Newmarket Wednesday Preview - 19/04/23

The first race of the afternoon on Wednesday is the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and we are playing two horses against the field at double figure prices.

The first is the Andrew Balding trained Elwasme who last year was seen on two occasions once on good and once on soft and put in two fair runs reading much better than his finishing positions.

Ran over 7f on his seasonal debut this term at Southwell, he was gambled on before the race but looked to bump into three high class performers.

Zoology, Covey and Bell Song will all be winning races again this season and Elwasme being less than three lengths behind the winner makes him an eye-catcher who will improve for the step into handicap company.

This horse was bought to be better than a mark of 77 and with Buick booked he should outrun his odds.

Also at a big price in the race that is interesting is the Eve Johnson Houghton trained Bussento who should be better than his mark of 84.

Seen four times to date, he started his career off last term as a juvenile at Goodwood when fourth in a decent Maiden that was won by the talented The Foxes.

Sent to Newbury he chased home big priced winner OJ Lifestyle and the second who will turn out to be a more promising horse in Leadman.

Progressively getting better he was second to Exoplanet on his final start last term and was then put away for the rest of the season.

Given one more run on seasonal debut this term in Novice company he was third behind a nice one for Charlie Hills in Cicero's Gift.

Now handicapping off a mark of 84, he could be well in having the profile to be a horse racing well in the 90s and is worth considering at 16/1.

Next up is the Class 2 Handicap over 6f and at a nice each way price of 7/1 Orazio for Charlie Hills could be well handicapped off a mark of 89.

A winner on his career debut at Windsor back in June 2022 when bolting up by three lengths, he then went into Listed company at Newbury and was a length third behind the talented Caturra.

Running no race at York in the Group Two Gimrack Stakes, he returned this season at Kempton on handicap debut and it looked a race used to take the fizz out of him.

Dropped 3lb for that run and having that pipe opener already in him, he should strip much fitter for this event and off 89 could be well in.

One of the feature events of the afternoon is the Listed Feilden Stakes over 1m1f and we are taking a stab at a price with Canberra Legend for trainer James Ferguson.

Believed to be highly touted from this yard the well bred son of Australia was seen for the first time at Newcastle in February and went on to bolt up over a mile.

Newcastle has been a racecourse used by many smart stars on debut as a stepping stone to a great career and with stamina in this horses pedigree and more expected for the switch to turf, he can outrun his odds of 9/1.

His trainer James Ferguson heads into Wednesday sporting a strike rate of 44% for the last two weeks with four winners from his last nine runners.

This colt has the pedigree to handle softer ground and could be very exciting for the yard.

The big race of the day at Newmarket is the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes over 7f and at the top of the market Coppice for John & Thady Gosden could be tough to beat.

Seen once to date at Kempton over 7f in a Novice Stakes, she went on to put up a very taking performance when beating highly touted next time out winner Whispering Dream for Godolphin by close to two lengths.

Coppice is a full sister to the superstar Calyx being a daughter of Kingman and now making her turf debut in what does not looks the strongest renewal of this race, she stake her claims for the 1000 Guineas.

The penultimate selection on the second day of the Craven meeting is the Maiden Fillies' Stakes over a mile and Ludmilla for the same trainer/jockey and owner combinations of Coppice.

Third on debut at Newmarket on soft ground back in late October, she was a superb third behind the talented Karsavina, who next runs in the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Only going down by a neck that day and being shipped into a Maiden to get off the mark, this race presents itself as a big opportunity.

The final event of the afternoon sees the 1m2f Class 3 Handicap and the horse that takes the eye is the Hugo Palmer trained Imperial Ace.

Third on racecourse debut in December behind a nice types for Simon & Ed Crisford and James Ferguson at Kempton, he has since made it back to back wins on the all weather.

Getting off the mark at Newcastle next time out over a mile in comfortable fashion, under a penalty last time out at Southwell he reversed the form with Roaring Legend from his debut run to again win easily.

His pedigree suggests that the step up to 1m2f will bring improvement being related to winners at the distance and seeking a hat-trick on handicap debut could see him go close if better than a mark of 90 which he should be.