Friday's ITV Racing Tips: Ben Linfoot's preview and selections for Newmarket and York

Horse Racing

Thu October 08, 2026 · 13h ago

Our form expert has three selections for Friday's ITV racing action from Newmarket and York.

The Verdict: Friday October 9

1pt win Fast Track in the 13:15 Newmarket at 9/1 (bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power)

2pts win Gaspacho in the 14:40 York at 7/1 (bet365, BetMGM, Paddy Power)

0.5pts e.w Into The Light in the 15:30 Newmarket at 33/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4, bet365, Paddy Power)

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See the Light in Old Rowley Cup

The Dubai Future Champions Festival gets under way at Newmarket on Friday and it looks a big weekend for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby who have the favourites for both the Fillies’ Mile and the Dewhurst.

Musical Times looked out of the ordinary at Doncaster last time and if she turns up in similar form she will be very hard to beat in Friday’s feature, while interest in Saturday’s Dewhurst has grown now Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Darkness Falls will take on Appleby’s Desert Castle.

The best betting race on Friday, though, is the bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap over 1m4f for the three-year-olds and Appleby could well strike here, as well.

He has the favourite in Study Of Words, who has been gelded and freshened up since he was last seen 11 weeks ago, and he has an obvious chance being the choice of William Buick.

However, I would not discount Appleby’s second string, INTO THE LIGHT, who is lurking in the shadows at 33/1.

He has bombed out on his last two starts so does come with a wealth warning attached, but he too has been gelded since he was last seen and that looks a smart move following disappointing efforts at York and Ascot.

I’m prepared to forgive him those runs for a couple of reasons. At York he was slowly away and on the back foot immediately, while he also lost a shoe, and at Ascot last time he was drawn widest of all and raced keenly on the outside getting a few bumps early doors.

Up with the pace in a strongly-run race it was no surprise he had nothing left in the straight and Toby Moore completely eased off him once his chance had gone.

Over a month on he’s of interest at a big price because prior to those last two runs he was impressive at Glorious Goodwood, winning nicely in first-time cheekpieces off a mark of 88 in a handicap that has worked out very well.

Moore’s 7lb claim gives him a similar chance from a handicapping perspective off 95 here and the young jockey has a 33% strike-rate for Appleby. While his eight winners have been at much shorter prices, you can see why Appleby is prepared to give him a shot in a handicap like this.

Appleby also has an excellent record in this particular race, winning it three times in the last nine years and the last time he won it, in 2022, he had the first two home at 16/1 and 28/1 with the 7/2 first string back in fifth.

All of his Old Rowley Cup winners have been by Dubawi, too, just like Into The Light, his patient approach with progeny of that sire often paying dividends in handicaps at this time of year.

The Verdict: Back INTO THE LIGHT in the 15:30 Newmarket

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Fast is what you need in Cornwallis

Friday’s card opens with the Group 3 Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes for the two-year-olds over five furlongs and I’m interested in Andrew Balding’s FAST TRACK.

The Blue Point filly looks well named as she has bags of speed and she is improving with racing, putting in a career-best run on her seventh start in the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster last time out where she split the reopposing Flann Sunna and In The Black.

Pestered for the lead that day, she did well to hang on in there for a one-length fourth at a track where she ended up being a bit of a sitting duck, and she could be better suited by the Rowley Mile undulations.

With Oisin Murphy back in the saddle he can be lethal from the front on this course and considering her recent progression I wouldn’t be surprised if she improved again.

Apart from Carry The Flag, who seems to run every week, she is the most experienced in this race and experience has been a positive in this contest after Good Vibes (seven runs), Winter Power (eight runs) and Twilight Jet (nine runs) landed consecutive renewals at the turn of the decade.

This looks a race where she can put her speed and experience to good use and with there being no standout candidate amongst the opposition she looks a bet at 9/1.

The Verdict: Back FAST TRACK in the 13:15 Newmarket

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Haggas to fire in Finale

Finally, York’s closing fixture of the season begins on Friday and William Haggas will be hoping to reel in Andrew Balding and become the course’s top trainer for the season once again.

He has got a very strong team teed up for the two days and GASPACHO makes plenty of appeal in the William Hill Finale Handicap over 1m6f.

The daughter of Ghaiyyath returned from 10 months off the track with an eye-catching run in fourth over 10 furlongs on her return at Leicester last month where she kept on to be beaten less than five lengths after being strong in the betting.

It was a performance that suggested next time out and it looks significant Haggas has pointed her here up markedly in trip to the mile and three quarters.

From the family of Litigant, who won the Sky Bet Ebor over this course and distance, Gaspacho has the potential to significantly improve for going out in trip and the handicapper hasn’t had much to go on from four runs in allotting her a mark of 80.

This is just the sort of prize Haggas likes to poach with his autumn three-year-old handicappers and it’s encouraging that he’s plumped for Jo Mason to do the lightweight considering her tidy little record for him (three wins and four places from 11 rides).

There has been money for her since the market opened, but it looks well-placed cash and at 7/1 there is still enough juice in the price to warrant a good bet.