Newmarket selections Friday 11th July
Newmarket’s July meeting – the big fixture of the year during the summer at the racecourse, steps up a gear on Friday. The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes is the obvious highlight, but there are several decent handicaps on the card to get stuck into. Plage de Havre was a winner for us at Haydock on Saturday (advised 11/2), whilst Classic Encounter was placed for the each-way wager (advised 11/2).
Newmarket 1.50: Kings Charter
This contest is one that trainer Charlie Appleby has targeted in recent years with unexposed types who should progress into group company. In KINGS CHARTER he has one such horse with the potential to do just that.
He had two promising outings as a 2yo last summer, finishing close up at both Newbury and Sandown. Gelded since, he was kept away from both Dubai and the All Weather over the winter, eventually reappearing in a big field novice at Doncaster last month.
Always up with the pace that day, he showed good acceleration to pull away from his rivals. An opening mark of 92 is probably a fair reflection of what he has achieved so far, but a rise in distance to 10f could bring about more improvement today, especially given his dam was a specialist at this trip.
Newmarket 3.00: Champagne Prince & Dancing in Paris
Ian Williams is going full out in this race with three raiders, but it is DANCING IN PARIS that looks the number one pick and I am hoping he goes one place better than when just getting outlasted by Spirit Mixer in the Plate at Newcastle recently.
He did not quite look to last out the 2m that day, but 14f looks his ideal trip and provided he has recovered from his Newcastle exertions he looks the one to beat. Highly consistent and progressive last season, he won three times, including over this distance at Ascot. A third place in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock also confirmed his ability in big field handicaps.
This season that progress has continued, even in defeat. A solid fourth on return at Newcastle, he then gave subsequent Royal meeting winner French Master a real run for his money at Goodwood. That set him up nicely for an assault on the Plate, where he looked the likeliest winner for a long way before the 2m trip proved just too far. The handicapper has put him up 4lbs for that, but as an early closing race, he gets to run off his original mark here.
At bigger odds, CHAMPAGNE PRINCE looks an each-way alternative. This horse is one of our better All Weather performers, including a listed win at Kempton in December, before a fourth place in the Winter Derby.
However he showed he can handle fast ground turf too when finishing sixth over this distance at Royal Ascot. He kept going really well considering he was held wide from his poor draw and raced up with a solid pace throughout. Whilst his best form is on an artificial surface, that is reflected in his handicap mark on turf which is 10lbs lower than the AW.
Newmarket 4.45: Up The Pace
There are four 3yo’s amongst a field of eleven here and I would be surprised if the winner came from outside that quartet. UP THE PACE gets the vote.
Quick enough to win over 6f at Ascot on his return to the track at Ascot in May, he had the stamina to last out over 7f on the straight track at Doncaster last time out. Whilst he only won by a length on that occasion, he did look to be idling and always pulling out enough to hold off the opposition as necessary.
As such he could well be capable of defying a further 4lbs rise. This horse is tactically versatile, but there do seem to be a few hold up horses here and as Up the Pace is happy racing close to the front, he might well enjoy a tactical advantage.
Recommended bets:
1pt win – Kings Charter – 1.50 Newmarket – 11/4 general
1pt win – Dancing in Paris – 3.0 Newmarket – 7/2 general
0.5pts each-way – Champagne Prince – 2.25 Sandown – 16/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Up the Pace – 4.45 Newmarket – 5/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 4)
