As we build up to Saturday’s action at Newmarket, featuring multiple Group 1s and the biggest handicap field of all, the Friday card serves as an appetising second course.
The card features no fewer than five Listed or Group races, as well as the sort of maiden from which the winner is likely to get Classic quotes.
Four of the races will feature on the ITV coverage and we have picked out our three best bets from the televised races.
Racing tips
2.25 Newmarket – Sea Of Roses @ 11/2
3.00 Newmarket – Formal @ 11/8
3.35 Newmarket – Poker Face @ 9/2
2.25 Newmarket – Sea Of Roses @ 11/2
It has been raining at Newmarket since the start of the three-day Cambridgeshire meeting and conditions are set to be soft for this second day. That changes the complexion of the Group 3 Dubai Stakes, which can go to the Andrew Balding-trained Sea Of Roses.
This filly has run 15 times in all, recording two wins. Those two wins have come from her five runs on soft ground. She won at Doncaster as a two-year-old, and landed her first success since beating Deira Mile at Windsor last month. That horse finished fourth in the Derby the time before, and filled the same position in the St Leger next time.
Sea Of Roses made the running last time and would not have much competition for the lead were Oisin Murphy to choose to do so again. He has a strong record when teaming up with former boss Balding and can enhance that record here.
3.00 Newmarket – Formal @ 11/8
While Sir Michael Stoute has never been much known for his flair in public relations, it was unlikely to be a coincidence that the day he announced his impending retirement he unleashed a potential Classic hope for next year in Formal.
This filly is bred to be top class. She is by top-drawer stallion Dubawi out of Veracious, who Stoute trained to win the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes in 2019.
Formal has already gone a long way to justifying her lofty pedigree. She won at Newbury on debut and then made short work of 11 rivals at Leicester last time. The time that day was modest, but Formal made light work of the field and that she could pull away off a steady pace only advertises her promise.
That race was on soft ground, too, so conditions today should be fine. She represents a really strong chance for Stoute to finish his career with the crowd wanting more.
3.35 Newmarket – Poker Face @ 9/2
While the field for this year’s Joel Stakes is fairly fresh-faced, made up mostly of three-year-olds and one lightly raced four-year-old, they all have it to do if Poker Face turns up on his best form.
This time last year, this horse was on a winning streak. He won a Group 2 event at the Arc meeting in good style and pushed Charyn all the way at Sandown in April.
He has not hit that level since, but now returns to the soft ground that he did his best work on last year so is worth another chance. A big run here and connections may be tempted to make use of his entry in the QEII Stakes on British Champions Day in a few weeks’ time.
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