Steve Ryder is back with three tips to follow at Newmarket today.
1:55 NewmarketSee All Odds
Quest For Stars 9/2 (1pt)
The Charlie Appleby trained QUEST FOR STARS (best priced at 9/2) lost his unbeaten record in the new Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes in Ireland but he can be excused that as he was slowly away and had to use a lot of energy early on to get a prominent position. The son of Sea The Stars had won his previous three starts including a hard fought victory in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury beating the reopposing Rocket Boy, who finished within a length of First Law last time, and Scomessa Sicura who finished 2nd at group level on her next start.
Quest For Stars looks set to get an easy lead in this race and I expect him to dominate this and make all for an in-form stable who are operating at a 62% strike rate in the previous fortnight and still remain above a 40% strike rate with their two-year-olds this season.
3:00 NewmarketSee All Odds
Orthodox 3/1 (1pt)
ORTHODOX (best priced at 3/1) needs to bounce back from a below par run last time in the Prix Morny but he had valid excuses there. Clive Cox came out and said he had an interrupted preparation as a result of having to miss the Prix Robert Papin and he also encountered soft ground on his first attempt over 6f.
Orthodox had previously been an impressive winner of both of his starts both at Salisbury and when a dominant 3 ½ length winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. He looks a well balanced colt who should cope with the demands of Newmarket and should prove hard to beat back on fast ground.
3:40 NewmarketSee All Odds
St Anton 33/1 (0.5pt ew)
The progressive three-year-old ST ANTON (best priced at 33/1) has won three times this season and should relish the demands of the Cambridgeshire Handicap. He has form figures of 3311 across both Newmarket tracks with victories at both the Guineas meeting and the July meeting. He stayed on strongly to win by a nose on his penultimate start over a mile before not getting the clearest of runs when 7th off this mark at York last time.
The return to Newmarket, the slight step up in trip and the return to faster ground (all three victories have come on good to firm ground this season) should all suit St Anton and he looks overpriced in an open renewal of the race.
