Newmarket selections Saturday 2nd May
The flat season really cranks into full gear with the Guineas meeting at Newmarket this weekend. The 2000 is the opening classic of the season and there has to be an element of guesswork with the big three in the market all making their seasonal returns. I am taking a chance with a horse that showed plenty of promise in a recent trail against them. I also have three selections elsewhere on the card.
Newmarket 1.45: Addison Grey
Double Rush will be all the rage having hacked up here at the Craven meeting and can race from 8lbs well in with this being an early closing race. However there were suggestions he was best fresh last season, so will he be as on his game today? At short odds I prefer the each-way alternative ADDISON GREY.
This horse made a very promising return from a wide draw at Newbury two weeks ago, just being outrun by Mirabeau late on. That will have put him spot on for today though and a middle draw should prove more favourable.
He showed how able he was on fast ground last season, winning a novice by 27l at Salisbury before winning the Grey Horse race on the July Course here in the summer. There will surely be more to come from this 4yo this season and I think he rates more value than the favourite.
Newmarket 2.20: Mister Winston
Front-runners are often favoured on the Rowley Mile, especially when the going is fast and MISTER WINSTON took advantage of that when making all to win here at the last meeting over a mile. Similar tactics will surely be applied today and he should have the stamina to last out the extra furlong.
He is another for whom the ground can never be too fast, so he will relish the conditions at Newmarket today. Already proven on the track, he was also a wide margin winner on the July Course last season, beating Transparent 5l when able to make all the running once more.
He has raced over as far as 10f in the past, when second at the big Chester meeting last season, but he is certainly a better and stronger horse now. Thunder Wonder looks the one horse in the field that could present an early pace battle, but if Oisin Murphy can get the fractions right this gelding could once more prove hard to pass.
Newmarket 2.55: Rumstar
Some old favourites are back for this Group 3 sprint including RUMSTAR who won this race first time out last season and is capable of repeating the feat on his favoured fast ground.
The 6yo was in good form all summer, landing this race before taking a Group 3 at Sandown and was a bit unlucky to only place fifth in the Nunthorpe at York having been drawn on the wrong side of the track.
Although he was not at his best in the autumn, the slower ground would not have helped and I expect him to bounce back here having shown he can run well fresh when winning on similar going on his comeback here last season.
Newmarket 3.35: Needle Match
A fascinating Guineas with the top class 2yo’s meeting up with potential improving 3yo’switch the benefit of a recent outing. It is one of those in NEEDLE MATCH who I am suggesting for the feature.
He had just the one run as a juvenile when defying soft ground to get up close home over 6 1/2f at Newbury. He returned to the same track for the Greenham on quicker going and despite only finishing fourth, I thought he ran with plenty of promise to finish a staying on fourth to Alparslan. I fully expect the selection to turn the tables over an extra furlong.
This son of former Guineas winner Night of Thunder is by an American dam and I am hoping that fast ground will bring out the best in this colt. A hat trick on the opening day of this fixture yesterday demonstrates how well the William Haggas string are performing.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Addison Grey – 1.45 Newmarket – 4/1 general (1/5 odds 1st 3)
1pt win – Mister Winston – 2.20 Newmarket – 4/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Rumstar – 2.55 Newmarket – 9/2 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Needle Match – 3.35 Newmarket – 18/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 4)
