Geoffrey Freer Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

One of the more important races this Saturday even if we have a disappointing turnout, and with some decent winners over the years including Kite Wood in 2009 who went on to finish runner up in the St Leger at Doncaster. Sir Michael Stoute’s Kings Fete (10/11) is the top rated here off of 112 and is another with plenty of room to improve even at the age of five and with just the nine career starts for three wins at Sandown York and Goodwood over distances of a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half (twice). Last time out he took the Group three Glorious Stakes in late July when seeing off Roger Charlton’s Ayrad by three-quarters of a length running on strongly so the added furlong here could well bring even further improvement. That was his third run back after over a year and a half off through injury so there could be more to come, and he looks to be the class act and thus most likely winner in our eyes this afternoon.

If we are looking for a horse in the winning habit then David Simcock’s Red Cardinal (9/1) has to be included in any race preview as the four-year-old looks to make it four out of four wins this season. This is a big step up in class following a Bath maiden and two Class Four handicaps at Salisbury and Yarmouth but beauty is as beauty does and he does seem to be on an upward curve though on paper he needs to find another stone or so to get involved in the finish this afternoon.

Looking at the three-year-old form and Richard Hannon’s Humphrey Bogart (9/2) looks the best of the pair of then with a fifth in the Epsom Derby as well as a three and a half length sixth to Across The Stars at Royal Ascot in the Group[ Two King Edward VII Stakes. He did blow out in New York at the Belmont Derby Invitational but was still only beaten two and a half lengths in to ninth and a repeat of the receiving weight from his elders could well see him go close today.

We have all learned over the last few years that Roger Varian is a more than capable trainer and of he thinks Battersea (7/1) deserves his place in this line up then he does! A winner first time out this season at Meydan back in February he followed that with a fourth in Dubai to Sheikhzayedroad but was then brought back to the UK and not seen again until last month.  He may well have needed the race after over four months off the track when six and a half lengths fourth to Big Orange in the Group Two Princess Of Wales Stakes at Newmarket and dropping in class with that run to put him straight, he may run a lot better than his early odds suggest.

Lastly and as far as we can see leastly we have Andrew Balding’s Ormito (12/1) who is yet to win this season after four races. He was a seven length third to US Army Ranger at Chester in the Chester Vase back in May but since then he has paled twice but failed dismally in Listed class, and it is hard to make a case for why he should improve enough to step up and win a Group Three.