Our form expert has four selections for Saturday's ITV Racing action from Newmarket and Haydock.
The Verdict: Saturday September 26
1pt win Fire Thunder in the 13:22 Newmarket at 6/1 (General)
1pt win Commander’s Intent in the 13:35 Haydock at 9/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt win Quicken Away in the 13:55 Newmarket at 7/1 (bet365)
1pt e.w. Zennor Storm in the 15:40 Newmarket at 33/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
Haggas to finally Storm the Cambridgeshire
John & Thady Gosden hold the key to Saturday’s bet365 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket with their upwardly-mobile three-year-old, Gavriel, dominating the betting after winning cosily on handicap debut last time.
Up 4lb for that Ascot success, he is 2lb well-in on Saturday and if he is a future Group horse in the mould of Gosden's previous Cambridgeshire winners, particularly Halling, Pipedreamer and Lord North, then the rest could be playing for place money.
However, his inexperience could be a factor here, having run just twice in the last year, in a race where there’s no hiding place and given he’s not the only one with the potential to improve I’d rather take an each-way swing against him.
Gosden also isn’t the only one whose three-year-old handicappers excel against their elders at this time of year and if there’s a trainer in this race who can give him more than a run for his money in that department I think it’s William Haggas, who has somehow never won the Cambridgeshire.
Haggas might not have landed this prestigious handicap, but he is a master of exploiting the weight-for-age allowance with his three-year-old handicappers at this time of year and on Saturday his ZENNOR STORM has gone completely under the radar at 33/1.
This horse has looked a bit of a Cambridgeshire project from some way out after being gelded in the spring and he has acquitted himself very well twice against his elders already which should stand him in good stead this weekend.
The son of Mohaather’s only below-par run since he was gelded was on softer ground at York at the Ebor Festival in August where he was sent off the 9/2 favourite for the very competitive Sky Bet Mile Handicap for three-year-olds won by Blue Courvoisier.
I’m willing to forgive him that on account of the conditions as either side of that York run he has shaped nicely, finishing strongly for second despite the moderate gallop being against him in a big field at Goodwood before his third at Ascot last time.
That Ascot race is the same contest Lord North was beaten in before he won the Cambridgeshire and Zennor Storm ran really well, coming through horses for the bronze medal despite a bit of scrimmaging a furlong out and shaping like he will appreciate the extra furlong that he gets on Saturday.
Indeed, with a strong gallop being key to him this race looks the ideal target and with his dam being a 10-furlong winner there’s every chance the biggest stamina test of his career will unlock a chunk of improvement.
I don't mind his draw in six with pace around him on the far side, with the last two winners coming from over there, including on similar ground last year, and at 33s he looks a big each-way price in a race his trainer will surely win one day.
The Verdict: Back ZENNOR STORM in the 15:40 Newmarket
Quicken in the Royal Lodge
Talking of surprising trainer records, it’s hard to believe Charlie Appleby has never won the Group 2 Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes and he’s had horses beaten at 2/7, 85/40, 3/1 and 4/1 in the race, as well.
That could all change this year with First Law lining up but he is one of several colts in with a chance and I would rather back Andrew Balding’s QUICKEN AWAY at 7/1.
The son of Frankel, out of a French Guineas winner, ran a remarkable debut at Newbury after running green and having several lengths to make up inside the final quarter mile, as he flew home to be beaten just a neck by King High.
Owen Burrows’ winner has franked that form subsequently with a huge run in second in the Haynes Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes back at Newbury and Quicken Away also came out and went one better last time at Goodwood.
He didn’t need to improve on the form of his first run to land his maiden, but he did have to show a different side to himself in soft ground in Sussex and he will have learnt plenty as he cruised to an all-the-way win.
Balding has an excellent record in the Royal Lodge, winning it twice with Elm Park and The Foxes while having three seconds from just seven runners in total, so it looks significant he points this well-bred maiden winner here on just his third start.
The Verdict: Back QUICKEN AWAY in the 13:55 Newmarket
Thunder to rumble in Jersey Lily
The Cambridgeshire card opens with the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Jersey Lily’ Fillies’ Nursery over seven furlongs and Marco Botti’s FIRE THUNDER looks the bet here.
Botti won this race a few years ago with Coco Jamboo on her fifth start and she put her experience to good use, with Fire Thunder looking to do the same on her seventh outing.
She looks a tough daughter of Sioux Nation, winning once and finishing second on four occasions including when she went down by just a nose last time on the July Course.
That was her first go at seven furlongs and she got the trip well, running on strongly to almost get there while finishing in front of Eabha, who has subsequently franked the form in pattern company at Goodwood and Doncaster.
Botti’s team are in good form and he won the Rockfel on Friday, while he has an exceptional record in Newmarket nurseries, winning six from 15 at 40% (+£39.70 to £1 stakes at SP).
The Verdict: Back FIRE THUNDER in the 13:22 Newmarket
Scott shows his Intent at Haydock
Finally, George Scott's COMMANDER’S INTENT is worth backing in the William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap at Haydock.
This looks a relatively weak race for the grade with a bunch of out of form horses in opposition and Commander's Intent brings a freshness angle into this on the back of five months off.
He had some very good form to his name as a two-year-old, finishing second to Distant Storm in last year’s Tattersalls Stakes at the Cambridgeshire meeting, while he wasn’t beaten far in the Craven on his last start in this country back in April.
This looks a good spot for him to return on handicap debut, getting 4lb on the weight-for-age from the older horses, and Scott has a very good record after gelding them winning 10 from 57 at 17.54% (+£19.33 to £1 stakes at SP).
Those 10 winners include six who were returning from four months or more off, so he’s clearly very skilled at giving them time after a gelding operation and pinpointing the right comeback races for them.
The Verdict: Back COMMANDER’S INTENT in the 13:35 Haydock
Preview posted at 16:00 BST on 25/09/26
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