Newmarket Thursday Preview - 20/04/23

The first race on the final day of the Craven meeting is the bet365 Handicap over 6f and we have put up two against the field.

The first is the William Haggas trained Pinafore who has a typical profile for this trainer of constant progression since his debut run where he ran in a Novice Stakes at Ascot over 6f and was an eye-catcher back in ninth.

Sent to Yarmouth next time out at Yarmouth he improved to finish a good second behind a nice type for John & Thady Gosden Ananda.

last seen at Kempton he got off the mark for his career in taking fashion, pulling away from the field in a matter of strides and getting home with plenty in hand.

Now stepping back onto turf he can build on that run and carry on improving.

At a much bigger double figure price of 20/1, the class angle in the field could be with the Eve Johnson Houghton trained Bluelight Bay.

Last season as a juvenile he was raced in some tough company and ran to a good standard, starting off in a Novice Stakes at Goodwood when bumping into the smart Royal Scotsman.

Getting off the mark next time out at Windsor on quick ground, he beat the talented Eminency by two lengths and was then plunged into Group Two company.

Sent into the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood he managed a good fifth behind the likes of Royal Scotsman again and other horses like Chateau and Crispy Cat.

Last seen tackling the Listed Denford Stakes behind Victory Dance, he was on the wrong side of the track and hung badly giving his rider no chance.

Fitted with the first time cheekpieces today hopefully they can concentrate him more and now tackling handicaps off a mark of 93, this could be his sphere.

One of the big events of the afternoon at Newmarket is the Group Three Abernant Stakes over six furlongs and it is very hard to oppose the favourite Creative Force who holds all the form in the book.

A winner of the Group Three Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group One British Champions Sprint Stakes back in 2021, last season although not winning ran well against the best sprinters in Britain.

Having blanked in Meydan, he came back to England and on got back to form in a big way when second at Royal Ascot behind Naval Crown in the Group One Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

A close fourth in the Group One July Stakes behind winner Alcohol Free, he then finished the season with two strong thirds in the British Champion Sprint Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Now dropping into a Group Three on seasonal debut, running to any of that form he takes the event, with bigger fish to fry throughout the season.

As an alternative at a bigger price to hit the places is the William Haggas trained Tiber Flow who can run a big race on seasonal debut with hopefully the gelding operation bringing improvement.

Landing a hat-trick of races in his first three on a racecourse, he then went to Newcastle and suffered the first loss of his career when a short head second on All Weather Championships day.

Getting back to winning ways at Newbury in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes seeing off Ehraz on the line, he was then bumped into Group One company.

Eighth of 20 in June at Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup, he then stepped up to 7f in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes and looked more to be a 6f horse.

Last seen when running well into fifth in the Group Three Bengough Stakes, the best time to catch this horse is at the start of his season and like we mentioned now a gelding, he could be more concentrated.

Each way player.

The feature race of the afternoon and the meeting is the Group Three Craven Stakes and The Foxes for Andrew Balding is a live player.

Seen four times last term, using his first two experiences to get to grips with racing, being tried at 6f and 7f at Newbury and Ascot, finishing ninth of 13 in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He then clicked into gear and got off the mark at Glorious Goodwood when winning a good Maiden Stakes over 7f.

Sent into the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes on his final start at Newmarket he made it back to back wins, seeing off Dubai Mile and Flying Honours who both went on to land Group races next time out.

The step up to a mile should not be an issue and having handled the dip at Newmarket before he has some of the more proven form in the field.

The Maiden Fillies' Stakes offers some different form lines and some horses making their debut but we are giving a chance to the Ralph Beckett trained Time's Eye.

Learning a lot for her first experience in a Novice Stakes at Salisbury, she then went to Newmarket over course and distance and was a head second behind the talented Karsavina, beating another smart type in Ludmilla.

That was on soft ground and the ground will be quicker at Newmarket on Thursday but her pedigree suggests she will improve for that being a daughter of Expert Eye.

The penultimate race of the meeting sees the Novice Stakes over 1m2f and although Majestic Warrior and Quantum Cat were very impressive winners on debut, Liberty Lane could be a superstar.

Making his debut on soft ground over 1m 1/2f at Nottingham in October last year, he pulled away from a fair field in very impressive fashion never being asked by jockey Clifford Lee but he quickly put the race to bed under hands and heels to take the race by five lengths.

He will have to prove himself again on quicker ground but the way he conducted himself that day, the step up in trip and the entries he holds, he could be a very smart horse in the making.

The final race of the afternoon on Thursday is the bet365 Handicap over 7f and we have dutched two runners that could both run big races.

The first is the Charlie Hills trained Harry Magnus who has been in fine form of late on the all weather and now getting back to turf can be a very succesful horse this term in handicaps.

Getting his act together in December at Wolves over 6f when second to the talented Shaquille for Julie Camacho, he then went to Southwell in January and again settled for second behind a progressive type.

Dropped to a mark of 80 for his second handicap start he got off the mark in good style beating Desert Cop for Andrew Balding, who improved last time out to take the All-Weather 3 year Old Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

That sets the form standard in this race and off the same mark of 80 he looks dangerous.

At a slightly bigger price the Richard Spencer trained Giant who makes his handicap debut in this event off a mark of 75 and we think he can be better than that.

Ran at Newmarket on debut in October over todays C&D finishing a 5 1/4 length seventh behind some talented horses in the first two places of Regal Honour and Greek Order.

Getting off the mark to frank the form of that warm race next time out when a good winner at Chelmsford, he was last seen on seasonal debut finishing second by a neck in a Novice Stakes under a penalty.

Sent handicapping at a track he has ran at before, off a decent mark of 75, he should go close.