Friday Tote Placepot Tips for Newmarket from Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Silver Lady, Queen For You, Tarawa

The opener to the Cambridgeshire Meeting is a good-quality Listed event open to Mares and Fillies. The one runner that could be overpriced is Godolphin’s SILVER LADY who clocked a good time when justifying favouritism over course-and-distance on debut, winning by three lengths. 

She wasn’t seen to best effect over a shorter trip at York next time in a Listed event when favourite. However, despite doing plenty wrong, she finished a close-up third and rallied once headed to provide a return to this trip would be necessary. 

The return to this longer trip at this course will suit and William Buick operates at over a 25% strike-rate at this meeting, whilst his strike-rate boosts to over 30% when riding for boss Charlie Appleby. This daughter of Sea The Stars makes plenty of appeal having been freshened up.  

QUEEN FOR YOU was marginally in front of the former when second at York and pushed Heredia close when last spotted in first-time headgear (retained). I think a mile is her best trip judged on the evidence of her form to date so she should be thereabouts. 

Meanwhile Irish raider TARAWA is down in grade after contesting Group 1 and Group 2 events. She wasn’t discredited when fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May and has a squeak in cheekpieces. 

Leg 2 Selections: Sweet Memories, Novakai

This is a quality Group 3 in which most of these can be given a chance. However, SWEET MEMORIES, who looked in need of the experience when fourth on her debut at Wolverhampton, has subsequently won both turf starts. She easily won on the July course here in a Listed race last time and connections have booked the services of Frankie Dettori.

Karl Burke’s NOVAKAI was a little below form in the Yorkshire Oaks last time but is down in grade and she was second in a Group 1 at this course last year. She turned a Listed race into a procession on the other course here two starts ago when winning by four lengths and is the one to beat. She’s a huge price, given what she has already achieved and is a solid choice for the Placepot. 

Leg 3 Selections: Shuwari, Alshinfarah

SHUWARI has been hugely impressive in winning her first couple of starts and comfortably beat subsequent Group 1 winner Fallen Angel in a Listed race. 

Ollie Sangster’s appears to have a filly who can make it to the very top of the Fillies division and is strongly fancied to make it three-from-three in this contest under the guidance of Oisin Murphy with more to come. Her form is by far and large the best in the field. 

I’ll also add in ALSHINFARAH who is two-from-two in Britain and ran very well from the front in a French Group 3 last time when only caught in the closing stages. 

She has loads more to come and is likely to be in the frame at the very least given her talent and her progressive profile. This course should also play to her strengths. 

Leg 4 Selections: Mutasaabeq, Maljoom

A lot of these have question marks against them in my assessment. Epictetus needs better ground, Mighty Ulysses, Regal Reality will find this tougher than last time and the prolific Chindit has been on the go for a while now. 

With this in mind, preference is for MUTASAABEQ whose record below Group 1 level at Newmarket reads 1111 and he won this race twelve months ago. He battered the likes of Native Trail and Light Infantry on his last visit here, which is class form and, if he is allowed a soft lead, this course specialist will be hard to beat. His figures in seven runners or fewer reads 1111232411. 

The fitness of MALJOOM has to be taken on trust but if he is fully-tuned, he could give the former most to think about. He scored at Doncaster and Kempton before going on to land the German 2000 Guineas. He was extremely unlucky when fourth in the St James's Palace Stakes when last seen but if he can prove he retains all of his ability, he has a chance. 

Leg 5 Selections: Zain Blue 

In the fifth race, I am keen on the chances of John Butler’s ZAIN BLUE who has looked like a horse with so much raw potential and ability in finishing second in both starts to date and is fancied to confirm the promise he has shown and score here. 

This son of Blue Point ran very well when second to King’s Gamble on debut and then finished a creditable second to Battle Cry at York. On each of those pieces of form, he sets a high standard and can put the experience to good use and open his account. 

Leg 6 Selections: Broadway Act

BROADWAY ACT produced a promising first effort when narrowly denied on debut into second and was second again but on the July course five weeks ago. 

He sets a good standard of those with experience and his jockey and trainer have a great record at this meeting as well which bodes well. 

Even if he finds one too good again, he should still be more than capable of at least making the frame so he is the sole representative on our ticket.