ITV's coverage of the Cambridgeshire Meeting from Newmarket gets underway on Friday, 25th September, with the Group Two Joel Stakes headlining the card at HQ. There will also be two jumps races covered from Worcester on the seven-race programme this week.
We have gone through all televised races on ITV this Friday, picking out ITV horse racing tips, and an accumulator for ITV racing.
ITV’s coverage of the two-day Cambridgeshire meeting gets underway on Friday with the Listed Rosemary Stakes. It has been a challenge to get a stranglehold on the three-year-old form in the filly division this season, meaning that Alobayyah could be chanced for the in-form William Haggas team.
The four-year-old was an excellent winner of the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and had excuses last time out when slow away and short of room in the closing stages when seventh in the Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock. Deserves a second chance, and presents value in the market.
The Group Three Princess Royal Stakes is due off at 13:50 on Friday, with a field of fillies and mares aged three and older competing over a mile and four.
Three-year-olds have a strong record in the race, while last-time-out winners have won seven of the last 12 editions. Crucially, ten of the previous 12 victors have also had a previous start at Newmarket.
Therefore, Without Prejudice could be a value play worth considering for the John & Thady Gosden yard. The three-year-old made a striking impression when winning over a mile and two at Newmarket in July, before following up emphatically to beat Aura Champagne by three lengths at Windsor.
By Starman, which suggests she is better suited to shorter trips, but a half-sister to the high-quality Group One mare Emily Upjohn, as she is out of Hidden Brief.
Jumps action is also covered on Friday, with two races from Worcester live on ITV. The 14:05 is the Summer Chase Series Final Handicap Chase, and Country Park looks of serious interest for the in-form Jonjo & A J O’Neill yard.
The seven-year-old has already shown ability over fences, winning once in four starts. He was a winner over this week’s distance at Bangor in late June on good ground, before running well off top weight for a long way at the same track in early September.
Blinkers are applied for the first time this week, and he clearly has plenty of ability if he pieces it all together.
The Group Two Rockfel Stakes is due off at Newmarket at 14:25, with two-year-old fillies covering seven furlongs. Six of the last 12 winners of the race have been rated 98 or higher, which rules out a couple, while all but one of the victors over the same period have previously run over seven furlongs.
Sugar Yes Please looks like a strong chance for the Eve Johnson Houghton yard, with Charles Bishop booked to take the ride. The two-year-old won the Group Three Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket on the July Course in August, sprinting clear of Nuit d’Eclair to win by just over half a length.
However, the winning margin likely would have been wider had she not have needed to wait for racing room. She has now won on back-to-back starts, with her other success coming in a Restricted Stakes at Newbury over six furlongs.
Progressing nicely, and sire Mohaather was a high-class performer over seven furlongs, notably winning the Horris Hill Stakes as a juvenile. Sire has also produced notable juvenile winners at group level, including Big Mojo and Celeron.
The second of the races covered from Worcester on Friday is the Hurdle Series Final Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. Square d’Alboni looks highly progressive for the dominant Dan Skelton yard.
The four-year-old was narrowly denied over course and distance at the end of August, when touched off in the closing strides by Road To Wembley. The Skelton horse gave the winner plenty of weight on that day, but gets 9lb off the same runner this week.
Square d’Alboni is already a winner over hurdles, winning on back-to-back starts after wind surgery at Stratford and Worcester in June and July, respectively.
Was previously highly regarded on the flat for the Ralph Beckett stable, finishing just over ten lengths behind subsequent Derby winner Lambourn in the Group Three Chester Vase. Has plenty in his favour this week.
Next up from Newmarket is the Group Two Joel Stakes, run over a mile on the Rowley Mile by horses aged three and older. The deflection of Zeus Olympios makes this a slightly easier assignment for Charlie Appleby-trained Talk Of New York.
He gets weight from his elders this weekend, and boasts some promising form lines behind the best three-year-old milers this season. The most notable of those was his third in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes, when beaten just under two lengths by Bow Echo.
Was pretty underwhelming following that effort when beaten at short odds in the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes at Sandown.
However, a return to Newmarket should suit, having won over the Rowley Mile back in April when beating Lost Signal by three lengths. Should be very hard to beat on these terms, especially given the red-hot stable form.
ITV’s coverage of the Cambridgeshire meeting on Friday concludes with the Listed Godolphin Stakes. Fortitudine could be absolutely anything for the Charlie Appleby team.
The three-year-old has won easily on back-to-back starts on the all-weather, pulling two lengths clear of Shadow Road on his latest start after previously winning over the mile and three at Kempton by a yawning 21 lengths on debut.
Bred to excel over further, and is expected to improve on his turf debut for the in-form stable. The choice of William Buick.
