Newmarket’s Guineas meeting kicks off on Friday, with Listed and Group action teeing up the weekend nicely. GG tipster Joe Napier has three best bets on the card, including an aptly-named chance in one of the handicaps…
1.45 Newmarket – Nyetimber Newmarket Stakes (Listed)
Alpine Trail has not had to get too serious to win both his starts to date and his connections make him the obvious starting point. The runner-up from his latest victory has won since, but plenty of his other rivals in those two victories have underwhelmed since.
The form of two of his other four rivals has come purely on the all-weather, while Nebras was beaten at 2/7 last time. All of this leads to the selection being rank outsider HARVEY, who might outrun his odds here for Peter Chapple-Hyam. This will be his first run in Britain after four starts in France.
The son of Le Havre won impressively on his second start at Clairefontaine before being bogged down in very soft and heavy ground twice at Saint-Cloud. However, back on a sounder surface, he could have as much potential as any of these and, most crucially, Ryan Moore is booked for the ride. That is enough of a statement of intent to make him interesting.
2.55 Newmarket – Betfred “The Classic Bookmaker” Handicap
All of these have potential, with Hornsea Bay an intriguing outsider for David O’Meara, but it is DANTE’S LAD who gets the verdict overall. The form of his first start for George Boughey has worked out, with runner-up Wild Nature winning since and opposing here.
Boughey’s charge is now 2lb better off for thNewat victory over the Godolphin contender though, which adds further to his claims on that last start alone. However, before joining the Newmarket yard, he was based with Joseph O’Brien, for whom he was twice third behind Ballydoyle winners in maidens, one of whom was Derby candidate Delacroix on debut.
That he ran so well first time out suggests he will be fine returning from a break here. He may want more of a trip in time, but this distance is a decent place for him to be starting out for the year and he is well related to develop as a three-year-old.
3.30 Newmarket – Betfred “Nifty 50” Handicap
There could be an extremely appropriate winner in this race in the shape of FIFTY NIFTY. The four-year-old remains unexposed and shaped full of promise on his return over this course and distance last month.
The son of Ten Sovereigns was only sighted for the first time in April 2024 as a three-year-old and ran four times in his debut season. They culminated with a win on the July Course off a mark of 87, but it was his return which stands out most. Well-backed into 5/4 favouritism, he only narrowly failed to reel in the winner despite trouble in running.
Raised just 2lb for that effort, Fifty Nifty could well make amends here before heading onto bigger things for the season.
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