Air Pilot can fly in Cambridgeshire despite restrictive price
Published:As the big flat meetings pass by, there becomes fewer and fewer chances for trainers to get their hands on a big prize for the season. The Cambridgeshire is up next and we hope our thoughts can help you land a prize for yourself.
These races over 9f on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket are competitive affairs to say the least, with a maximum field size of 35 going to post.
But the record of favourites in this race, three winning in the last decade, two at a price of 5/1, means there is one horse who cannot be dust binned because of his price.
Yes it is a skinny price for a horse in a 35 runner handicap that isn’t even guaranteed a run yet, but this one could be something special.
Needing another 11 to come out, though that looks likely, it will be a nervous wait for backers, but should Ralph Beckett’s charge get in, he will take all the beating.
Jockey Oisin Murphy was virtually pulling him up with half a furlong to go last time out, such was the ease of that victory.
Officially raised 11lbs by the handicapper, all he would have to carry at Newmarket would be a 4lbs penalty, meaning he would race off a rating of 91.
His previous second place finish behind Farraaj at Doncaster in June looks very useful now with that horse subsequently going on to win off a mark of 111.
With just five runs to his name, there is even more improvement possible for this gelding that has never finished outside of the first two.
But for those who want a bit more back for finding the winner, how about these two at bigger prices…
Few trainers know better how to win a Cambridgeshire than John Gosden.
The veteran handler has triumphed in the race three times previously, and seeks to equal William Day and Jeremy Glover’s record this time round.
His supposed second string looks a good bet for a bit of further progression, with just the four runs to date.
His sire Elusive Quality was also responsible for Gosden superstars Ravens Pass and Elusive Kate, so is a family the trainer knows well.
The three-year-old was fourth behind a couple of these last time out, but has scope for more, and seems to go on any ground, and could be one to be running on for a place.
One for trends lovers, this Luca Cumani-trained gelding certainly stands out.
When we consider that all 10 winners in the last decade had previously both won a race with 13 or more runners, had won or placed in a Class 2 contest or better, and had between four and seven runs that campaign, we can narrow the field down to 10, if we just focus on the ones guaranteed to get the run.
The son of Zamindar ticks all those boxes, and grabs our attention as being one that is certain to stay further, an attribute to savour when you consider these handicaps are usually run at a ferocious gallop.
The 5lb claim of man-of-the-moment Cam Hardie solidifies our interest as this being one to take note of.
All odds and markets correct as of the date of publishing
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