Newmarket Saturday

1.45 Betfred Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 6f

Woodhay Wonder has a nice habit of winning races and, more pertinently, winning them at Newmarket, whether on the Rowley Mile or July Course. Winner of four of her five starts at ‘Headquarters’, she warmed up for this with a good effort here last month, finishing third to More Thunder on ground that would have been plenty soft enough for her. She loves to hear her hooves rattle, and she’ll certainly be able to do that today.

More Thunder improved on debut for William Haggas to win that race, although the big surprise was the drop back in trip, having raced around four and a quarter miles for Sir Michael Stoute.

It proved just the ticket, as he won going away over six furlongs here, but that was on softer ground than he will encounter now, and it took him most of the race to find top gear.

Perhaps he will click a little earlier with the benefit of that run, but I’d be fairly certain that he will prove best at seven furlongs/ a mile when the ground is quick and the emphasis on speed.

Of the others, Inishfallen was never going to get a mile in the Spring Cup at Newbury but still ran respectably on seasonal debut, and a drop back to six can only help, while I’d not be surprised to see Indian Run click sooner rather than later for Julie Camacho.

He shaped better than he had been doing last year on debut for his new connections here last time, and Camacho likes to find her way gradually with new recruits rather than striking straight away, suggesting that Indian Run will take a step forward either here or on his next start. He’s one to note.

2.20 Betfred Suffolk Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 1m 1f

Arabian Light has been put in a short price for this handicap, but he only just beat Sean on his latest start, has seen the runner-up fail to frank the form since and is now worse off at the weights, so it’s hard to warm to him at 7/1 or thereabouts. Hand Of God was very impressive in winning both starts at up to a mile and a quarter last season and is the best prospect here, but an absence since Royal Ascot poses questions about his readiness, and stall one may not be ideal, either.

Silver Sword seemed to benefit from a return to a mile when scoring at Meydan in March and, despite a 4lb rise, he remains on a winning mark having scored off 93 at York in 2023.

He wasn’t seen to best effect in the Spring Cup at Newbury on his domestic return and, while all his wins have come at a mile, he was an excellent second in the Group 3 Darley Stakes over course and distance in 2023 and looks an attractive price, having tumbled in the weights since this time last year.

2.55 Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Palace House Stakes (Group 3) 5f

Last year’s first and third, Seven Questions and Beautiful Diamond, are back to do battle again and both are not without interest, particularly Seven Questions, having his first start for his new yard, Robert Copwell, but in what looks an open race, the eye is drawn to Washington Heights, who had some excellent early-season form in 2024 and looks ready to strike here.

First time up last year he defeated the future July Cup winner Mill Stream in the Abernant here, an excellent effort, and backed that up by finishing an unlucky and close fourth to Mill Stream in a finish of heads and necks in the Duke Of York Stakes, faring worst of the quartet who fought out the finish in terms of where he raced, with the action happening away from him of those drawn low.

His form for the rest of the season wasn’t quite as good, albeit pitched into Group 1 races where he struggled to dominate. A good second in the Group 3 Dukhan Sprint at Al Uqda in February will have set him up for the season and he is expected to come to hand early as he did last season. Stall 11 of 11 is ideal for a horse who likes to race alone, and he ought to go very close.

3.35 Betfred 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) 1m

While the Guineas is most likely to go to the impressive Craven winner Field Of Gold, the price about the likeable and consistent runner-up Wimbledon Hawkeyeis too big on the back of the facile logic that he cannot turn the form around and, even if that is the case, his overall claims of grabbing a slice of the prize money are much better than the betting indicates, while history has shown us that opposing horses beaten in the Craven for only that reason can be folly. There have, after all, been as many Guineas winners beaten in the Craven in the last 30 years as there have been winners of both contests, although we’re going back to King’s Best to find the last Craven runner-up to turn the form around on Guineas day.

It’s easy to forgive Wimbledon Hawkeye his defeat in a heavy-ground Futurity Stakes at Doncaster on his final two-year-old start, with the ground looking all against him, which shouldn’t surprise on pedigree, with the offspring of Kameko seeming best on good or faster ground. Prior to Doncaster, he had produced an excellent display to win the Group 2 Royal Lodge at Newmarket from Royal Playwright and had served notice that he would be a major force at a mile and further when splitting The Lion In Winter and Ruling Court in the Acomb Stakes at York.

Ruling Court is a much shorter price here, not because he’s achieved greater things since, but simply as a result of William Buick preferring him to the sprinter Shadow Of Light. That formline shows why Wimbledon Hawkeye’s price of around 20/1 is simply too big.

Lacking experience on his early starts (he was allowed to start at 28/1 when making a winning debut at Kempton), including when an excellent third in the Superlative Stakes behind Ancient Truth, Wimbledon Hawkeye matured through the season, and will continue to do so, making him a cracking each way bet, despite his Craven reverse.

Recommended:

Woodhay Wonder 1.45 Newmarket – 2pts win @ 5/1 (general)

Silver Sword 2.20 Newmarket – 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (general – 4 places)

Washington Heights 2.55 Newmarket – 2pts win @ 5/1 (general)

Wimbledon Hawkeye 3.35 Newmarket – 1pt e/w @ 20/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power – 4 places)