Order and Flying Honours over 7f on the July Course.

The form has been franked from that race and having not been seen since July and saved for this event, he has the freshness edge and will have also improved for his first run.

Very exciting talent.

The big Group One event of the afternoon at Newmarket is the Darley Dewhurst Stakes and we can't get away from the well backed Nostrum, who just oozes class.

Still unexposed when looking at the field for Sir Michael Stoute in the Juddmonte colours, there is more than a thought he could be the yards and owners next superstar.

A winner on his first start over 7f at Sandown when bolting up by close to four lengths, he was then saved for the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over course and distance at Newmarket and in a talented four runner affair he showed a great turn of pace to win easily in the end.

Although a fairly quick turn around he looks highly progressive and a Group One winner in waiting but he will need to be better than ever in this field full of superstars.

The feature event on Saturday is the Cesarewitch Handicap and with a huge field heading to post we have picked out two each way punts.

The first is the Willie Mullins trained Baby Zeus who is the bigger price of the two horse for the Closutton trainer but makes big appeal with William Buick on board.

Second in the race last year with Burning Victory for this partnership, Mullins has a superb record in the race winning three of the last four renewals.

Baby Zeus in 2021 moved from Ger Lyons to Mullins in 2021 and won on his first start for his new yard over 1m2f in May at the Curragh.

Staying in the early 90s after that he was slowly moved up in trip but could not get back to the form of his debut win.

Upped massively in trip for his first run this year, the gelding finished a good fourth of 15 at Kilbeggan in a 2m3f Maiden on hurdles debut.

Sent back on the flat in July at the Galway festival he put up a superb effort to finish third of 18 over 1m4f and then off a 1lb lower mark last time out up to 1m5f he was a decent sixth of 23 in a big fielded handicap at Leopardstown.

Off a mark of 92 going back up in trip, he looks to have been set up for this race and from stall 22 he could be handy.

At a similar price but drawn on the other side of the track is the Hughie Morrison trained Vino Victrix who does need to do a lot from stall 2 but if doing so could play a big part in the race.

A horse that has been steadily stepped up in trip this season, he made his seasonal debut at Kempton over 1m4f when third in a Class 3 event and then over the same course and distance he was a below par fourth.

Looking like a step up in trip would bring improvement, Morrison sent him back to Kempton over two miles and he was a superb second behind Master Milliner, who went on to land the valuable 2m4f handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

Second again at Kempton over two miles dropping into a slightly weaker race, last time out he got back to winning ways at Goodwood when beating the smart Malakahna for Ian Williams, giving over a stone away.

That horse has since won a staying event at Ascot and only up 4lb to a mark of 92, he looks interesting, especially with Benoit De La Sayette taking the ride again.

Another handicap follows and it is the Too Darn Hot Nursery Handicap over 7f and we are taking a bit of a chance on one with the William Muir and Chris Grassick trained Mustajaab.

Seen three times in his career making his debut over 6f at Ascot when fifth he learnt a lot for the experience and showed that next time out when getting off the mark for the season at Ffos Las ahead of a next time out winner.

Stepped up to Group Two company last time out in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury he only beat one home finishing just over eight lengths behind the winner Sakheer, who looks a superstar.

Dropping back into a lesser handicap for the first time off a mark of 87 with Benoit De La Sayette taking off a further 3lb, he could be well in and looks interesting at a price.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the Listed Boadicea Stakes over six furlongs and with a fair field heading to post we have dutched the race and the first is the fast improving Azure Blue for Michael Dods.

A winner on her final start as a juvenile last term having placed on her three prior starts, she was sent into her first handicap event on debut this term and was a good fifth of 21 in a 6f Sunday Series Dash Handicap at York.

She got off the mark for the season at Hamilton off a mark of 77next time out and then upped to 83 at Redcar bumped into Khanjar who won well by three lengths.

Sent to the July Course she ran a screamer to finish a staying on fourth of 19 at the July Cup meeting in a hot handicap and then over the same C&D got back to winning ways, seeing off Cuban Breeze who she takes on again.

Next seen at the start of September at York she was a close up fourth of 13 in a Class 3 Handicap off a mark of 89 and off the same mark last time out over course and distance in a Listed event she did everything wrong but showed superb pace when coming out of the dip to win comfortably in the end.

One to watch drawn well.

At a similar price in the betting is one of William Haggas' runners Another Romance who has been highly consistent all season and should go close again if in the same form.

A winner on seasonal debut the filly then went to Chelmsford under a penalty and finished behind the talented Tarrabb.

She put in three poor runs after that, two of them at six furlongs where she needed to learn how to properly sprint.

Back at seven furlongs at Lingfield she was a better third but got back to winning ways off a mark of 87 winning comfortably at Salisbury.

Second in a good handicap last time out at Pontefract, she will need to improve again for the step up to Listed class but the booking of William Buick makes her interesting to hit the frame.

The final event of the afternoon at Newmarket is the Group Three Darley Stakes over 1m1f and Royal Fleet for Goodolphin could round off a superb days for the owner.

A winner on his sole juvenile start as a two year old at Kempton in 2020, he was then saved for his three year old career where he picked up from where he left off at Yarmouth under a penalty.

Landing a hat-trick of wins on handicap debut on the July Course, he was then stepped up to a mark of 100 at York at didn't seem to handle the track. He finished 2021 at Doncaster getting back to winning ways in handicap company.

Having a gelding operation, he returned this year at Meydan in January and was a good second in the Group Two Al Rashidiya.

Second again over the same course and distance behind Lord Glitters in the Group Two Singspiel Stakes, the four year old then dropped into Group Three company on his final run in the UAE and was a good winner.

Given almost seven months off he returned to the track 17 days ago at Goodwood in the Listed Foundation Stakes over 1m2f and made it back to back wins.

His rider William Buick said he would come on markedly for that run and set to be fitter for this tougher event he could take the spoils.