Andy Holding previews Dubai Future Champions Day at Newmarket, before looking at the second day of the Jump Season Opener at Chepstow.
A cracking Saturday’s racing in prospect with top-class action to be had under both codes, the highlight coming in the shape of the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Future Champions Day Odds
City Of Troy is the real headline act in this Group 1 prize and of what we’ve seen of him so far to date, he thoroughly deserves to be trading as an odds-on chance.
The way he cleared right away from a smart field at Newmarket when last seen marked him down as a colt of some class and substance.
With connections looking to provide him with some valuable experience of the track prior to next season’s 2000 Guineas, only a smooth victory will satisfy all concerned.
As for the rest of the card, the Cesarewitch Handicap provides punters with the ultimate puzzle, but as it is a race that often goes the way of a horse based with a National Hunt trainer, the field can be at least whittled down to manageable numbers.
Pied Piper, who fits the bill nicely, must go onto any discernible shortlist given his form over jumps since leaving John Gosden and having already proven himself over the Rowley Mile, he has a lot of characteristics of many previous winners associated with this prize.
However, his current odds around the 5/1 are a shade skinny and value seekers might be better served looking for value in the shape of either Jesse Evans and Temporize.
Andy Holding Tips for Future Champions Day
Jesse Evans arrives here having finished a creditable fourth in the Irish equivalent and with the consensus being that race at the Curragh to be a mile better standard to what he will face at HQ, Noel Meade’s ever-consistent gelding can go well at rewarding odds.
Temporize doesn’t have the sexy profile of some from more powerful yards, but he does stay extremely well, as he proved when scoring at Goodwood when last seen. Saved especially for this race since, this smooth-travelling four-year-old can put his small yard on the map.
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Chepstow Jump Season Opener
The action at Chepstow on Friday and Saturday is seen for many as the start proper to the National Hunt season and with big field sizes assembled, there are several races to get stuck into.
The most competitive of the feature events comes in the shape of The Silver Trophy and it would come as no surprise to see Twinjets go well for in-form trainer Milton Harris.
The Warminster handler has always held this six-year-old in high regard and other than one below-par effort on heavy ground at Sandown, his season went the way connections would have hoped for.
Rounding off his campaign with a smooth success at Kempton, he marked himself down as a horse who will do well in open handicaps this term and off a mark of 132, he should end up being competitive over a trip and track that will suit.
Of the rest of the card, Datsalrightgino bids to carry on where he left off last season. Having gone well over the Welsh track in the past, a big run is anticipated from Jamie Snowden’s inmate in the 3.40.
Another yard who has made a good start to the season is Harry Derham and Shared looks an interesting contender for the big four-year-old hurdle at 4.50.
Not quite good enough when encountering 21 runners in the Boodles at Cheltenham, the son of Almanzor showed his true worth in a smaller field over the C&D last spring and with that experience of the track hopefully not lost on him, he can make a bright start to the new campaign.
