Newmarket selections Saturday 3rd May
The new flat season really kicks into top gear today with the Guineas meeting at Newmarket featuring the first classic of 2025. It is difficult to look past the favourite, who was so impressive at the Craven meeting here, so instead I am focussing on four excellent races on a long supporting card.
Newmarket 1.45: Woodhay Wonder
A filly who has run exceptionally well every time she has come to Newmarket, WOODHAY WONDER‘s record on the Rowley Mile is particularly good reading 1113. There were excuses for her defeat here last month, but that was still a noteworthy effort on her first start of this season.
Steady rain that day had turned the ground on the soft side, not ideal for this fast ground performer. Nevertheless, after her customary good start from the stalls, she kept on pleasingly for third and she must have sound claims to overturn form with the favourite More Thunder who might find 6f on fast ground too sharp.
She won two sales races at Newmarket in 2023 and two competitive handicaps here last spring. Her go from the front style suits this place perfectly and she is ultra tough. You would expect her to come forward from that first outing and she could take plenty of passing here.
Newmarket 2.20: Hand of God
We could have the proverbial group horse in a handicap here in the form of HAND OF GOD.
After two educational runs in maiden company as a juvenile, he was an impressive winner on this track in the autumn of 2023 on quick ground. He had a short but successful campaign as a 3yo, starting with a win on softish going at Sandown in the Esher Cup in the spring, making all the running and keeping on up the hill in game fashion.
However he surpassed all those efforts when storming through from the back of the pack to land the Golden Gates handicap at Royal Ascot, back on going similar to today. An 11lbs rise for that is no surprise and victory today would surely be a stepping stone to taking on pattern company. He hails from the Charlton stable that could not be in better form just now, with plenty of first time out winners to boast this spring.
Newmarket 2.55: Beautiful Diamond
A narrow third in this race as a 3yo last season, there is every reason to think that BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND can go two places better in 2025.
That effort confirmed her ability to go well fresh having won first time out at Nottingham in 2023. She went on to win a listed fillies only event at Ayr in midsummer on quick ground, and then ran a cracker in a Group 2 at the Curragh when second to Believing. She was not disgraced in two runs in the autumn, beaten only 4l in the Group 1 Flying Five back at the Curragh.
She goes well on this fast ground and unlike a few in this race is a natural 5f horse who will have the ability to act on this speed track.
Newmarket 4.05: Insanity
Trainer Alan King has been in good form of late, including a winner at the Punchestown Festival this week and INSANITY rates a strong each-way bet in this 12f handicap.
He has a strong record fresh, finishing second on racecourse debut at Windsor in 2023 and then winning a competitive handicap at the same track over this distance in the spring of last season. After a three month break, he came back with an excellent second at Ascot’s King George meeting before showing plenty of guts to win the 12f contest at the Shergar Cup at the same track.
His form tailed off in the autumn, but perhaps he is simply a better horse fresh and in any case he will find this fast going much more to his liking then the soft going he encountered on his last start in the November Handicap. This race lacks the usual strength in depth and if short priced favourite French Master cannot overcome his inexperience, this 5yo looks the one to take advantage.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Woodhay Wonder – 1.45 Newmarket – 9/2 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt win – Hand of God – 2.20 Newmarket – 7/4 general
1pt each-way – Beautiful Diamond – 2.55 Newmarket – 11/2 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Insanity – 4.05 Newmarket – 5/1 general
