Betfred Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap Preview
Saturday sees the ultra-competitive Betfred Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket…….where’s the market going between now and race day?
It’s a betting minefield, as virtually incalculable factors come into play on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile negating any form considerations and the draw will probably prove as critical as the Ayr meeting last weekend.
Ante-post betting is possibly a good option, with predicting what the make up of the field is being a more manageable factor than the complexities of draw, pace and problems in running?
The market for the Cambridgeshire is bound to look wholly different come 15:45 on Saturday to how it does now. The trick to ante-post betting, especially in the Betfair age, is to predict what will change in the meantime. This year that seems fairly clear.
The cut-off mark in order to get a run in the Cambridgeshire in recent years has been: 86 (2009), 86, 89, 90, 93 (2013). That’s in line with the general pattern of top handicaps becoming more difficult to get into.
It’s likely that a similar mark – or, as it appears on inspection, perhaps one just a little lower – will be needed in 2014.
Look at market principals Air Pilot (91), Extremity (98, but as a three-year-old effectively at the back of the 93 queue) Mange All (92, effective 87) and Gm Hopkins (91, 86). All have above-average form claims, but you’d only back Extremity at even-money to make the final cut. With that considered they no longer offer value.
On a coarse projection, Cornrow would inherit favouritism from the helpless Air Pilot. He was involved in a crowded finish at Ascot last time that included Ayr Gold Cup hard-luck story Highland Acclaim and had Ayr Gold Cup good-luck story Louis The Pious just behind.
Cornrow’s overall profile is archetypal of the big-handicap favourite. He’s lightly raced, has won more often than not when he has made the track and he comes with the connections and pedigree of one who might be expected to make it into Group races in time.
With main market rival Air Pilot not guaranteed a run it’s very easy to imagine Cornrow going off a relatively warm order on Saturday. If you want to back him you’re advised to do it soon. For our part, he looks worth having onside at around 10/1.
The chaotic side of big-field handicaps like the Cambridgeshire favours hold up horses who can race covered up and come with a late charge.
This rationale points us in the direction of, VELOX , who suffered in a small field last time, held up in a steadily-run race and rattling home to finish third behind improver Championship and in-form 2012 Cambridgeshire winner Bronze Angel.
He’s improved whenever conditions have allowed this year, winning at the Eclipse meeting on the other time he wasn’t either reappearing or running over an undulating track.
He’s been doing it at a mile, too, when his pedigree and form as a three-year-old suggested that he’d need 10 furlongs this year. Back at a stiff nine, in a field that will bring stamina concerns to the top of the list, he can improve again from a mark that already looks fair.
The hard truth of a nine-furlong, 35-runner handicap means that we’re not going to commit ourselves to any more than two at this stage.
In the meantime, it’s recommended you get Velox and Cornrow on your side as their prices have the potential to contract significantly between now and Thursday lunchtime.
Early Ante-Post Bets….
Check out our Premium Service
Two levels of entry……..you can go monthly with us or annually?
Monthly…….£10 for the month……blimey, you know our results and the number of +£500 betting return slips YOU have posted on here or our FACEBOOK LINK represents a nominal charge?
Annual……..£75…..just over £1/week….enough said!
FREE stuff?…….Yes we’ll put some of our FREE advices on our FACEBOOK LINKS but our strongest advices go out to our members…
How it works?
It may not be a daily service, but you will receive our information via our PRIVATE NEWSLETTER at least once per week. Obviously you may need to adjust YOUR spam settings to make sure you receive it….and to keep you posted on FACEBOOK, we’ll let you know when a newsletter has gone out?
| Service Options |
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.