Newmarket tips: Who will win the bet365 Cambridgeshire on Saturday?
bet365 Cambridgeshire (Heritage Handicap)
When: 3.40, Saturday September 30
Where: Newmarket
First prize: £103,080.00
Going: Good to firm
TV: ITV & Racing TV
Zozimus - Graeme North
ZOZIMUS is still looking for his first win since joining David O’Meara but he’s only once had his preferred big-field scenario which was way back in April on his reappearance in which he was entitled to be ring-rusty after 17 months off. Mostly campaigned in small fields since, his last two runs have signalled a return to peak form, however, particularly his latest second at Haydock, and now off a 10lb lower mark than when fourth in this race in 2021 (when he was the first home of those drawn low), he can make the most of what looks a more favourable draw this time around with promising claimer Aiden Brookes taking a further 5lb off.
Crack Shot – David Johnson
I wasn’t sure he'd get in, and neither were connections given he was also originally declared on Friday but CRACK SHOT has inevitably pitched up here instead and holds a solid each-way chance. He’s an improving 3-y-o that has won his most recent start and has some strong form from earlier in the season having finished fifth in a deep handicap at the Goodwood Festival. Apprentices dominated the finish of last year’s Cambridgeshire and Georgia Dobie’s 3 lb allowance might prove crucial.
Merlin The Wizard – David Ord
Yes, stablemate Greek Order is a worthy favourite but the Charlton’s second-string MERLIN THE WIZARD has an awful lot going for him too. The son of Camelot has one blip on his dancecard this term, a dull run when strong in the market at Sandown in June, but otherwise his is also a story of gradual improvement. He posted a career best when beating Naxos, with plenty in hand, on the July Course last month for a third win in four starts. He has his quirks and needs kidding along in his races, but this test could bring the best out of him, buried away and coming through rivals.
Greek Order – Lewis Tomlinson
I’d love to be more original that siding with the favourite in a 35-runner handicap, but Harry & Roger Charlton’s unexposed 3-y-o GREEK ORDER looks more than capable of completing the hat-trick and maintaining his unbeaten record in handicaps. He ran out a most impressive winner at Newbury on his latest outing- that form already franked through runner-up Maximilian Caesar’s victory the St Leger meeting- and Greek Order stands out as a horse well on his way to pattern company.
Haunted Dream - Kieran Clark
The bonus of having a maximum field of 35 and one at the head of the betting taking a chunk out of the market means that those who arrive at the top of their game are available at bigger odds than usual and HAUNTED DREAM is a case in point. Following yet another fine effort in a top-end handicap at York, he’s now 10 lb better off with Astro King with Morgan Cole claiming a valuable 5 lb off his back, that factored in with a high draw – the last 7 winners coming from stalls 21 or above – making him an appealing bet at odds of around 20/1.
Haunted Dream - Ben Linfoot
HAUNTED DREAM has been knocking on the door in valuable 10-furlong handicaps all season and he shapes like a strong gallop at nine furlongs will be absolutely perfect for him in the Cambridgeshire. He improved for his turf reappearance when a close second at Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse meeting and he has held his form well since then, running third in the John Smith’s Cup at York, second in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood and then third again in the Sky Bet Finale Handicap at the Ebor Festival. He’s got his ground and Morgan Cole takes off 5lb, which helps given he keeps nudging up the weights, and he looks a solid proposition from stall 32 on a track that should play to his strengths (has run well twice here in the past).
Greek Order – Greg Spink
The 'Group horse in a handicap' line is trotted out in conjunction with virtually every high-end handicap nowadays but short-priced favourite GREEK ORDER really could fit that mould in this year’s Cambridgeshire, his stall 25 only adding further weight to his case (3 out of the last 4 winners have been drawn 25 or higher). He made it 2-2 in handicaps at Newbury last month when thrashing subsequent next-time-out winner Maximilian Caesar and with further progress on the cards, it’s hard to envisage Harry & Roger Charlton’s colt not being involved at the business end granted a clear passage.
Bopedro – Andrew McLaren
Greek Order could well be the Group horse in a handicap but I have to take him on at the prices in a race of this nature. The one I like is BOPEDRO - a battle-hardened handicapper who shaped much better than the result at Leopardstown last time. A well-run race over 9f should be right up his street and he can reward each-way support from what looks a favourable draw in stall 28.
Haunted Dream – Billy Nash
My colleagues have all presented very compelling cases for their selections, but I have decided to attempt a more scientific approach by looking at the recent trends. Fourteen of the last twenty winners have been draw 20 or higher, 4-y-os have the best record in that timeframe with seven wins, twelve winners ran off a BHA mark of 99 or higher and the majority of the last twenty winners came from off the pace. Fortunately, there is only one horse in this year’s field that ticks all of those boxes and that is HAUNTED DREAM.
Storm Catcher - Matt Brocklebank
So many to consider in a wide-open handicap, no matter what the market may tell you, and you've got to take on a horse like Greek Order who is still a bit wet behind the ears and now faces much sterner opposition. I don't mind dual course winner Carolus Magnus at a massive price but the one to be on each-way could be STORM CATCHER, who is getting quicker with age (was sent hurdling in his youth) and bolted up at Newcastle last month. A 4lb rise for that looks seriously generous and he promises to be well suited by a strongly-run race in a huge field. Shane Foley looks an eye-catching booking.
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