My beloved late father, who was responsible for my love of horse racing, made an annual attempt to land the so-called ‘autumn double’: the two big Newmarket’s handicaps run towards the tail-end of the Flat season. For the best part of half a century, I have followed his lead with a fair degree of success in both contests but never landing the double at the same time.
The duo of races involved are the Cambridgeshire, a ‘cavalry charge’ run over a mile and one furlong on Newmarket’s straight course, and the Cesarewitch, run over twice that distance at the same track. Because of their large fields, both races are usually run at a fast pace and so it is essential to have horses that are true stayers over the very different distances of both races.
This year the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap will take place on Saturday October 14 and it is my favourite big-race handicap of the season. However, many horses entered in the race are now also entered in the Irish equivalent, the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh on Sunday September 24. This is understandable as the Irish race offers a pot of Euros 324,000 to the winner.
This makes ante-post betting on the Newmarket marathon unattractive as connections often wait until the likely going for both races before deciding which race they will target with their horse.
So for now I am going to keep my powder dry for the Newmarket marathon and instead just suggest one bet for the bet365 Cambridgeshire, to be run on Saturday September 30 and worth more than £100,000 to the winner.
I put up OVIEDO each way in a handicap at York a fortnight ago and he ran a big race to finish second to an improving six-year-old gelding, Astro King. Drawn wide and held up that day, while also racing a little keenly, Oviedo made considerable late progress under a largely hands and heels ride.
His last four runs have been over one mile two furlongs or more and so a fast-run race over slightly less on Newmarket’s demanding straight course should be just what the doctor ordered for Ed Bethell’s three-year-old colt. The horse is suited by quick ground and, with an Indian summer widely forecast, he should get it even at the very end of this month.
The horse is highly thought of by his handler and won the Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar back in May off a rating of 96. He is now up to a loftier mark of 103 but don’t forget this horse, as a two-year-old, was third to Chaldean in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York over an inadequate trip of 7 furlongs.
So he knows how to mix it in the best of company. Back Oviedo 2 points win at 16-1 with Coral or Ladbrokes because the each way ante post terms are poor for a race that would expect to attract its maximum field of 35 runners.
The list of dangers is a long one and those horses include Dual Identity, a hugely impressive winner at Sandown last weekend, and Greek Order, an improving three-year-old colt trained by father and son team, Roger and Harry Charlton. The latter could certainly be the proverbial ‘group horse masquerading as a handicapper’.
This weekend the big race is the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock (tomorrow, 3.35pm). Run over 6 furlongs and with a first prize of more than £242,000, it has deservedly attracted a big field of 17 top sprinters.
Despite being unbeaten in four runs this season, Julie Camacho’s quirky but talented three-year-old colt, Shaquille, is not a straightforward ride and so it is tempting to take him on. The trouble is I can’t see a solid each way bet in the race and so I am going to leave it as just the one bet for the week.
2023 flat season running total: – 21.82 points.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Pending:
2 points win Juan Les Pins at 20-1 for the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup.
2 points win Aleezdancer at 16-1 for the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup.
2 points win Oviedo at 16-1 for the bet365 Cambridgeshire.
There were no settled bets from last week to record. I am no longer listing all the settled bets from the season as the list is now very long. However, all the bets are there online in my past columns if people want to see them.
My gambling record for the seven and a half years: I have made a profit in 14 of the past 15 seasons to recommended bets. To a 1 point level stake over this period, the profit of has been just over 523 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a ‘point’ is your chosen regular stake).
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