Channel 4 Racing at Newmarket: Best Betting Tips For Saturday

Newmarket will play host to the first Classic race of the season on Saturday when 13 three year old colts bid to win the 2000 Guineas. That is the feature race on a high quality card which includes three Group races. Here we preview the main races and provide some best betting tips

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2.05 – Makfi Suffolk Stakes (Handicap) (Class 2) 1m1f

The opening race of the day is a competitive looking handicap in which there is an interesting mix of quality; the difference between the top and bottom weight is 24lb. Memory Cloth was a close 2^nd in the race last year off just a 3lb lower mark than he races off here an a repeat effort would see him in the mix. All his best for has come on softer ground however and the drying ground is a worry for him. Benzanno runs for last years winning trainer Andrew Balding and he made a winning return at Lingfield back in March before a lesser effort last month. He is another for whom drying ground is not an obvious positive and needs to take a further step forward.

Sir Michael Stoute has started the season in great form and he runs the lightly raced Rye House on what will be just his 6^th start. He didn’t set the world alight last year and interesting dropped back in trip for this his seasonal reappearance. Four winners have come out of his last race when he finished a head second behind Rule Book and it wouldn’t come as a surprise where he to make further progress this term. Well bred and seems bound to improve and so the only concern is whether he will have enough pace over 9f. Similarly unexposed is Danchai who has had just the three starts to date. He was in impressive winner of a maiden in testing conditions before a slightly lesser effort on handicap debut. Drops back in trip here which may well suit but does have to contend with faster ground than he has faced before. Yard in good form though and he ought to prove better than his current mark at some point

Whispering Warrior was a winner on all three starts last season when tacking handicap company, going up a total of 17lb in the process. All those races were on the all-weather at a fairly modest level but he is a well bred son of Oasis Dream and could carry on improving; he will need to feature in this better race off his new mark though

The selection in an open race is the Charlie Hills trained BASSETERRE (6/1 with Ladbrokes). He has made steady progress in handicap company, winning a decent event at Newmarket of 83 before chasing home a well handicapped sort in Santefisio at Kempton on his final start of the season; Santefisio went on to finish a close third in a Class 2 Handicap off a 14lb higher mark. Has done more racing than some but can still be open to improvement and his solid performances off this sort of mark in similar handicaps make him a likely sort in this race

E/W Selection: BASSETERRE @ 6/1 with Ladbrokes

2.35 – Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes (Group 3) 5f

Sole Power ran well in all the top sprint races last season and was a little unfortunate to not win one, with just the one Listed success. He has run well to place in Group 1 company again over the winter in Dubai and should be race fit here. Conditions will suit him and would be the one to beat if putting his best foot forward. Spirit Quartz was another to shape well in these sorts of races last season and although he struggled to make an impact in Dubai, he returned to British soils with a comfortable success in a conditions race recently. He is another who should be in the mix and again deserves to take a race like this.

PEARL SECRET (11/2 with Betfred) is a lightly raced sprinter who was unbeaten in his first four starts before finding Group 1 company a little too much at an early stage of his career. Likely to make more impact as a 4 year old sprinter this season and his unexposed profile makes him a big player in this field

Heeraat was an impressive handicap winner on his seasonal reappearance and now steps up in class. Yard are in good form and he had plenty to spare off a mark of 101 and so deserves to take a crack at this level; can’t be underestimated on the back of his latest effort

Selection: PEARL SECRET @ 11/2 with Betfred

3.10 – Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) 1m4f

Wigmore Hall has done plenty of travelling in recent seasons with plenty of success, winning a Grade 1 in Canada back in September. Ran a fair race on his latest start out in Dubai and now returns to home soil, were on the whole he has struggled to reach the same heights. Has to carry a penalty which makes life difficult but perhaps shouldn’t be judged on earlier British form given his recent exploits abroad. DANDINO (9/4 with Betfred) won this race back in 2011 and is another who has been a globe-trotter recently, running well in Group 1 company on his last two starts. On what will be his first start for new trainer Marco Botti he will enjoy the conditions and with the trip no problem for him, he should make a bold bid. Noble Mission was turned over recently when favourite for the Group 3 John Porter Stakes by Universal who re-oppose on the same terms here. Noble Mission travelled best throughout but not for the first time he didn’t look the most straightforward under pressure. Universal on the other hand was far more battle hardened and gamely stuck is head out to win. There is unlikely to be much between them again and with a run under his belt it is possible Noble Mission will gain revenge on him.

Selection: DANDINO @ 9/4 with Betfred

3.50 – Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) 1m

The Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket is run over the same course and distance as the Guineas and this year’s renewal saw the impressive TORONADO (5/2 with Ladbrokes) cement his place towards the head of the market with a taking success. With only three rivals to contend with, Richard Hughes allowed the son of High Chaparral to bowl along in front before quickening clear inside the final 2 furlongs to come 4L in front of stable mate Havana Gold. Whilst a small field success doesn’t necessarily translate to a bigger field in the Guineas he was visually impressive and most pleasing of all was the way he handled the dip at Newmarket which may have been a concern before. He has made all on both of his last starts and it would be presumed he would race up with the pace at the very least come the Guineas and looking at his pedigree he ought to be a strong stayer. He showed an effective turn of foot and he will be able to maintain a strong gallop and so all of his rivals will have to keep a close eye on him as he is unlikely to prove easy to pass given that combination.

Dawn Approach (15/8 with Bet Victor) is the favourite for the race and has been for a long time after an impressive 2 year old season, winning all 6 of his races including 2 Group 1’s. Trained by Jim Bolger in Ireland he now runs in the Godolphin colours after being bought in the latter half of last season. He will be coming into the race without a prep run but that shouldn’t be considered a disadvantage as many winners of the Guineas have successfully done this in the past. He was undeniably impressive last season and if he has done well over the winter then this race looks to be a match between him and Toronado. Richard Hannon should have a good idea of what he has to beat in Dawn Approach given that his Olympic Glory is the horse who got closest to him last term. Both act at Newmarket and appear fairly versatile ground-wise. Dawn Approach has at times taken a while to really reach top gear before staying on well in his races and because of that the verdict is given to Toronado who could well kick on from the front as he did in the Craven.

Selection: TORONADO @ 5/2 with Ladbrokes

(For further analysis see the 2000 Guineas preview article)

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