ITV Racing Tips: Four To Back At Newmarket And Cheltenham As Craven Meeting Begins
The flat is back in earnest already with the Craven Meeting kicking off on Tuesday at Newmarket, and on Wednesday the action is broadcast live on ITV Racing. There are also two races at Cheltenham to get stuck into, and our editor Billy Grimshaw has a couple at HQ and one at Prestbury Park he thinks you should follow...
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13:50 Newmarket - Weatherbys Global Stallions App Handicap
The ITV Racing action begins with a juicy looking handicap at 13:50 at Newmarket, and somewhat surprisingly for a race this early in the season plenty come here having already seen the track in the 2024 season. William Buick is on favourite and standard setter Orazio for Charlie Hills and he has won this race before as well as running in higher class contests than this, so is probably the right favourite.
The price is skinny enough for all his obvious claims, however, and the one I'll be tentatively siding with is still a double figure price each-way at the time of writing is KATEY KONTENT, a horse I kept faith with last season to no aval after she showed herself to be a high class juvenile two seasons ago. Clive Cox's Havana Grey filly started last season poorly and is drawn highest of all here, which are concerns, but the penny seemed to be dropping for her in her last couple of runs when she was perhaps unfortunate not to snag a win.
I'm hopeful in a race that lacks a bona fide front runner Richard Kingscote is bold on her and gets a fast start to negate the potentially poor draw. She did her winning off the front end as a juvenile and clearly has talent, so in a race that looks ripe to be pinched I'm hopeful she's the one to do it for a stable who excel with exactly this type of horse.
14:25 Newmarket - Feilden Stakes
Charlie Appleby has a fine record at this meeting and taking on a favourite in royal blue may well prove the wrong strategy here, as his El Cordobes clearly is well thought of. The Frankel colt is regally bred and cost a fortune, but the Ballydoyle representative GASPER DE LEMOS is also bred in the purple and can outshine both the Godolphin charge and favourite Narkez from Andre Fabre's stable.
That French raider looks short, for all that his prep win at Saint Cloud will help him, and Gasper De Lemos chased home one I'm convinced will prove to rank highly this season in Arabian Crown last time he was seen here in the Zeatland. If that horse were in here he'd be odds-on one suspects, and I'm of the opinion Gasper De Lemos pushing Arabain Crown to within five lengths is the best piece of form on offer. The concern is that Aidan O'Brien has intimated he thinks this is a stayer in the making so this could be a bit sharp for him, however he didn't look short of pace at two to me.
Aidan O'Brien is the greatest of all time and is always fine tuning his operation, which in recent seasons has meant starting and maintaining their record breaking pace as early as possible, so his sole runner here is chanced to scoop this prize with Ryan Moore in the plate.
14:40 Cheltenham - Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase
Just one tip over obstacles on Wednesday, with this race looking a fascinating addition to the ITV Racing coverage. I can't get away from IL RIDOTO here for title chasing Paul Nicholls. The stable are one of the best for having the horses all A1 every time they run, but with his title on the line you can be sure the master of Ditcheat will have all his horse primed to the minute from now until the end of the season and if that's the case, Il Ridoto can further enhance his smashing Cheltenham record.
The concern perhaps is that his worst Cheltenham run came last time out, in the Plate, however that was a hot race and eighth was hardly a disgrace. This race is much calmer waters and if Harry Cobden can get him into a rhythm and prominent round here, we know he will battle for us all the way. In Excelsis Deo is the main market rival and was the main worry when studying the race, indeed he finished ahead of Il Ridoto in the aforementioned Plate, however with both at similar prices I'm keen to back Il Ridoto to get back on track.
I wouldn't be surprised if they finished 1-2 so maybe a reverse forecast could be a smart play, however for tipping purposes I'll be siding with the Nicholls runner Il Ridoto.
15:00 Newmarket - Earl Of Sefton Stakes
I'm taking a bit of a chance here and discounting his run overseas, but surely THE FOXES is a crazy price in here. He trailed home last of thirteen in the Saudi Cup a few months back, but if we put that run down simply as too bad to be true he should not be double figures for this race. This horse won a Dante last season and was second in the Craven last season when fresh, looking the winner before being done for some tactical speed over a shorter than ideal trip.
Ottoman Fleet is the defending champion here and rates the main danger for Appleby and Buick, for all their is potentially more progress from The Foxes' fellow four year olds Embesto and Royal Rhyme. Ottoman Fleet needs forgiving his last run out in Dubai but that's easily done, and I respect him massively but cannot let The Foxes go unbacked at the widely available 10/1 considering at the peak of his powers last year he was the best horse in here.
He may have only finished fifth in the Derby but that can also be marked up as he stumbled markedly leaving the stalls, having to play catch up before briefly looking set for the minor honours then fading. This test looks ideal and he is at least race fit, so with an alert start for David Probert, I'm hopeful of a big run.
