Newmarket Friday Preview - 05/05/23

The first selection of the afternoon at Newmarket on Friday comes in the Listed Newmarket Stakes and at a bit of a price the Andrew Balding trained Relentless Voyager could be overpriced.

Making his debut in August last year when bumping into Group One winner Dubai Mile at Windsor over a mile, he then went to Kempton over the same trip and was a good second behind another nice type in Bold Act.

Stepped up in trip for his three year old debut this term, he went on to bolt up at Kempton over 1m4f, seeing off Edge Of Ember by close to eight lengths.

He drops in trip to 1m2f here which should not be an issue but looking like a horse with plenty of scope to improve, he deserves his chance in this event and can go well.

One of our best bets of the afternoon comes in the rescheduled Group Two bet365 Mile and Native Trail for Charlie Appleby can spark his redemption season in this one.

Champion 2yo in 2021 winning four straight races including the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh and then at Newmarket in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes.

Native Trail last season started his season off by finishing second in the Guineas, followed by redemption in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

He then went straight to the Eclipse where he was involved in a tight knit finish with Vadeni, Mishriff and Lord North when finishing third, but he ended his season with a below par run when only fifth of six runners in the Group One Juddmonte International at York.

Back this season and given plenty of time since that run, he has every chance of bouncing back into the horse he once was.

Another Listed event on the day sees the King Charles II Stakes over 7f and Majestic Pride can make it 2/2 over course and distance.

Making his debut in October on good to soft ground over the same course and distance as the race of Tuesday, he was a good second learning a lot for the experience.

The son of Shamardal got off the mark for his career last time out on the all weather at Chelmsford when comfortably landing a Novice Stakes.

Again he learnt a lot of that day being very green and then the penny finally dropping late on and a lot of the same happened last time out.

Seen at Newmarket on the first day of the Craven meeting over C&D, he went on to beat the talented Holguin on soft ground by a neck.

With more improvement to come he now steps into Listed company and should run another good race.

The first handicap event of the afternoon is the Nyetimber Handicap over 7f and Final Watch for trainer William Stone looks to have a big chance.

A winner at Ascot in September over 7f back in September last year off a mark of 86, he then struggled when upped to a mark of 90 in his final two runs of the season on soft/heavy ground.

Returning to better ground on his seasonal debut saw him run a credible fourth of nine at the Craven meeting, not finishing far behind the winner Rebel Territory.

Dropped 1lb for that run to a mark of 88, he is now only 2lb higher than his last winning mark and getting better conditions on Friday makes him a player.

One of the feature events of the day is the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes over 1m4f and with the field showing very little form of late, the stand out selection is West Wind Blows for Simon & Ed Crisford.

This four year old showed a lot of decent form at the back end of last season when winning a good Group Three event at Longchamp in September.

He then stepped up into Group Two company again at Longchamp when a good third behind nice types Anmaat and Junko.

He now steps back up to 1m4 which his pedigree suggests he can get and being less exposed than most in the field he can go close.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon comes in the Maiden Fillies' Stakes over 1m2f and Infinite Cosmos for Sir Michael Stoute should not be far away.

Second on debut over a mile at Doncaster on soft ground when bumping into the talented Sea Of Roses, who was beaten on debut by the smart Arrest for John & Thady Gosden who has since franked the form.

Stepping up to 1m2f will be more to her liking being a daughter of Sea The Stars and she looks one of the more obvious choices in the field.

The final race of the afternoon on the opening day of the Guineas meeting is the Race Horse Lotto Handicap over a mile and the Richard Hannon trained Tahitian Prince is now back on a more workable mark.

Last winning in September 2021 off a mark of 85 at Kempton over a mile in a Class 2 Handicap, he went up in the weights and slightly struggled in some fair events.

Having his first run this season off a mark of 86 when fifth of 10 at Kempton in April off top weight, he now sees himself back on his last winning mark and stripping much fitter for that run makes him interesting again.