The Cesarewitch: six contenders to consider at 25-1 or bigger

The past three Club Godolphin Cesarewitch winners have been prominent in the betting but it can often pay to look beyond the obvious in the Newmarket marathon.

Four of the past 15 victors have been 50/1 or bigger, with another pair returned at 25/1 during that time. The first four home in 2019 went off at between 25/1 and 50/1, while runners sent off at 40/1 and 50/1 have been placed in recent renewals.

Forty horses remain in the mix after Monday's confirmations with Grand Providence, a leading ante-post favourite, not sure to make the cut.

Here are six to consider chalked up at between 25/1 and 50/1.

GEREMIA

Trainer: Jim Goldie. Best odds: 50/1

I’d imagine you can count Cesarewitch contenders who warm up for the race with a run in the Cambridgeshire – on the same track but over half as far – but Jim Goldie is rarely a slave to convention and that’s the route he is taking with Geremia.

The five-year-old ran a good “trial”, keeping on to be beaten little more than three lengths despite meeting some traffic problems late in the day.It showed that Geremia is in good heart and he will have twice as far to engage top gear at the weekend.

Geremia catches the eye at the Guineas meeting

His CV includes a win over 2m and he’s generally stuck to his task when Goldie has run him in staying contests. If you want an example of that, rewatch his run at the Guineas meeting (above) when he was a keeping-on fourth in the 1m 6f handicap run on testing ground.

Geremia is only 1lb higher than when winning at Ayr in July but, be warned, he can completely blow the start and will almost certainly be loitering in rear for a long way. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in the Cesarewitch – plenty of winners have been dropped out – and he’s running from the right end of the weights.

Keep an eye on jockey bookings, too. He’s not been ridden by a claimer for more than two years but his record when ridden by an apprentice reads 1212.

TEMPORIZE

Trainer: Syd Hosie. Best odds: 25/1

Syd Hosie is making a name for himself as a Jumps trainer, but he’s also run a handful of his horses on the Flat this year and hit the jackpot with Temporize in the 2m 5f handicap run at Glorious Goodwood.

The four-year-old was a well-backed favourite to beat 16 rivals that day and his supporters would have been comfortable from some way out. He relished stepping up in trip and won with something to spare from Robert Johnson (more of him in a moment), with the pair puling five lengths clear.

He’s gone up 7lb in the ratings but that looks warranted, especially with some of his earlier form – when touched off by Grand Providence at Doncaster and by Blazeon Five at Ascot – working out well.

Temporize seems suited by good ground or softer, so quick conditions would be a negative. The rain forecast at Newmarket on Wednesday and Friday will be very welcome for him. Given his proven stamina, and the fact he’s still unexposed as a stayer, he looks a massive price.

BLAZEON FIVE

Trainer: Roge Teal. Best odds: 25/1

This likeable mare has been hard to fault since having her stamina properly tested in the past year or so – chalking up five wins and being runner-up on another four occasions.

She’s ridden the best part of 2st in the ratings and I imagine plenty will believe the handicapper has finally caught up after her latest fourth at Goodwood. However, that muddling contest over 1m 6f didn’t play to her strengths and the assessor may have been lenient in easing her 2lb.

It was only a couple of runs ago that she edged out Temporize by a head in the 2m Brown Jack Handicap on softish ground at Ascot. That race turned into a proper war of attrition with the first two pulling a dozen lengths clear. And, of course, Temporize subsequently went one better in fine style at Goodwood.

Blazeon Five is only 3lb higher than at Ascot and will meet Temporize on 3lb better terms. I’m not sure that will be enough for her to confirm the form – her victim improved again at Goodwood – but it would be folly to discount her.

SHEISYBRID

Trainer: Noel Meade. Best odds: 33/1

Sheishybrid will be better off at the weights with Grand Providence and is trading at much bigger odds

Grand Providence is among the ante-post favourites after winning the Cesarewitch Trial here last month. She’s a progressive three-year-old with plenty of upside but, if you like her, then you have got to be interested in Sheishybrid, who ran her to a length in the Trial and is set to reoppose on 7lb better terms (if 4lb out of weights).

Noel Meade’s grey is all stamina, having been a good second at Clonmel before that run. Hr record also includes a win in another Cesarewitch – the Ulster verson – over 2m2f at Downpatrick last year, when humping 10st.

Sheishybrid is going to have a lot less weight on her back at the weekend, and Meade has his team in great form, enjoying five winners from his past 15 runners – including at 28/1, 14/1 and 12/1.

Colin Keane and Jason Watson have been on board for Sheishybrid’s past two runs but Meade also has the claim of Adam Caffey up his sleeve, should he wish to reduce her burden. He rode her three times in succession earlier in the season.

ROBERT JOHNSON

Trainer: Phil Kirby. Best odds: 50/1

_Temporize fends off Robert Johnson at Goodwood _

The five-year-old has been a revelation this year, winning five races and zooming 30lb up the ratings.

Stepping up in trip has been key to his progress, with his fifth win being gained in commanding style over 2m at York in July.

Robert Johnson followed that with a personal best at Goodwood, when keeping on stoutly to be second to Temporize in the 2m 5f race previously mentioned. He will be 4lb better off for just over a length, so there should not be much between them.He has since run below-par at York but perhaps that race, 19 days after his exploits at Goodwood, came a bit quick for him.

Having had a 52-day beak to recharge his batteries, it would be no surprise if he swiftly resumed his progress. For those prepared to forgive one lacklustre effort, he’s trading at insulting odds.

WORDSWORTH

Trainer: David Pipe. Best odds: 25/1

Wordsworth digs deep to win at Gowran

The past five Cesarewitch winners have all been winning hurdlers and that augurs well for Wordsworth, trained by Aidan O’Brien in his early years and an easy winner over jumps at Bangor this month on his first start for David Pipe.

He should win plenty more races in that sphere, but you cannot blame connections for taking this detour, with a prize-money of £200,000 up for grabs.

Wordsworth was runner-up in the 2021 Queen’s Vase and placed in Group One company on his next two starts over 1m4f. He’s since proven himself over further, including when making a bold bid in last year’s Queen Alexandra Stakes. He retains a touch of a class and a mark of 105 may not be beyond him. The Galileo entire seems versatile regards the ground.