*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
One of the biggest Flat handicaps of the season takes place on Saturday as 29 horses bid for glory in the Cambridgeshire.
2020 winner Majestic Dawn tops the weights but Paddy Power’s betting for Saturday’s 15:40 at Newmarket is headed by William Haggas pair Mujtaba and Protagonist.
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As a big-field race, it doesn’t normally pay to back the favourite as just four market leaders in the last 20 renewals went on to score, and with Paddy paying SEVEN places, there are each-way angles to consider.
To help you separate the wheat from the chaff, you’ll find Timeform’s handy guide to the Cambridgeshire Handicap runners plus betting tips from the boffins below.
Cambridgeshire Handicap runners
Majestic Dawn
Trainer: Paul & Oliver Cole Jockey: Mohammed Lyes Tabti Age: 6 Weight: 10st 0lbs Draw: 14
Runaway winner of this in 2020 and produced a fine front-running display when landing a Goodwood listed event in May. Poor effort at Windsor last time can be excused (reportedly scoped dirty after the race), but he’s surely too high in the weights now in any case.
**
Magical Morning
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden Jockey: Benoit de la Sayette Age: 5 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 22
Smart performer who was better than ever when winning a 1m Doncaster handicap at the beginning of June. Subsequent efforts not so good, though, and he was well held in this race off a 1 lb lower mark last year.
**
Perotto
Trainer: Marcus Tregoning Jockey: William James Lee Age: 4 Weight: 9st 5lbs Draw: 20
Proved that he can handle big-field scenarios when landing the 29-runner Britannia at Royal Ascot last June. Largely campaigned in pattern company since and while he’s by no means impossibly treated back in a handicap, others make more appeal for win purposes.
**
Mujtaba
Trainer: William Haggas Jockey: Jim Crowley Age: 4 Weight: 9st 3lbs Draw: 16
Winner of all 3 starts last year and though rather disappointing in the Lincoln and a Chester handicap during the spring, he produced a taking performance in a first-time tongue strap at Doncaster (10.2f, good) recently. 3 lb ‘well-in’ under a penalty and further progress is on the cards.
*****
Forest Falcon
Trainer: Charlie & Mark Johnston Jockey: Daniel Muscutt Age: 4 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 24
Landed the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar in June and added to his tally when outpointing Brillian Light and 16 others at Glorious Goodwood the following month. Little impact since, though, including when only seventh in the Doncaster handicap won by Mujtaba.
*
Injazati
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes Jockey: Jamie Spencer Age: 4 Weight: 9st 0lbs Draw: 18
Highly progressive last season and reappearance third at Pontefract (1¼m, heavy) in April was a solid effort. Not disgraced in listed company at Windsor since and each-way claims back down in trip here with Jamie Spencer aboard, provided the ground isn’t fast.
***
Lucander
Trainer: Ralph Beckett Jockey: Rossa Ryan Age: 5 Weight: 9st 0lbs Draw: 27
Followed Majestic Dawn home in the 2020 edition of this race but could finish only eleventh in last year’s running. Still, he’s certainly not handicapped out of things and he could have a part to play from a potentially favourable high draw if the first-time blinkers have the desired effect.
**
Notre Belle Bete
Trainer: Andrew Balding Jockey: Joshua Bryan Age: 4 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 10
Creditable third over this C&D in April but she remains winless following 12 attempts on turf and failed to fire back from a break at Ascot earlier this month.
*
Brilliant Light
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor Jockey: Dougie Costello Age: 5 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 23
Wasn’t beaten at all far when fifth in the John Smith’s Cup at York in July and also second in a valuable Glorious Goodwood handicap that month. Steady pace proved his undoing at Yarmouth last time, but he’s probably now weighed up to his best in any case.
**
Protagonist
Trainer: William Haggas Jockey: Tom Marquand Age: 5 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 3
Multiple winner in Ireland and has progressed for new yard this year, pipping Savvy Victory at Doncaster in July before proving ¾-length too strong for Dual Identity (pair clear of the rest) at Sandown (1¼m, good). 7 lb rise fair and should go well provided low draw doesn’t prove to be a hindrance.
