It’s a busy weekend full of competitive two-year-old action, all culminating in the big Cambridgeshire handicap. Today is the feature day, with two Group One’s for the two-year-olds and the big handicap of the week, the Cambridgeshire.
Marionette Man
1:50 – Royal Lodge Stakes (Group Two) – Puppet Master @ 4/1 (General)
There’s plenty to like about Puppet Master in the Royal Lodge. The first being is that Ryan Moore, unsurprisingly, rode out of his skin yesterday winning the first three races. Secondly, he dominated in his maiden win at Galway winning by four lengths on soft ground.
Furthermore, the form from his debut at Killarney has backed up after the winner won at Deauville and has a great chance in the 3:45 at The Curragh today. He’s also closely related to True Cyan, a winner on this card in the Blandford maiden 12 months ago. Surprised he isn’t shorter for this contest.
Law Of Design makes great appeal at an each-way price after winning over seven furlongs at Ascot last time out on testing ground. The form has worked out, with the second winning at Newcastle this week. He has a bit of black-type in his pedigree and is bred by an interesting sire in Arc winner Sottsass. Worth backing at 12/1 (William Hill).
French Fancies
2:25 – Cheveley Park Stakes (GROUP ONE) – Daylight @ 100/30 (William Hill)
I have doubts about the favourites. Babouche, whilst can handle the distance and a proven Group One winner has big question marks over the ground. Despite being a sister to the very talented, and soft-loving, Zarinsk, we haven’t yet seen the versatility of surface from her three runs so far.
As for Lake Victoria, I have questions as to why she’s stepping down in trip. Aidan O’Brien has been quoted saying they’ve had this race in their minds before the Moyglare. But after winning that, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to drop her down before either the Prix Marcel Boussac or the Fillies’ Mile.
But, if there’s one type of horse to have on your side, in these conditions, it’s a Frenchie. And today we just have that. Daylight rather dominated a Group Three at Deauville, going clear inside the final furlong to assert. She wasn’t disgraced into third behind Whistlejacket and Rashabar, and the Prix Morny can act as the form race to either the Cheveley or Middle Park Stakes. She’ll be used to the ground, unlike the two other favourites.
Grab Your Coat
3:00 – Middle Park Stakes (GROUP ONE) – Whistlejacket @ 8/11 (General)
A trend that still holds up in this race is the winner of the Prix Morny wins this. Perfect Power, Blackbeard and Vandeek were all victorious in the famous French Group One. And Whistlejacket can keep the trend running. He looks like a talented sprinter for Ballydoyle, which they’ve not had many in recent years. Soft ground won’t bother him either, given he broke his maiden on a similar surface.
Causing Havoc
3:40 – Cambridgeshire (Heritage H’cap) – Norwalk Havoc @ 14/1 (William Hill, BetVictor)
Soft ground horses are the one to get behind here. Norwalk Havoc won on soft ground as a three-year-old and has proved to be ground versatile after his close second in the Colm Quinn Mile. He’s been raised a respectable three pounds for this run and goes in with a good chance. Those drawn in the 20s have had most of the luck in the last ten renewals. Norwalk Havoc is drawn 26.
Bopedro is another with a good chance. He ran a cracking third in last year’s Cambridgeshire and is a huge nine pounds lower than last year. He just turned back to form when a near second in a class two handicap at Doncaster. If he can carry on this slight upward turn in form, he has another huge chance. 14/1 (General).
Empirestateofmind looks to be targeted for this race. Although he hasn’t had the best of seasons. His two runs have not seen him at the front of the pack and his mark lingers at a respectable 90. However, he does like the ground soft underfoot and is drawn well. It is clear when you look back at his career, his best runs often come late on in the season. Not a write off at 50/1 (William Hill, Boylesports).
Best of Luck!
