Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for day one Newmarket Cambridgeshire meeting September 26

By Ben Linfoot

20:32 · WED September 25, 2024

Our form expert has two selections for day one of the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket on Thursday.

The Verdict: Thursday, September 26

1pt win Sophia’s Starlight in 2.45 Newmarket at 11/1 (William Hill)

1pt win Fighter in 3.55 Newmarket at 7/2 (William Hill)

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See the light in Fillies’ Handicap

It’s a fairly low-key start to the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket on Thursday but there are a trio of interesting two-year-old races to peruse with the Tattersalls Stakes offering up an intriguing Coolmore v Godolphin battle.

Monumental runs for Aidan O’Brien following his second in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, while Symbol Of Honour represents Charlie Appleby after his own runner-up finish in the Flying Scotsman at the same meeting.

It’s the Ballydoyle horse that edges it on ratings, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Symbol Of Honour improve and win at a meeting his stable have excelled at over the last few years.

Indeed, Appleby could win the nursery with Olympus Point and he has a couple of fascinating newcomers in the opening maiden, not least Naval Command, a Dubawi half-brother to the St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov.

Eldar Eldarov hacked up on his debut, so it could be worth monitoring the market vibes ahead of the first run of Naval Command’s career.

As for a bet I like the look of Grant Tuer’s SOPHIA’S STARLIGHT in the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap over six furlongs at 2.45.

No filly comes into this race in startling form so it could come down to who relishes this test on the day and, freshened up, Sophia’s Starlight could be the one.

She had a terrific 2023 when winning five times on her way through the ranks, her best performances coming over six furlongs when winning the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon and when finishing second over Thursday’s course and distance in the Listed Boadicea Stakes.

They were on Good to Soft and Soft ground respectively, so she likes at least a bit of dig and there is rain forecast around Newmarket in the build-up to the meeting.

Beaten a head by Funny Story off level weights in the Newmarket race, she takes on that rival here in receipt of 9lb and on her best form I don’t think there’s any doubt she’s the best-handicapped filly in this contest.

The question is can she find something like her best form here after being winless in six starts this season? We can’t be sure on that, but she has only tackled her best trip of six furlongs twice on turf this year, her reappearance, which was a write off, and her second in Listed company at Haydock on May 24.

That was her standout run of the season, it came over six furlongs on soft ground where she led on the rail and, again, it's a piece of form that entitles her to win off Wednesday's mark.

Freshened up since her last run at Chelmsford over seven furlongs in early July, she looks the obvious pace angle in this small field and if she gets on a roll up front under Sam James she could be a tough nut to crack.

The Verdict: Back SOPHIA’S STARLIGHT in the 2.45 Newmarket

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Fighter to land knockout blow

Similar comments, tactics-wise at least, apply to the three-year-old FIGHTER in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes over two miles later on the card (3.55).

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Frankel tore apart the prestigious “Petingo” Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend with a bulldozing run off the front end and he’s well worth his place in this line-up.

On the bare figures he has a bit to find with Al Nayyir, Night Sparkle and Harbour Wind, but all three are usually ridden with patience, particularly the first two named, and there’s a chance Fighter will be let loose on the front end if the tactics from his last two runs are repeated.

Blinkers have completely transformed him and with his 10lb weight-for-age allowance he’s getting 13lb from Harbour Wind, 10lb from Al Nayyir and 5lb from Night Sparkle, so he could be tough to catch in his current mood.

Not many three-year-olds have had a pop at this race recently – none in the last five years – but Face The Facts won it in 2017 and a thriving three-year-old like Fighter looks a dangerous opponent against this opposition however he is ridden.

The Verdict: Back FIGHTER in the 3.55 Newmarket

Preview posted at 1700 BST on 25/09/24

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