The Cambridgeshire Handicap: preview and tips

A super renewal of the famous Cambridgeshire Handicap takes place at Newmarket tomorrow. It’s a great trends race and I will focus on the following six issues when trying to crack the race as a punter:

1. Younger than six years old.
2. Weighted between 8st 7lbs to 9st 3lbs.
3. Official rating 90 to 100.
4. Won over one mile, two furlongs before.
5. Form in a big field – won or placed against 14+ runners.
6. Hold up tactics on soft ground / front running tactics on fast ground.
7. Draw is a important factor – high or low favoured.

Tomorrow there are 35 runners and the ground is forecast to be good to firm, so I’m looking for prominent runners who fit the above criteria and there are a few.

Proud Chieftain
Ted Durcan rides for Clifford Lines, five year old rated 97

This five year old gelding has form at 1m2f, races best from up top and has placed in decent sized fields.

Drawn 30 will help and has won three times at Newmarket.

Goes on good and good-to-firm ground and has been in decent form this year with cheek pieces on – they seemed to have helped at Sandown two runs ago and last time at Doncaster was unlucky in his run on softened ground that would not have been ideal.

Looks a little high for the win but is attractively priced to make the frame should things fall right here.

Jacks Revenge
Oisin Murphy (claims 5lbs) rides for George Baker, five year old rated 93

You have to make a few allowances for Jacks Revenge in that this may not be his best trip, but he does have form at 1m2f so will get home.

Also, although able to handle the quicker ground, doesn’t mind some cut and a shower or two before racing would help his cause.

Big fields are a plus and can go prominently in his races, the booking of the latest new sensation Oisin Murphy catches the eye and there is a big handicap in this animal.

Danchai
William Buick rides for William Haggas, four year old rated 98

The John Smiths Cup winner at York hasn’t backed up that run off his new mark yet but big field, quick ground and drawn eight means has to be on the premises again for king of the Saturday handicaps William Haggas.

The pretty grey is blinkered for the first time, which could increase his chances of racing up with the pace here and if they do he loves battling from the front.

William Buick will need to set sensible fractions of course but is priced at a value offering for a horse with top handicap form this season and nearly a month off may have freshened him up sufficiently.

Code Of Honor
Fergus Sweeney rides for Henry Candy, three year old rated 99

Just comes in under the rating mark of 100 and the three year old and the trainer pinpointed the Cambridgeshire after the colt won at Sandown in July this year.

Only raced eight times and in rude health, could still be ahead of the handicapper should his draw of 28 prove to be the right side of affairs here.

Blossomed at the end of last year and the canny trainer may well have him ready to peak again now after two good runs since Sandown without winning leave him on a handy mark.

So that’s four against the massive field and if I had to pick one of the quartet it would be Code Of Honor, well weighted, improvement likely and a plum looking draw.

Current prices and bookmakers concessions mean you can get on each way and five places or more on offer tomorrow, it’s something for the weekend!

Cambridgeshire, Newmarket 28th September 2013

1. Code Of Honor 14/1
2. Proud Chieftain 33/1
3. Danchai 25/1
4. Jack’s Revenge 16/1

Good luck punters!