Best bets for the horse racing Friday 16th July
I am out for a cheeky Friday evening beer with my old mate Mr Griffiths for his birthday and as an added bonus there is a decent card at HQ Newmarket on the July Course for us to have a punt at. Spoiler alert, I am not all about Charlie Appleby and William Buick on the evening, but I might mention their names again in this article! None of the fancies are flashy prices but hopefully will pay for a round or two.
Best bet for the horse racing at Newmarket Friday evening
They get underway at 5.40 with the 1m2f Rich Energy Fillies' Handicap. It’s a tricky little heat with all four in with a chance. Brunnera won well over track and trip last time and the second has come out and won since to give the form a nice look. She’s gone up 10lb for that win but if in similar mood this evening she will take some beating off bottom weight. Grab the 7-4. Renaissance Rose returns to turf (won twice on Polytrack) and it will be interesting to see how she goes over the longer trip back on grass.
At 6.10 it’s just the four runners again this time for the 7f Rich Energy Fillies' Novice Stakes for two-year-olds. Any regular reader will know I do like a Godolphin newcomer making debut at HQ and With The Moonlight debuts for the yard of Charlie Appleby here. A daughter of Frankel out of G.2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Sand Vixen (Dubawi) she is bred to be decent from the word go; dam won three of her six starts in her only season racing at two. This filly is a full-sister to G.1 winner out in Dubai Dream Castle and simply has to backed with William Buick in the saddle. I have the 15-8.
I have given up on Magical Land, tipped him several times and he simply can’t get his head in front – watch the bugger win now in the Rich Club With Rich Energy Handicap at 6.45. Cheekpieces go on here but I can’t back him. Zagato looked a lot happier back at a mile when just beaten at Doncaster in June and followed that run up winning at Thirsk 16-days ago. Up just 1lb for that win the son of Frankel trained by John and Thady Gosden looks a solid bet in this at 11-10.
At 7.20 they face the mile for the Rich Energy Powering You Novice Stakes. Hydros will be popular following his easy victory at Pontefract on soft last time but he has to give the three-year-olds a chuck of weight. Storm Damage couldn’t live with the likes of Creative Force and Naval Crown in the G.3 Jersey Stakes and has his sights lowered somewhat here; he may have to settle for minor honours though with the penalty he has to carry for his winning debut. Valiant Prince was a close-up sixth in the Wood Ditton Stakes at here at Newmarket over a mile in April on his debut and the form of that race is pretty warm with the first four home all winning since. Buick certainly wasn’t rough on him and a fair bit of improvement for that debut run and experience can be expected. By Dubawi out of multiple group winner, including the G.1 Matron Stakes, Chachamaidee he is a full-brother to Narak a winning filly and half-brother of Klassique (Galileo) a filly that won four times including the G.3 Pinnacle Stakes in her career. I think this colt could turn out to be above average and have the 6-4.
At 8.20 they face the 6f for the British Stallion Studs Ebf Fillies' Handicap. Miss Jingles was last seen finishing seventh in a 5f Listed heat at Newbury on the soft last autumn, she perhaps went too fast early that day. Her two wins over five prior to that both suggested an extra furlong wouldn’t hurt and this step-up in trip, down in class and back on good-firm ground looks an opportunity. She is related to a number of winners being out of Veil Of Silence including full-sisters Sound Of Silence and Silent Bullet both 100+ rated. Lack of race fitness is a slight concern but a mark of 94 could underrate her. Get on at 9-2.
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