3.00pm Newmarket Tips & Betting Preview 13/07/2017

A field of 20 three year old sprinters makes for a competitive contest live on ITV3, chasing a first prize of £62,250. Read on for our expert tip and runner by runner preview.

IN SUMMARY: Plenty of recent winning form, with Golden Apollo looking sure to run another huge race as he continues to mature. Recent course and distance winners Goodwood Crusader and Cartographer are both likely to prove popular but an interesting one lurking at a big price is HYDE PARK. He showed plenty of speed as a juvenile, claimed close home a couple of times over seven furlongs. This stiff six could be exactly what he needs to get his career back on track under Ryan Moore.

1 EQTIRAAN – NON RUNNER Struck a blow for his generation when beating his elders in the Cathedral Stakes last time out. The favourite underperformed on that occasion, so the form isn’t strong for the level, but as a consequence his mark is left unchanged. He is three pounds better off with Danielsflyer for a half length beating earlier in the year, a reproduction of that gives him a sound each way chance.

2 UNABATED – 2/2 in 2017, both on the Tapeta at Newcastle. He lowered the track record on the first occasion, before shrugging off a three month absence and a five pound higher mark last time The fifth from the latter contest won at Pontefract on Tuesday to give the form a boost, so if he can reproduce those runs back on turn, he’s an each way player.

3 BRIAN THE SNAIL – Returns to the calmer waters of a handicap, having been outclassed at Listed and Group 2 level the last twice. His Pontefract win in April suggested that he was up to that sort of level, so he has some questions to answer about his current wellbeing given the poor efforts.

4 DANIELSFLYER – Began his 2017 campaign in style with a win over this trip on the Rowley Mile, beating Eqtiraan half a length. He was disappointing the last time he was seen, but that’s the second flat race he has run at York, so that can be excused. Back on an undulating track should suit and as with most of these, is unexposed and open to improvement.

5 AFANDEM – Smart juvenile form, included a Group 3 win at Chantilly, but a pair of efforts this season have been a long way below that level. Blinkers were tried last time but failed to spark him back to life, he is left with plenty to prove now.

6 PRIVATE MATTER – Like Afandem, his 2017 form is a pale shadow of what he showed in 2016. Both wins last season came on soft, so the ground was no excuse for his Newbury flop two runs back and his latest leaves him with a lot to find with Golden Apollo.

7 BACCHUS – One of the more exposed runners in the field, is yet to run over a trip this short. He acquitted himself well in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen, finishing ninth. Two pounds higher than when third in an Ascot handicap the time before however, means he has plenty on his plate in this contest.

8 ULTIMATE AVENUE – Not seen in action since April, when fading late on over a mile at Kempton. A drop back in trip is combined with the fitting of a tongue strap for the first time, while the absence since suggests that all was not well on that occasion. He won over seven furlongs last year so the step down to six is perhaps a furlong too short.

9 HYDE PARK – Another to have done all his running over further, he was struggling in the Britannia at Royal Ascot, but his stamina going in was a massive question mark. He didn’t lack speed as a juvenile and showed up smartly in third at Goodwood two runs ago, just losing second late on. Back on a more conventional track, the drop in trip could prove the key to him, he looks well overpriced and gets the vote.

10 PERFECT ANGEL – As with a number of these, she held her own in better company as a juvenile, but has been disappointing so far in 2017. She gets a three pound drop from the handicapper, but she still looks held by Golden Apollo on their recent York run.

11 TOMMY TAYLOR – Seen just the once this season when behind Victory Angel on the Rowley Mile in April. He is thirteen pounds better off for a four and a half length beating, which should bring them much closer. He travelled with purpose that day, failing to handle the dip. The dip on the July course is less severe, but the suitability of the track has to be the overriding concern.

12 EKHTIYAAR – Was sent off favourite at York last time in the race won by Golden Apollo. He travelled like the winner that day, but found others with a little more toe on that flat track. He had previously won on the Rowley Mile here on good to soft ground, recent rain will have helped as will the return to a stiffer course, each way chance.

13 GOODWOOD CRUSADER – Progressive sprinter has been a prime advert for the talents of Finley Marsh this season. He has won five on the bounce for connections, taking down his elders over this course and distance last time with consummate ease. This is a big step up in class, but he will have the strong pace he needs to be seen to best effect and shouldn’t be dismissed.

14 MOSTAHEL – Third to Danielsflyer and Eqtiraan last time out, keeping on at one pace all the way to the line. He was placed over a mile last year, so it was no surprise that others looked a little too quick for him that day. Another furlong would likely suit but connections need respecting kept to this trip.

15 JUSTANOTHERBOTTLE – Followed up a smart third to Golden Apollo at York with a clear cut win at Doncaster. Is a gutsy front runner, but it won’t be easy to lead this big field on a stiffer track from the same terms as when beaten at York.

16 GOLDEN APOLLO – Much improved the last twice, scoring by a wide margin at Pontefract, before following up in a similar contest to this at York. He is going to need another step up following a seven pound rise, but he was racing on a wing at York last time, not really having anything to run with until the runner up challenged. Drawn in the middle this time could produce more, has to be respected.

17 VICTORY ANGEL – Won on the Rowley Mile over this trip earlier in the season, failing to back that up when behind a number of these over the same course the next time. A heavy defeat in the Commonwealth Cup is easily excused, but he needs the first time visor to up his game if he is going to be getting his head in front again.

18 CARTOGRAPHER – Dotted up over this course and distance last time, when partnered for the first time by Silvestre De Sousa. The visual impression she made suggested that neither a nine pound rise not a two grade hike are enough to stop her here, but she will find it much harder to dominate this field quite so easily from the front, which may be what stops her.

19 LOVE DREAMS – Went in many notebooks when sluicing up at Pontefract last June, but was not seen again until almost a full year later. That came at Sandown over seven furlongs, fading up the hill as if the return to this trip is what he wants. A mark of 91 looks more than fair on his form, but he showed signs of temperament that day, that make him hard to support now with any confidence.

20 POET’S SOCIETY – Only beaten a length and a half by Golden Apollo at York, a four pound turnaround at the weights makes him interesting on paper. He won over this course and distance last time, so there will be no problems with the undulations. He has already had twenty races though, which makes him the most exposed in the field, surely will find a number progressing past him now.