Newmarket Saturday

1.50 Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) 1m

The stalls are in the centre for the Cambridgeshire day, and the ground will likely ride on the fast side of good. The Royal Lodge lacks an outstanding contender, but the unbeaten Bow Echo could be something special given the impression he’s made to date, and he was ultimately impressive when winning the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock last time despite that race threatening to get messy.

He dossed a bit in front at Haydock but rallied gamely to get back past the well-regarded Publish and that should have done plenty for him in terms of know-how. He didn’t know he had a race on debut so having to battle was important for him last time, and he looks sure to progress again granted a more competitive environment.

I see Daytona as the biggest stumbling block. He lost his unbeaten record in the Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville last time but was unsuited by the drop to seven furlongs and the run of the race there and had previously won well at Naas to put himself in the picture for this. A mile and fast ground is what he wants right now, and I envisage him bouncing back to be a threat.

2.25 Tattersalls Sceptre

Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1, Fillies) 6f

Aidan O’Brien has a strong hand here with Beautify and True Love and the latter may offer value after her short-odds defeat in the Phoenix Stakes. Power Blue seemed to improve in victory, but True Love had beaten him five and a half lengths in the Railway Stakes prior to that and she didn’t look 100% when turned over last time. She looked very good in the Queen Mary, and it bears repeating how well that form has worked out with the likes of Spicy Marg and Revival Power doing their bit for the form subsequently.

Beautify has achieved at least as much as True Love but she certainly improved for the step up to seven furlongs in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last time and dropping back to six furlongs on quick ground my just find her out.

3.00 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes (Group 1) 6f

Wise Approach appears the one to beat in a Middle Park Stakes that should favour speed. He was an excellent second to Charles Darwin in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and his latest third in the Prix Morny seeing him edged out only narrowly. That again shows he’s a little vulnerable at a stiff six furlongs, and I hope that the unfashionably bred The Publican’s Son can improve enough to throw down a serious challenge.

The Publican’s Son well named, with his dam sharing a name with the original landlady of the fictional Rover’s Return in Coronation Street, and he did very well despite being thrown into a group race on debut when second to Mission Central in the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh first time up. I thought he shaped every bit as well as the winner there, with a slow start meaning he had to switch wide to challenge after weaving through.

That form is open to question with the winner below form in the Flying Childers at Doncaster, but The Publican’s Son couldn’t have done much more on the day and is sure to progress for the experience, perhaps significantly.

3.40 Bet365 Cambridgeshire (Heritage Handicap) 1m 1f

When’s a cliff horse not a cliff horse? When you keep talking yourself out of backing him at the last moment, as I’ve managed to do with the frustrating Cash on numerous occasions, but today is the day to take the plunge, I’ve decided.

David Simcock’s gelding has gone almost four years since his sole success on racecourse bow over a mile here, which is hard to believe given he was only just denied in the Classic Trial at Sandown on his next start, but he’s often appealed as the type to be suited by a big-field cavalry charge and did nothing to dispel that notion when chasing home Treble Tee at Doncaster a fortnight ago on what was his first ever venture into handicaps.

That run was all the more meritorious as he started the race with his blindfold still in place, although it’s still possible to question his high head carriage in the latter stages.

It’s hard to gauge whether a mile or 10 furlongs suits Cash better, and he’s just the kind of hard-to-place animal who will find the nine furlongs of the Cambridgeshire ideal. His losing streak is clearly a concern, but he’s very fairly treated and should have the race run to suit. I can see him arriving full of running at the dip, and what he does thereafter is in the lap of the gods.

Even if he continues to embrace his reluctance to go past, it’s hard to see him out of the frame with a clear run, and I hope that he has the best of the draw in stall 24, which has certainly been the case in recent fast-ground runnings of this contest.

Haydock Saturday

2.05 Ambassador Cruise Line Handicap 5f

On the subject of cliff horses, I’ve been properly sucked in by Germanic after his initial win at Newcastle last season, and he has thus far proved a bitter disappointment. So why am I giving him one more chance? There are two factors for this act of mercy on my part, with the first being a combination of wind surgery and a break since his latest flop in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood. He’s not been getting home over any trip of late, so a breathing operation may be just what he’s needed, while he’s run two of his most eye catching races off a break.

More significantly, though, I feel is the form of the Julie Camacho yard which in the past week or so has produced the winner of the Ayr Bronze Cup, Ayr Gold Cup runner-up Desert Falcon and a 288/1 double at Goodwood on Wednesday via Naqeeb and Noble Consort.

Camacho could hardly be in finer form and I’m hoping that rubs off on the talented if headstrong Germanic, who has all the hallmarks of a decent sprinter should he ever decide to race within himself.

More sensible punters might like to look to Blue Storm. Last year’s winner is just 1lb higher now and looked in need of the run to put an edge on him on his belated return here earlier in the month. He needs no excuses and should run well, but us cliff-divers have to do what we do.

3.15 Oddschecker Handicap

7f 212y

I’ve already mentioned the race in which Treble Tee beat Cash at Doncaster a fortnight ago, and there is another from that contest to make some appeal, albeit for different reasons. Hawksbill raced much too freely in front to show his form on Town Moor but had been running well on turning tracks prior to that.

Placed efforts here and over seven and a half furlongs at Chester show that he was thriving until very recently, and while he won’t win this if over-racing again, going around a left-handed bend suits him, and he is capable of getting back on track under suitable conditions.

Recommended

True Love 2.25 Newmarket - 1pt win @ 3/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral – 11/4 general)

The Publican’s Son 3.00 Newmarket - 1pt win @ 4/1 (general)

Cash 3.40 Newmarket - 2pts e/w @ 16/1 (general – 6 places)

Germanic 2.05 Haydock - 1pt win @ 20/1 (Hills, 16/1 general)

Hawksbill 3.15 Haydock - 0.5pts e/w @ 12/1 (general – 4 places)