Last weekend was finished off in fitting fashion by Daylight. She wasn’t disgraced in the Jean Prat, she just didn’t quite see out the 7f. I was going to preview the live ITV races at Newmarket tomorrow but after looking at the card, no thanks. However, at least there is one decent betting heat, the sprint handicap at 3.00, and I am going to chance two in that at decent prices.
3.00 Newmarket - bet365 Handicap (Heritage)
There are two that interest me here and the first
one is The Strikin Viking. Trained by Newmarket based handler Hamad Al Jehani,
this horse is making his handicap debut. Highly tried last year, his two best
efforts were a 0.5l second to Henri Matisse in the G2 Railway Stakes at the
Curragh (6f, gd-sft) and a 0.5l second in the G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood
(6f, gd-fm).
His last two starts of 2024 weren’t up to much and he also
disappointed when nearer last than first in a 5.5f Chantilly G3 on his sole run
of 2025. He now switches to handicaps off a mark of 103 and while it is hard to
argue he is thrown in on recent performances, I think odds of 40/1 are a bit
dismissive of his chance.
However, given that he ran so well at Goodwood last year, my
fear is that this might be a tune up for the Stewards’ Cup at that venue next month.
He’s 50s for that at the moment with one firm, if he wins or runs well here,
those odds will tumble. I’ll have a small e/w bet on him just in case,
but the other one that looks a shade too big in here is Kevin Ryan’s American Style.
Style Can Strike
By Washington DC, this gelding is having a fine season. A
winner off 78 at Ripon on his reappearance, he has backed that up with solid
efforts on the Rowley course at Newmarket (twice) and last time out at York
when fifth behind Hucklesbrook. He is now 11lb better off with that rival so he may well be able to close the
3.75l gap.
On his previous start he finished 1l behind Marchogian on
the Rowley course, from whom he was getting 2lb. He gets 7lb from him here and
he has already reversed the form (at York last time), yet he is 22/1 and
Marchogian is 14/1. Go figure.
Josephine Gordon got a good tune out of this lad that day at Newmarket and she
is back in the plate today. Now, it must be said that American Style does need
to pull out a bit more to win this off his current mark but from what we have seen so far this season,
he is almost guaranteed to run his race and if he does, it should be good enough
for a place and you never know, he might even win.
At odds of 22/1, he is well worth backing e/w and I’ll also be having
a half-stakes e/w bet on The Strikin Viking at 40s. Hopefully we can nick some
place money.
2025 Newmarket July Meeting Thursday Tip: American Style
e/w @ 22/1 NAP; 0.5pt e/w The Strikin Viking e/w @ 40/1 (both 5 places)
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