Newmarket Cambridgeshire 2013 Preview

The Favourites

A dry week in Newmarket has left connections of two of the leading contenders for the Cambridgeshire Handicap praying for rain. Both Top Notch Tonto and Ascription have shown their very best form on good to soft ground but the going is currently good to firm on the Cambridgeshire course.

Trainer Hugh Palmer will walk the course on Saturday morning before committing Ascription to the race. The horse won impressively at Goodwood and Doncaster when there was sufficient give in the ground but was beaten into second by Graphic at Haydock on good to firm ground in between. He looks well drawn in stall 29 and Joseph O’Brien has been provisionally booked for the ride.

Top Notch Tonto owes his position at the head of the market to a win in a Group 3 race at Haydock last time out. Strictly on official ratings, he has several pounds in hand of his rivals here but the form may be suspect. Montiridge and Tawhid both failed to give their true running in a muddling race that day. Top Notch Tonto has won on a faster surface so will probably take his chance from stall 24.

The Challengers

Trainer William Haggas has declared six runners for the Cambridgeshire with Graphic (Frankie Dettori) and Queensberry Rules (Ryan Moore) being two of the best backed horses of the week. Both look well drawn and will be suited by the faster surface.

Graphic defeated one-time favourite Ascription at Haydock earlier this season and must have a good chance of confirming the form on similar terms. He has since won a valuable handicap on the all-weather surface at Kempton and likes to race up with the pace. He could be a good value bet at 14-1 with Bet365.

Queensberry Rules is also fancied to go well having finished third in similar conditions in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was outpaced over seven furlongs on his next start and was not suited by a slow early pace at York last time, pulling too hard for his own good. He is guaranteed to get a strong pace here and the booking of Ryan Moore looks significant.

Code Of Honor has also been the subject of good each-way support this week. He has not quite lived up to his home reputation this season but was only beaten a neck at Goodwood last time and there seems to be plenty of confidence behind him.

The Outsiders

Previous winners Prince Of Johanne and Bronze Angel are among the big priced outsiders. Bronze Angel has only been on the track once since providing a 33-1 shock in this race 12 months ago. Jamie Spencer has been booked to ride Chapter Seven who showed something of his best form when finishing second at Newbury. He will be another that would be better suited by some give in the ground.

Jockey Oisin Murphy won the last four races including the Ayr Gold Cup last weekend and goes in search of further big race glory aboard Jack’s Revenge. Trainer John Gosden has a good record in this race and relies on Seek Again whilst The Rectifier could also run well at a big price.