Form analyst Jason Teaz casts his eye over Cambridge tonight (Thursday – July 22)
Race 1
9 Highview Rockn Roll
1 Strength Of Heart
3 My Royal Roxy
11 Sir Henry Castleton
HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL deserves a win for consistency. Her only win came over the 2700m and lately she’s been devoid of luck having to be parked out in her races. Too honest for the rest.
STRENGTH OF HEART drops back to the mid graded trot tonight. Steps well and should be the early leader from barrier one. Checked and broke late last time in the highest rated trot. Definite each way.
MY ROYAL ROXY has only raced twice in the last seven weeks, so should be better for the run at Auckland last week. A moderate run home up the straight but seems to race better here at Cambridge. Has the manners.
SIR HENRY CASTLETON is the opposite. No manners have riddled his career. Galloped out last time and lost close to 100m. Beaten only seven lengths and trotted home as quick as the winner on that occasion. The extra distance helps tonight and is the bolter.
MAUDARCHY has got progressively worse on her northern sojourn. May have freshened up a little with missing last week’s racing. A chance on her best form of winning.
Veterans SAFRAKOVA and BRO FAWKES S are always hopes in this kind of race with their customary good beginnings.
Race 2
8 Murphys Reward
2 Starry Star
7 Romanee
6 itsthefinalcountdown
MURPHYS REWARD drops significantly in grade for this tonight. Hasn’t been to Cambridge this year but had his first two starts here for one placing. Blinds come off to help him settle better and even though he has drawn eight that shouldn’t worry him as the front should be his if wanted. Good enough to pace 2:41, the rest can’t.
STARRY STAR has been racing in fine fettle lately. Has only been run down in the shadows of the post in each of her last three runs. Two starts ago she set up a 39 lead time and was mighty. Should lead easily here and trial at worst.
ROMANEE returned to some form July 9. He did work mid race and stuck well only finishing a neck behind Starry Star. A top three must.
ITSTHEFINALCOUNTDOWN continues to draw averagely. For a horse that is no star he tries very hard and should be included in the thin end of first fours again.
SUIDELIKE MAJOR is the best of the others but would need to improve three or four lengths to place.
Race 3
4 Watch And Learn
2 Ipanema Girl
8 Je T’Aime
1 Baba Yaga
WATCH AND LEARN looked very green on debut two weeks ago. That was a stronger field than this and even though she’s inexperienced she has more ability than these and deserves favouritism.
IPANEMA GIRL has good gate speed and has used it to perfection in recent trials at Pukekohe. Won July 3 in moderate time against average opposition but should be no worse than the trail here. Good enough to go round in a young guns heat in January.
JE T’AIME has lucked out with the eight draw tonight. Did have every possible chance in a six horse maiden field last Friday at Auckland. It was a walk and sprint and she trialed throughout. Arguably better at Cambridge so can place.
BABA YAGA hasn’t done anything wrong in all three runs to date. This is the first time she has drawn inside six and she does ping off the gate. From three back on the pegs she is the blowout place chance.
WET FLIPFLOPS has had her chances and steps out for the fifteenth time tonight. Include.
Race 4
5 Supersede
1 Rasana
2 Major Holiday
10 Matai Louis
SUPERSEDE gets a better draw to use than the 7,10 and 11 he’s encountered thus far. Should roll forward even though there is gate speed inside him. Can dominate this race if he finds the front.
RASANA doesn’t possess gate speed but there hasn’t been much wrong with his first three starts which all resulted in close up fifth placings.
MAJOR HOLIDAY has had two workouts for a win in the latest since joining Arna Donnelly. Beat Watch And Learn in 2:49. Needs to lift another notch but is bred well enough and drawn nicely on debut.
MATAI LOUIS has long had a big rap on him and showed his worth with a strong second two weeks ago after working early. The second row draw hinders but with luck he’s a winning chance in this field.
HARVEY SPECTER didn’t fire after working midrace July 9. Another bad draw and that means he can’t win. Multiples.
Another first starter HEZA PLAYER has the goods to make a nice horse. Still very green but watch for next time.
Race 5
11 She Reigns
7 Presidential Jewel
10 Ivegotbills
8 Peakz Luck
SHE REIGNS finds herself no worse off for her win against the same horses June 25. The Cambridge Raceway horse of the year should win again given she won by eight lengths last time. 50m is nothing for her.
PRESIDENTIAL JEWEL has to be the main danger and moves forward to only be 10m behind tonight. Luxurious for her and she should be the leader tonight. If she trots sub 3:30 it’s her chance to win.
IVEGOTBILLS is another to not be punished at all by winning last time. 20m is no issue for him and in particular the extra distance plays into his hands.
