Mutasaabeq streaks clear at Newmarket
Mutasaabeq streaks clear at Newmarket

Newmarket Craven meeting latest news: Mutasaabeq oozes class; Carolus Magnus lands in opener


Mutasaabeq stars on HQ return

Mutasaabeq (7/2) catapulted himself into the picture for this season's biggest races with a wildly impressive victory in the bet365 British EBF Conditions Stakes on the opening day of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket.

The Charlie Hills-trained colt had looked a smart prospect when making a winning debut over the same course and distance back in the autumn and he confirmed that promise with performance of genuine star quality on just his second career start.

Having slightly missed a beat as the gates opened, jockey Jim Crowley barely had to move his hands for Mutasaabeq to quickly claim the rail and lead and despite having Duke Of Mantua for company for much of the early exchanges, the former fairly breezed through the first four furlongs.

When Duke Of Mantua began to give out distress signals for the first time, the well-backed Noble Dynasty picked up and attempted to lay down his challenge, as all the while, Mutasaabeq continued to point his toe out in front and stretch further clear approaching the dip.

By the time the dip had been negotiated, Mutasaabeq was six lengths clear of the Godolphin runner, despite shifting marginally right-handed in the closing stages, as Crowley barely had to flex his muscles in the saddle.

Despite not currently holding an entry in the 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket on May 1 and needing to be supplemented, Paddy Power introduced the winner at 12/1 for the first Classic of the season.

Hills said afterwards: “The way the track is and with the wind behind them it is a bit of an advantage being in front. He has won on heavy ground but he loved the ground today.

“We are always learning but I think he is a very talented horse. We didn’t put him in the 2000 Guineas and we spoke about it at length as we were a little bit concerned temperament-wise so we wanted to go down the soft route.

“We are mindful it is a long season and there are plenty of good races we can aim for. He was a bit funny in the stalls but we can work on that and he has got a bright future, for sure.”


2.10 Newmarket

Full result and free video replay

1st Mutasaabeq 7/2
2nd Noble Dynasty 7/4 joint-fav

Winning Trainer: C Hills | Winning Jockey: J Crowley


Highland Avenue outguns Feilden rivals

Highland Avenue is too strong at Newmarket
Highland Avenue is too strong at Newmarket

Highland Avenue (9/2) led home a Godolphin 1-2 in the Listed Feilden Stakes, seeing off stablemate Secret Protector by a length and a quarter.

The grey is certainly bred in the purple and hasn't put a foot wrong since meeting defeat on his Kempton debut back in December, this success taking his winning sequence to three and allowing him to take another step up the ladder.

Charlie Appleby's Dubawi colt was always well positioned under James Doyle and having taken over well over a furlong out, jockey James Doyle didn't have to get too animated to seal the victory.

To his credit, Secret Protector wasn't as well positioned and did well to make up so much ground in the closing stages, but Royal Champion failed to justify strong market support back in third.

Sky Bet cut Highland Avenue to 14/1 for the 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket on May 1.

Michael Shinners, Head of Sports PR at Sky Bet said: "That was an impressive performance from Highland Avenue who showed a good turn of foot to beat his stable companion in taking fashion. He certainly looks an interesting player for the 2000 Guineas."

The winning trainer said: “He is doing everything the right way in a fashion that we are not trying to achieve too much too soon with him. He is very much a horse that might not jump straight into the deep end just yet.

“He is mentally improving with each run. Physically, he is a big horse. Each run he is tightening up and skeletally is strengthening up well.

“He has got to do a stalls test now as I’ve taken a ticket with him the last three occasions, which I’m sure will be fine. James was very pleased with the way he travelled. He said he picked up quickly and well in what looked like and I felt was a nice field.

“The second horse has added substance to it. It was a hard choice for William (Buick) but he had ridden Secret Protector and not this one so he stuck with him. He is a horse that is probably crying out for a bit further.

“He is well entered up but we are in no rush with him. If anything we would be coming back in trip with him. As this horse mentally sharpens up he will get physically sharper and he will get quicker.

“I think you are more likely to see him at a mile than over 10 furlongs. At this moment I think a Guineas might be too much. I don’t want to lose this horse just by rolling the dice with him as he has got an engine.”


