Matt Brocklebank looks ahead to the Betfred Cambridgeshire at the end of the month and highlights antepost fancies at 16/1 and 40/1.
BRAVERY looks over-priced at 40/1 (General) in the antepost market for the Betfred Cambridgeshire having dropped to a mark 3lb lower than when winning the Lincoln at Doncaster at the start of the year.
He’s had quite a busy time of things throughout the campaign and in truth hasn’t really threatened to add to his opening-day victory on Town Moor, but he obviously appreciates a little ease underfoot these days so targeting the biggest early and late-season handicaps makes a lot of sense.
And there were signs at York’s Ebor meeting last time out which suggested Bravery was nearing his peak again.
After travelling ominously well in behind the leaders, he was still going as well as just about anything at the two-furlong marker before staying on steadily to finish seventh, and a subsequent 2lb drop in the weights for that effort alone is plainly lenient.
The nine-furlong trip is not ideal for every miler, and it must be highlighted that Bravery’s sole outing over the Cambridgeshire course and distance back in April yielded a disappointing performance, but a fast ground seven-runner event was never going to play to his strengths that day.
He’s obviously happiest in strongly-run, big-field handicaps such as this and the way he moved at York last time left the impression he was crying out for a drop back from the extended mile and a quarter.
The one near the top of the market I’m keen to have on side is BIG COUNTRY, who is set to resume in a hot renewal of the Doonside Cup at Ayr this week.
He may well need the run in that Listed race as he’s been given a break since just missing out in the John Smith’s Cup, but another bold bid from this tough cookie wouldn’t come as any surprise.
Snapped up by the shrewd combination of Mick Appleby and The Horse Watchers, who plundered last year’s Silver Cambridgeshire with Mithqaal, he’s already paid his way – and some – but looks capable of picking up another huge pot before the year’s out.
He’s won handicaps at Wolverhampton (75), Kempton (84) and York (94) and although competing off a career-high perch of 99 in the John Smith’s Cup, he went down fighting after being one of those who didn't enjoy a perfectly clear passage in the straight.
It shouldn’t come as a shock that the York form has worked out well, but the winner landing two Group Three races subsequently underlines the severity of the task Big Country was facing that day and on the face of things a 1lb rise to a mark of 100 shouldn’t be completely beyond him.
There are any number of dark ones lurking a bit further down the weights but this is a horse whose light has been a shining beacon through the 2017 Flat campaign and few would begrudge him another big day in the sun at Newmarket at the end of the month.
Recommended bets: Betfred Cambridgeshire
1pt e.w. Bravery in Betfred Cambridgeshire at 40/1
1pt e.w. Big Country in Betfred Cambridgeshire at 16/1
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Posted at 1630 BST on 18/09/17.