Newmarket selections Friday 9th July
The middle day on the July Course and we have a nice mix of quality and quantity with solid fields throughout the day. Whilst the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes takes pride of place, I am once more concentrating on the big handicaps scheduled this afternoon. We got off to a winning start on Day One with Path of Thunder in the finale (advised 4/1).
Newmarket 1.50: King of Clubs
A fast finishing second up the hill at Sandown over 9f last time, KING OF CLUBS gave the distinct impression he will be suited by a step up to 10f here and he looks a typical Hughie Morrison improver.
He showed signs of ability on the All Weather over the winter without really appearing to have much of a clue about what he was supposed to be doing. However he has been much more professional since switching to turf in the spring, now he has gained some experience. He ran Sir Rumi to a photo at Nottingham (that horse has since won off 89 and was a good sixth at Royal Ascot off 94).
He then won his maiden at the same track with ease (third home finished a good third earlier in the week and the fourth, fifth and sixth have all won since. However that Sandown second on handicap debut shows that his current rating of 86 can surely be exploited and he has a nice low draw for the short run to the only bend here.
Newmarket 3.00: Global Storm & Arthurian Fable
I am staying loyal to two horses I backed in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot and were both placed behind Amtiyaz. The winner that day enjoyed the run of the race and I am more than hopeful that one of these two can turn the tables.
GLOBAL STORM has been progressive all season and probably came from slightly too far back at Ascot where the pace had held. He had already run two fine races on the Rowley Mile track in the spring, winning on his first start at 14f in the process. Whilst he has won twice on soft going, Ascot showed he was at home on a fast surface too.
The ground does look important for ARTHURIAN FABLE. An impressive winner on firm ground at Sandown last summer, Ascot was the first chance he had under similar conditions since. He responded with a close fourth position and I think he will be better suited by the more galloping track at Newmarket. Whilst he was only third at this meeting last season, the going was much softer that day, and this quicker ground will be far more to his liking. He has already been placed three times at Newmarket on the other track.
Newmarket 4.45: Benefit Street
Plenty of horses are dropping down to the minimum trip here and could be caught out by the searing pace over 5f, favourite Twilight Calls included. I am sticking with BENEFIT STREET, fully proven at the distance for sprint training specialist Robert Cowell.
The drop back in trip seems to have been the making of him and he has already won twice at Newmarket in 2021 over 5f – including latterly on the July Course. He was also third on less suitable soft ground here in the spring, his only poor run coming at Windsor in between. However at the age of four, Cowell appears to have found what makes this gelding click and he is only 3lbs higher than for his last win.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – King of Clubs – 1.50 Newmarket – 11/2 general
1pt each-way- Global Storm – 3.00 Newmarket – 5/1 Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Arthurian Fable – 3.00 Newmarket – 6/1 Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Benefit Street – 4.45 Newmarket – 14/1 Bet365
