Simon Holt highlights his best bets for Saturday's high-class action at Newmarket, with Betty F among his selections.
A terrific card at Newmarket on Saturday brings a mix of high quality Group action and top handicaps, notably the Betfred Cambridgeshire which has sometimes been described as the only nine-furlong sprint in the calendar.
As such, horses proven over a mile and a quarter can be favoured, though there could be an extra stamina requirement this year with the ground on the easy side.
The runner who meets all the requirements seems to be THUNDERING BLUE who has progressed tremendously to win his last three starts, stays a mile and a quarter and has twice won on good to soft.
David Menuisier's striking grey gelding simply flew home, despite jinking to his left, at Sandown last time and a 6lb rise in the weights looks lenient when one considers that the runner-up Monarchs Glen won a listed race at Goodwood earlier in the week while third placed Rotherwick was narrowly beaten next time and the fifth Euginio has won at Doncaster.
Thundering Blue was also a comfortable winner on the July Course previously and, while his propensity to go left under pressure is a slight concern, his turn of foot could equally be decisive.
On form, the selection and last week's Newbury winner Brorocco look closely matched, but Andrew Balding's hitherto unlucky gelding has raced only twice on ground softer than good and must prove he has recovered quickly from that race.
On the likely going, Brorocco's stable companion NAVAL WARFARE looks interesting each-way as this high-actioned colt ran creditably in a Sandown listed race last time, promises to stay and, despite having won on a fast surface earlier in the season, seems much better with plenty of cut underfoot. Conditions may just have come right for him.
Godolphin's pair Carry On Deryck and Very Talented, second and third behind Spark Plug in this race 12 months, again deserve respect despite not looking particularly well handicapped while the likeable Big Country, a fine second to subsequent Group scorer Ballet Concerto at York in July, certainly has enough stamina for this task if he proves as effective on an easy surface compared to the quicker ground he has been racing on earlier this year.
Master The World, tailed off last year but second to Third Time Lucky (Examiner third) in 2015, should not be ruled out either as he remains in good form following his Betfred Mile win at Glorious Goodwood and seems ground versatile.
In the first of the Group One contests, the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, some of the best two-year-old fillies in Britain, Ireland and France are set to cross swords including Churchill's full sister Clemmie, off since winning at Newmarket's July meeting, Queen Mary and Flying Childers winner Heartache who now tries six furlongs for the first time, Lowther Stakes winner Threading (who beat Madeline by nearly two lengths on the Knavesmire) and Albany Stakes winner Different League who returns to her own sex after finishing third behind the colts Unfortunately and Havana Grey in the Prix Morny at Deauville.
However, I will take a chance on the completely unexposed BETTY F who takes a steep rise in class after winning a novice event on the July course in August.
The daughter of Frankel was hugely impressive that day looking cast adrift when the eventual runner-up Rockies Spirit appeared to slip the field only to pick up in dramatic fashion up the final climb.
SKY BET ODDS: Betty F Price Boost!
Clearly, the opposition here is much stronger but Betty F must be held in some regard by trainer Jeremy Noseda to warrant a crack at this and the visual impression of her victory that day was that she could be very smart indeed. Moreover she could well handle any ease in the ground as her dam is a half sister to the smart soft-ground stayer Seal Of Approval.
The other Group One is the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes which looks ferociously competitive with Sands Of Mali (Gimcrack), Sioux Nation (Phoenix Stakes), Rajasinghe (Coventry) and Unfortunately (Prix Morny) all boasting big race successes already.
However, BECKFORD has just a half length to find with Sioux Nation on their clash at The Curragh on good to firm ground and, whereas there may be a doubt about the American-bred winner on this surface, Gordon Elliott's colt is proven with cut in the ground and looked best until outstayed subsequently by Verbal Dexterity in the seven-furlong National Stakes.
Back over six furlongs, Pat Smullen's mount should go close.
In the opening Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, Nelson is likely to start odds-on with the field cutting up and this close relation to Derby runner-up US Army Ranger out of the Oaks winner Moonstone, looks a fine middle-distance prospect for next year following two decisive wins at Leopardstown.
Recommended bets:
1pt win Thundering Blue in 3.35 Newmarket at 8/1
1pt e.w. Naval Warfare in 3.35 Newmarket at 16/1
1pt win Betty F in 2.20 Newmarket at 16/1
1pt win Beckford in 2.55 Newmarket at 7/1
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Posted at 1612 BST on 29/09/17.