Expert Panel: Saturday racing preview including Cambridgeshire tips

Irish-trained runners have won seven of the last nine renewals of the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes – who has the upper hand this year?

Andrew Asquith: You would have to day it’s likely to go to another Irish-trained runner with Aidan O’Brien represented by Beautify and True Love.Both have achieved a level of form good enough to win a standard renewal of the Cheveley Park and are represented by a trainer who knows how to win this race.

My preference would be for Beautify, who impressed with how well she travelled through the Moyglare over seven furlongs last time, beaten only by her stablemate Precise who is improving at a rate of knots. She’s bred to stay further, but has plenty of natural speed, and O’Brien made the same move with last year’s winner Lake Victoria (although she won the Moyglare).

Tony McFadden: Aidan O'Brien has been responsible for the vast majority of those winners and looks set to strike again. He trains the two fillies at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, Beautify and True Love, and it is Beautify who gets my vote.

She ran a cracker when runner-up in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last time and the way she powered through that seven-furlong contests suggests she has the speed to cope with the drop back in trip. Her Moyglare form looks the best available, and she should have more to offer after only three starts.

Nic Doggett: The market suggests that it’s Royal Fixation, who showed a nice turn of foot to settle the Lowther (from America Queen) quickly at York, but I’m not totally convinced as she was undone by a slow pace/the undulations when a neck second to Venetian Queen in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on the July Course earlier in the summer.

I can see a similar scenario here with the Ballydoyle pair Beautify and True Love setting the fractions, and I fancy the last-named especially to get back on track. She was found to be slightly lame when second to Power Blue in the Phoenix Stakes and it wasn’t long ago that she was gaining all the plaudits after winning the Queen Mary. Similarly, Beautify was ahead of Venetian Sun when second in the Moyglare last time and clearly has a big future herself. Dutching the pair makes more appeal to me than backing the favourite.

Which piece of form takes your eye the most when looking at Saturday’s Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes?

Andrew Asquith: On form, it is the Charlie Appleby-trained Wise Approach who sets the standard on his third to Venetian Sun and Gstaad in the Prix Morny last time. He had won a listed event impressively beforehand and shaped well in defeat at Deauville. A similar performance will see him right up there.

However, on potential, I like the claims of The Publican’s Son, who was thrown in at the deep end on debut when beaten just under a length in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh last month. He had to pick his way through rivals and was doing all of his best work at the finish, and, likely to be sharper for that run, he has the potential to bridge the gap between himself and the standard setters.

He must be held in some regard to make his debut in pattern company and the fact connections pitch him in at the top level now further strengthens that view.

Tony McFadden: Wise Approach is clearly the one to beat given his close-up third in the Prix Morny is the strongest form on offer, while his four-length defeat of subsequent Gimcrack runner-up Rock On Thunder the time before isn't too shabby, either.

However, at the prices, I'd rather be with the progressive Kansas. He's had plenty of racing but, like many at Ballydoyle, he seems to be thriving on a busy campaign and ran arguably his best race yet when runner-up to a very quick filly in the Flying Childers Stakes a couple of weeks ago. That bare form leaves him with a good bit to find, but he's a tough, likeable sort and perhaps the step up to six furlongs will help eke out some improvement.

Nic Doggett: I think the form that will catch the most eyes will be Wise Approach’s third behind Venetian Sun and Gstaad in the Prix Morny, as both of those runners have been placed in another Group 1 since. He made an early move that day and paid for it late on, but it was a big step up on paper on what he had previously achieved. He might just be a slow burner – and perhaps crucially he doesn’t face any Ballydoyle big guns here – but I’m not totally convinced by him.

I’m expecting Coppull to run much better than when only fifth behind Wise Approach at Deauville where he was too keen, and he makes plenty of each-way appeal with his Coventry Stakes third – on just his second ever start – not leaving him with that much improvement to find with Wise Approach on a form line through Gstaad. You’d have to think that The Publican’s Son will relish the stiffer finish here than when second in a Curragh Group 3 (on debut) and he’s another who makes me think that Wise Approach is opposable.

