Simon Holt best bets for Newmarket on Saturday

Recommend bets:

1pt each-way Data Protection in 3.35 Newmarket at 50/1

2pts win Ghalyoon in 4.40 Newmarket at 11/4

AFTER victories in the St Leger and Ayr Gold Cup, jockey Tom Marquand bids for a remarkable big-race Saturday treble aboard Sinjaari in Newmarket's bet365 Cambridgeshire, but may be foiled by the course and distance winner DATA PROTECTION.

William Muir's five-year-old trotted up in the 'Silver' Cambridgeshire last season and, while that wasn't the most competitive of races, he has thrived for a second wind operation this term, winning on the July course here and at Sandown for which he has gone up just 8lb. The form of both those races has worked out well.

Data Protection's last run should be ignored as his rider Nicola Currie set the horse alight leaving the stalls and then went a mad gallop, turning for home well clear before, predictably, he fell in a heap in the closing stages.

In this big field, there should be plenty of pace and the opportunity to race prominently (as the selection prefers) without trying to break records and, on a course which suits him well and over a distance which seems ideal, he looks a great value bet.

My concern about Sinjaari is whether he will find this mile and a furlong a bit sharp even though the Cambridgeshire demands stamina at the trip.

It was only in the closing stages in the John Smith's Cup over an extended mile and a quarter at York where Marquand's mount (ridden that day by Stevie Donohoe) hit top stride and, on three occasions last season, he was doing his best work at the finish over ten and eleven furlongs.

Sinjaari's trainer William Haggas has another string to his bow in Ilaraab who seeks a five-timer now following his latest victory at Newbury for which he picks up a 4lb penalty.

This looks much deeper company but the colt has been winning only narrowly thereby tying the handicapper's hands, and there could be much more to come.

That last remark may also apply to the choicely-bred Tempus (by Kingman out of the high class Passage Of Time) who sprinted away from the re-opposing Walhaan in a slowly-run race at Ascot last time while the highest-weighted contenders Certain Lad, Sir Busker and Montatham (Haggas again) all deserve much respect despite now racing off sky-high marks.

John Gosden bids for a Cambridgeshire hat-trick and a sixth victory in all following the exploits of Halling, Pipedreamer, Tazeez, Wissahickon and Lord North with another potentially well-handicapped horse in Al Rufaa (Frankie Dettori), though the son of Kingman disappointed last time and has never run beyond seven furlongs.

The support card features some fascinating renewals of the Royal Lodge, Cheveley Park and Middle Park Stakes for two-year-olds but they all look exceptionally tight contests with tentative preference for Cobh, Happy Romance and Method respectively.

Meanwhile, in the closing Bentley Motors Handicap, it could be third-time lucky this season for GHALYOON.

Marcus Tregoning's five-year-old might have won both his previous starts at Doncaster but for pulling too hard in the early stages and, considering that excess of enthusiasm, he has performed well to be narrowly beaten on each occasion latterly staying on strongly over six-and-a-half furlongs behind Tranchee and Sunset Breeze at the St Leger meeting.

This seven furlong trip looks ideal for Ghalyoon who remains potentially well handicapped on a second to Nazeef and a defeat of Posted last season and, if Jim Crowley can get him switched off this time (I'm hoping two runs may have taken some of the gas/freshness out of him), he will take some stopping.

Preview posted 1600 BST on 25/09/2020