Phill Anderson's tips for Saturday's action include selections from Newmarket, Chepstow and York.
An action-packed Saturday in store across Britain and Ireland with seven meetings scheduled, including day two of the Future Champions Festival at Newmarket where City Of Troy will be expected to storm to Dewhurst glory for Aidan O’Brien.
That race is joined at HQ by the likes of the Cesarewitch, while further Flat meetings come from York, Chester, Naas and Chelmsford (AW) as well as the jumps offerings from Chepstow and Hexham on a busy day.
Our three fancies include one in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and one from Chepstow, where the National Hunt season is stepping up a gear.
Selections
Mr Escobar (Newmarket, 14:40) @ 28/1
Final Orders (Chepstow, 15:40) @ SP
King’s Lynn (York, 14:25) @ 16/1
Mr Escobar a Ces outsider worth paying attention to
The Cesarewitch is now a race that the top jumps trainers routinely target, with the last five renewals going to Willie Mullins (2018, 2019, 2020), Nicky Henderson (2021) and Charles Byrnes (2022).
Gordon Elliott is looking to muscle in this time, with Ryan Moore partnering 7/2 favourite Pied Piper for the Cullentra handler.
Ireland’s champion jumps trainer meanwhile has a famous five in his quest for a fourth win in six years as Jackfinbar (Rachael Blackmore), M C Muldoon (Danny Tudhope), Lot Of Joy (William Buick), Zenon (Saffie Osborne) and MR ESCOBAR (Siobhan Rutledge) all represent the Closutton chief.
It’s the last-named that makes some appeal at a massive price.
He was backed off the boards for the All-Weather Vase Marathon Handicap over two-miles at Lingfield on Good Friday and, in Moore’s hands, found himself stuck behind a wall of horses on the inside rail as the race passed them by off the home bend.
He’s run well in two of three starts since at the Curragh (1m4f, good to firm) in July and Killarney (1m6f, yielding) in August, while his flop at the Galway Races in between is best forgotten.
A hood goes on now and he’s got just 8st 2lb off a mark of 81 here, while the useful Rutledge can take off 3lb in the saddle. A big effort could be forthcoming from a horse unexposed at this trip. Mr Escobar wasn’t far behind Jesse Evans at Killarney and is now on much better terms with that rival, who trades at less than half the price here.
Final Orders to dictate at Chepstow
The top pair on the racecard are FINAL ORDERS and Datsalrightgino and preference is for Gavin Cromwell’s Irish raider in the John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase.
He proved a revelation last season, switching to fences, winning five on the bounce from October-February where he pocketed a nice pot at the Dublin Racing Festival.
He’s versatile in regards to trip and often tended to put his rivals under pressure with a bold effort from the front last season.
He didn’t run badly when fifth in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March off this mark and his fall in the Topham at Aintree is easily overlooked.
Since a short break after that, wins on the Flat and over hurdles at Bellewstown in July and August have flanked a disappointing run in the Galway Plate – another effort that can be forgiven.
Datsalrightgino, Al Dancer and Elixir De Nutz are credible opposition – and the latter pair are prominent racers themselves – but Final Orders might well apply too much pressure to them and he can score under regular pilot Keith Donoghue.
King’s Lynn has a fighter’s chance at York
It’s the final day of the season at York and a packed card on the Knavesmire includes the Sprint Trophy Handicap over six-furlongs.
Lauded sprinters like Summerghand, Bielsa, Aberama Gold, Mr Wagyu and Significantly are in the mix but maybe KING’S LYNN can grab the prize for Andrew Balding and PJ McDonald.
The gelded son of Cable Bay is a Group 2/dual Listed winner at his best and has run well at times this season in valuable sprints including the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and Portland at Doncaster without reward.
He’s dropped to a workable mark, 8lb lower than when second at Chester in May, and could take advantage.
