CAMBRIDGESHIRE HANDICAP
Saturday 28th September Newmarket, 3:40pm
Liberty Lane @ 11/1
Teumessias Fox @ 66/1
This Songisforyou @ 13/2
Roi De France @ 13/2
Godwinson @ 8/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
THE RACE
No race will have a bigger line-up than Newmarket’s £175,000 Cambridgeshire Handicap (3-40) which has a safety limit of thirty-five, one more than the modern-day Grand National.
Clearly there are no fences to be crossed at Newmarket, but the rough and tumble of so many competing over nine-furlongs means luck plays a significant role. It’s thirty years since John Gosden won the first of a record five victories when subsequent Group One star Halling carried 8 stone 8.
THE MARKET
For Team Gosden, the lightly raced three-year-old Roi de France seems the type to progress. He put in an eye-catching performance when finishing runner-up, having been caught with limited racing room, at Yarmouth over this distance.
This has not been a good race for Ireland but again the bookies are running scared of Emmet Mullins who has This Songisforyou which carries a penalty for a comprehensive success at The Curragh on Champions Festival Sunday.
Balmacara, another three-year-old, has never been out of the first three in six races to date and only failed by a whisker last time having previously put in a fine effort (on soft) against a talented opponent.
Godwinson didn’t win by very far at Goodwood last time (good to soft) but the handicapper was obviously impressed, sticking him up four pounds for a short-head.
Silver Sword, representing a shrewd stable, hasn’t shown a huge amount of late but is down in weight level and showed a liking for the course and distance last autumn on soft.
Bopedro, third last year off a six-pound higher mark, seems to relish this time of year and although out of the frame until the St Leger meeting had been running creditably in some hot handicaps.
Coeur D’Or has shown plenty when fourth the last twice and kept on nicely in Ireland’s version of this. Irish three-year-old Norwalk Havoc has form on very soft and was in front of This Songisforyou at Galway in July.
Liberty Lane only beat a handful home last year but conditions are much better for him and he’s a course and distance winner. Under Siege, another three-year-old blew the start last time but wasn’t beaten far.
Interestingly owner/trainer Ray Craggs has snapped up in demand Rossa Ryan for Ron O, a horse in great form.
THE WINNER
Conditions will obviously play a part, plus a higher draw is best, so it’s Norwalk Havoc and Bopedro for me – you?
CORN’S QUARTET
Three wins from three starts have seen plenty fall for Babouche (2-25), notably when beating the colts, headed by Whistlejacket last time, and as regards the ground two of her more prolific siblings won on soft.
Whistlejacket (3-00) has franked the Babouche form and looked pretty good on the July course in the summer.
Talking of form-franking, at 1-50, Royal Playwright could write an excellent reference for Field Of Gold.
Trilby – owned by the Tip Your Hat partnership – will relish the ground at Haydock (2-40) having run well at Ayr.
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