3.20 Newmarket

Full result and free video replay

1st Highland Avenue 9/2
2nd Secret Protector 9/2
3rd Royal Champion 2/1 fav

Winning Trainer: C Appleby | Winning Jockey: J Doyle


Forca Brasil makes taking winning debut

Forca Brasil masters Love De Vega at Newmarket
Forca Brasil masters Love De Vega at Newmarket

Forca Brasil continued trainer George Boughey's excellent start to the new season when taking out the bet365 British EBF Novice Stakes with the minimum of fuss under Rossa Ryan.

The dogs had been barking about Caturra beforehand, but he never figured as Forca Brasil travelled powerfully on the heels of the leaders before bursting into the lead when seeing daylight and comfortably holding long-time leader Love De Vega by three quarters of a length.

Antiphon caught the eye making late gains for third, but it is the 4/1 winner who might have booked his ticket to Royal Ascot with this taking display.

Boughey said: “He wasn’t rapid from the gate but Rossa said after a furlong he was just in his hands and he travels very well. He is showing a lot of speed at home and Rossa has said at the moment five furlongs is his trip.

“He has worked a few times here and it has been good. He looks a Norfolk horse probably, but he has done it nicely today.”


1.35 Newmarket

Full result and free video replay

1st Forca Brasil 4/1
2nd Love De Vega 13/2
3rd Antiphon 11/2

Winning Trainer: G Boughey | Winning Jockey: R Ryan


Murphy up and running

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy and trainer Andrew Balding teamed up to land the opening race on the card as Carolus Magnus (11/2) ran out a comfortable winner of the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes.

Following a promising introduction at Doncaster just over two weeks ago, the son of Holy Roman Emperor took a big step forward on the Rowley Mile, breaking smartly to bag the stands' side rail and controlling matters at the head of affairs thereafter.

Lexington Knight — who had finished just ahead of the winner on Town Moor — did try to put it up to his old foe two furlongs out, but he had no answers when things got serious and heavily-backed market leader Magical Land eventually ran on for second having looked laboured for much of the contest.

Carolus Magnus streaks clear at Newmarket
Carolus Magnus streaks clear at Newmarket

Balding said: “He has done really well as he had a pretty serious injury as a two year old.

“This time last year he was one of our early two year olds but, very unusually, he split both front pasterns so full credit to him - he has done amazingly well to come back.

“They are patient understanding owners, Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, and they always come up with good horses. It helped he knew what he was doing today but he is a fair horse.

“He could go a mile so we will look at our options and make a plan from there.”


1.00 Newmarket

Full result and free video replay

1st Carolus Magnus 11/2
2nd Magical Land 5/6 fav
3rd Lexington Knight 7/2

Winning Trainer: A Balding | Winning Jockey: O Murphy


Overwrite holds sway up Golden Highway

A running theme of the afternoon was the importance of the Stands' side rail and Overwrite (16/5) was another to benefit from it, Mark Johnston's charge making all of the running for Franny Norton in the Pat Smullen Memorial Handicap.

The four-year-old assumed the typical prominent Johnston pitch and though he was all out in the closing stages, he just had enough left in the tank to hold off the fast-finishing Oh This Is Us by a head.

Scottish Summit was always handy and held on for third but favourite Makram came from a long way back and could only manage a never-nearer fifth.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant trainer, said: “That was top class from the jockey and it was a masterclass on how to ride this track. I think I knew from about 200 yards in that he was going to win.

“I was always confident Franny felt he had Scottish Summit covered - it was just the danger that Oh This Is Us came quite wide and late. I think if he would have come closer he would have kept finding more.

“It was a good performance. He is probably the type to try to get high enough up in the weights to sneak into the Royal Hunt Cup.”


2.45 Newmarket

Full result and free video replay

1st Overwrite 16/5
2nd Oh This Is Us 14/1
3rd Scottish Summit 10/1

Winning Trainer: M Johnston | Winning Jockey: F Norton


No trouble for Double or Bubble

Double Or Bubble (15/2) was another winner to be well positioned throughout, but she was ultimately much the best in the Price Promise At bet365 Handicap as she readily outpointed Symbolize by three and three quarter lengths.

Oisin Murphy ended the day as he started, Arecibo (9/2) giving the champion jockey a double when comfortably landing the concluding bet365.com Handicap.

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