The betting for the bet365 Cambridgeshire is dominated by three-year-olds; is this right in your eyes?

Andrew Asquith: Yes, I can see why Treble Tee and Fifth Column are well fancied, and John Gosden won back-to-back renewals with three-year-olds in the shape of Wissahickon and Lord North in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

However, older horses have dominated since then, and I really like the claims of Tribal Chief this year. Rather than focus on a particular end of the handicap, I like to side with a horse who can travel strongly in these big-field handicaps and he certainly does that, while it is also worth noting that he thrived around this time last year.

He beat favourite Treble Tee at Goodwood last time where he came with a powerful run down the outside and should have no problem with this move back up in trip. Furthermore, he meets Treble Tee on even better terms on Saturday, and must have a big chance from a nice high draw with pace around him.

Tony McFadden: It's easy to see why Treble Tee, Fifth Column and Fort George have proved popular as they all bring progressive profiles into the race and could still have more to offer.

It's not only the three-year-olds who are on decent marks, however, as there are some fairly treated older horses, including Treasure Time. He's not been at his best this season but ran creditably when fourth behind Ebt's Guard at Ascot last month and is now only 5 lb higher than when successful in a hot handicap at York's Ebor meeting last year. He did well to reel in Volterra, who has since developed into a smart operator, and Treasure Time's strength in the finish over a mile suggests he should relish the nine-furlong trip.

Nic Doggett: For me, the pick of the ‘big three’ – Treble Tee, Fifth Column, and Fort George – is the last-named. Ed Walker was hardly hiding this horse’s light under a bushel last year as he was beaten a length and a half or less in all three starts, but he’s improved massively since being gelded/entering handicaps and I don’t think a further 9lb rise is necessarily beyond him given both his defeats have come on slower ground at Goodwood.

Can he do it against older horses? Admittedly, a lot of the successful three-year-olds in this race have done it for John Gosden (who co-trains Fifth Column) before going on to Group success, but Walker learned his trade with Roger Charlton and Luca Cumani so knows a thing or two about improving three-year-olds himself.

In terms of approaches to these big heritage handicaps, I think you have generally had to start nearer the top in recent years. The last two winners have carried 9st 12lb, the most recent winning three-year-olds Lord North and Wissahickon were rated 98 and 107 respectively, and it appears that a touch of class has often been essential in both getting a run in the race and then making the most of it. However, this year’s field is 11 fewer than the maximum allowed, which could attract a few headlines regardless of the result.

A ‘friend of mine’ says he can’t back a winner on the Rowley Mile for love nor money – please can you give him a winner from another course on Saturday?

Andrew Asquith: Another Baar has thrived since being fitted with blinkers, winning his last four starts, and he can complete a five timer at Ripon (3.25) on Saturday.

He made a mockery of a double penalty in a heavy-ground five-furlong handicap at Goodwood at the start of this month, creating an excellent visual impression, but the timefigure he recorded was excellent in those conditions, and he remains one to keep on the right side despite now racing from a career-high mark.

Tony McFadden: Merrijig hasn't won since registering a ten-length success on his penultimate start last season, but he competes in the same race on Saturday off a 4 lb lower mark than 12 months ago. He showed a bit more spark at Chester last time, finishing fourth in first-time blinkers, and that display offers hope he can take advantage of his lenient mark in the two-mile handicap at Ripon (5.15).

Nic Doggett: Mission Command only gave way late in the piece when fourth on his recent stable debut for Jennie Candlish at Redcar and catches the eye in the 2.50 at Ripon. That was the horse’s first start since early-July and he was a little keen on the outer of a group on the far side of the course which probably showed late on.

The handicapper has eased him 1 lb, ground conditions appear ideal, and his record in Yorkshire (including when trained by the Newmarket-based George Scott) reads 3-1-1-3 including a win over C&D, so the horse should be in familiar territory once he turns off the A1(M). Candlish hasn’t been a regular visitor to the course but has a good record (4/17) when she does; a big run looks on the cards.

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