PEAKZ LUCK drops back from the main trot at Auckland. Did gallop 400m out last week but that was her in a fresh state for five months. Third in the Waikato Breeders Stakes when last here in February. Nicely handicapped.
MAJESTIC HARRY did all the work for the back markers two weeks ago and got run over. If he steps like last time he can lead and trail but lacks the class to win against these under the handicaps.
AS FREE AS AIR also moves forward 10m tonight and wasn’t far away in the main trot at Auckland last week. A three time winner over the 2700m as well.
Race 6
7 Stag Party
6 Emmber
8 Optical Illusion
2 Lynton Creek
STAG PARTY has his first start left handed since joining the Blanchards in the north. Didn’t finish off last week at Auckland after sitting parked but they ran home in 55. This way easier. Top pick.
EMMBER returns to her happy place, left handed. Drops back from strong mile races at Auckland, where she has only placed once in fifteen starts. Take away her Auckland stats and her strike rate is impeccable.
OPTICAL ILLUSION is another to drop back in grade tonight but suffers with barrier eight. Last time he was at Cambridge he was beaten under a length in the feature pace. Will be storming home.
LYNTON CREEK has been steadily losing points to become competitive again. He’s the blowout in the field.
BET WEST also placed the last time he was at Cambridge. From barrier three he should find the lead tonight and his stocks improve markedly if he does.
DUN IT BAD has placed in a fresh state twice and looked good at the workouts on Saturday beating Ideal Agent.
Race 7
4 Claudia Schiffer
10 We Have A Mach Two
3 Sheza Rose
2 Greatest Showman
CLAUDIA SCHIFFER is way better than a one win horse. Worked overtime two weeks ago over the 2700m and only knocked up late. Then covered plenty of extra ground last week at Auckland on a 56 last half in a 2:41 run. Ready to win.
WE HAVE A MACH TWO has had six starts here at Cambridge for two wins and a place. Ten starts at Auckland for just two placings. This is her go. Back from an up to R60 mares race over the 1700m last time. A big threat.
SHEZA ROSE galloped early last time and lost her chance. her sectionals were 57.2 and 28.6 over the 2700m. Just pushed a little hard early and she has made the odd mistake in that situation before. A rugged stayer who is not out of this and represents value.
GREATEST SHOWMAN is the early leader and can pick and choose his own fate tonight with a good front running type in Claudia Schiffer drawn handily to him. Went a career best race June 25 and subsequently the horse who beat him has run third in the higher graded pace last time here.
JUNGLE GEM and COTTON SOCKS were fifth and sixth here two weeks ago in the Hooray Henry race. Both need luck to win and Jungle Gem will get the better run of the two.
Race 8
7 Warloch
4 Brookies Jaffa
6 Ideal Agent
5 Mailman
WARLOCH is a sit sprint marvel. 35m is a test particularly if he bungles the start like last week at Auckland. Can’t do the hard yards himself but if he’s within three or four lengths of the leaders at the top of the straight he wins. Racing in much stronger fields consistently.
BROOKIES JAFFA has made a mess of all three stands he’s had. In all he has mounted huge recoveries and he’s in mighty form. Only needs to step cleanly to be a massive chance of recording win four at Cambridge this season. However the chances of him stepping are not big.
IDEAL AGENT was this year’s Cambridge Gold Cup winner beating Hot And Treacherous. That was his last start here. Has been freshened since pulling up with issues post his Messenger last placing. Well in here at the handicaps and the best stand start exponent in the race.
MAILMAN is having his first race day stand start tonight. Qualified back in May when chasing home The Honey Queen. Stepped nicely then so should have no issues here. Got a charmed run and was entitled to win here two weeks ago. Just made it and may not get that run tonight.
Race 9
9 Reign
7 Jasinova
8 Random Jude
6 Haka Pride
REIGN is a perennial mistake maker and 30m behind can be a long long way if he is slow away again but won’t get an easier field to regain form and he did find the line with purpose two weeks ago. Should be favourite.
JASINOVA has been blowing her chances in these races continually lately. With a clean beginning she must be in the fight. Second here beaten by a maiden with a 30m head start two weeks ago.
RANDOM JUDE is dual nominated and I’d hate to see her run twice but if this is her only race tonight she’s a big chance as she is back left handed tonight and her manners are normally faultless.
HAKA PRIDE is becoming more reliable in her last three starts. Led from the 30m handicap July 9 and only petered out late. Did lose 13 lengths but should have improved with the run.
The best of the maidens is BUN IN THE OVEN given she trots all of the way. A hope if the back markers make errors. Really the race winners should own this race.
Best Bet: Race 2 (8) Murphys Reward
Each Way Value: Race 1 (1) Strength Of Heart