Andrew Asquith returns with two selections at Newmarket and Cheltenham on Wednesday.
Value Bet: Wednesday April 16
1pt win Double Rush in the 1.50 Newmarket at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Deploy To Spy in the 2.05 Cheltenham at 12/1 (General)
The opening bet365 Handicap over six furlongs which opens day two of the Craven meeting is chock-full of potential improvers. It is a race which will likely throw up plenty of future winners, while it is also probable that several will graduate into future pattern performers later in the season.
One horse who has already confirmed he’s returned an improved performer is DOUBLE RUSH and he’s well worth backing to confirm himself ahead of the handicapper at 9/1.
His form from last year has some substance, too, beaten by a now-useful sort who had the benefit of experience on his debut at Windsor, and doing especially well to finish as close as he did given he was ridden patiently after missing the break in a race where it paid to be handy.
Double Rush progressed when not beaten far by the reopposing Defence Minister in a hotter race at Haydock next time before closing 2024 with a below-par effort at Nottingham in October.
That came in ground Timeform described as heavy, while it also came at a time when his yard was having a tough time of things, so it’s probably best to put a line through that effort, especially considering the impression he made at Wolverhampton on his recent return.
Double Rush started the odds-on favourite that day and his two main market rivals filled the places, so it looks a good piece of form, and the visual impression he created is backed up by an excellent timefigure for the grade.
He made all of the running in good style, really pouring it on entering the straight and never looked like being caught. Double Rush arrives with race fitness on his side and, based on his performance at Wolverhampton last time, a mark of 85 looks very attractive now making his handicap debut.
All of the rain which was forecast at Newmarket hit on Tuesday morning, meaning a ground change from good to firm to good to soft and they certainly appeared to be getting their toe in. Double Rush has form on soft ground, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for him, and his draw in stall 14 will work well given they came across to the stands-side rail on Tuesday.
It looks a cracking renewal of the Craven Stakes and, as the betting suggests, it’s also a very open one. I’ve found it incredibly hard to find a bet at the prices, Wimbledon Hawkeye and Opera Ballo both topping my shortlist, but both have shortened somewhat since I started looking. It looks a watching brief for me.
Over at Cheltenham there is a horse who’s on my radar, though, and that is the Olly Murphy-trained DEPLOY TO SPY in the Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle.
He has proved progressive over hurdles this season, still in contention when brought down at the second-last on his debut in this sphere, and going on to win his next three starts, notably a handicap at Aintree in November.
His form also stacks up well, too, having beaten several subsequent winners, and his performance at Aintree, where he was strong on the run-in, going away at the line, suggests he’ll relish this first start beyond two miles.
Deploy To Spy is available to back at a double-figure price due to his below-par effort at Doncaster when last seen in December, but that run was too bad to be true, and I like the fact he’s been given plenty of time to get over that since.
Something may have been ailing him on that occasion, but he had looked a good prospect prior, and he remains with handicapping scope from a mark of 125, especially over a trip which is likely to unveil further improvement for an in-form trainer who is having his best season to date.
Preview posted at 1600 BST on 15/04/2025
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