***
Bell Rock
Trainer: Andrew Balding Jockey: Callum Hutchinson Age: 6 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 19
Well held in this race last year but was a fine third in the 2020 renewal and posted his best of the season so far when third to Mujtaba off this career-low mark at Doncaster recently. Will do well to reverse those placings with that unexposed rival here, though.
**
Totally Charming
Trainer: George Boughey Jockey: William Buick Age: 4 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 15
Looked good when landing handicaps at Lingfield and Epsom earlier this season, and he wasn’t entirely disgraced in the Royal Hunt Cup on his latest start in June. Tongue strap enlisted and he’s not ruled out back from a break here with William Buick in the hot-seat.
***
Austrian Theory
Trainer: Charlie & Mark Johnston Jockey: Neil Callan Age: 3 Weight: 8st 10lbs Draw: 21
Back to very best when coming out on top at Hamilton in June and went close on the July Course here next time. However, struggled in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodood last time and he’s likely to find this too competitive.
*
First View
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor Jockey: Stefano Cherchi Age: 5 Weight: 8st 10lbs Draw: 11
Opened turf account in a Leicester handicap during the summer and enhanced good AW strike rate when accounting for 13 rivals in first-time cheekpieces at Kempton (1m) last time. One of 4 representing last year’s winning yard and certainly not without hope under a penalty (2 lb ‘well-in’).
***
Savvy Victory
Trainer: S. P. C. Woods Jockey: Ryan Moore Age: 3 Weight: 8st 10lbs Draw: 13
Off the mark at Pontefract on return in April and just touched off by Protagonist at Doncaster on penultimate start. Improved when subsequently scoring in good style at Goodwood (1¼m, good) where he benefited from being ridden with more restraint, and this 3-y-o is a player with Ryan Moore booked.
***
Arqoob
Trainer: William Jarvis Jockey: Connor Planas Age: 4 Weight: 8st 9lbs Draw: 29
Successful at Sandown (1¼m) in July and creditable fourth over the same C&D in the handicap won by Protagonist last month. Again acquitted himself at Yarmouth 8 days later but this demands a significant step forward.
**
Ouzo
Trainer: Jamie Osborne Jockey: Saffie Osborne Age: 6 Weight: 8st 9lbs Draw: 25
Save for a low-key effort at Royal Ascot in June, he hasn’t done a great deal wrong this season and his latest fifth in a 22-runner York handicap (1m, good) was respectable. Place possibilities.
**
Jimi Hendrix
Trainer: Ralph Beckett Jockey: Rob Hornby Age: 3 Weight: 8st 9lbs Draw: 28
Excellent third in the Britannia at Royal Ascot prior to narrowly landing a 1m handicap on the other course here. Too be bad to be true at Glorious Goodwood when last seen in July and it would be no surprise were he to bounce back with a bold show.
***
Electrical Storm
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor Jockey: Cieren Fallon Age: 5 Weight: 8st 8lbs Draw: 12
Low-mileage 5-y-o who showed improved form to get off the mark on the back of an 18-month absence at York in June. Good efforts in defeat in stronger handicaps at Sandown (1¼m) and Haydock (1m) since and he’s a live each-way candidate.
****
Kitsune Power
Trainer: Roger Varian Jockey: Ray Dawson Age: 3 Weight: 8st 8lbs Draw: 7
Did well to finish as close as he did when runner-up at Glorious Goodwood in July and improved for the step up to 1¼m when seeing off 4 rivals at Beverley last time. This is a much tougher assignment but he probably has more to offer. Cheekpieces applied.
***
Dual Identity
Trainer: William Knight Jockey: Andrea Atzeni Age: 4 Weight: 8st 7lbs Draw: 6
Improved performer this year, finishing out of the first two just one from 7 appearances in 2022. Pulled clear of the rest with the winner when beaten less than a length by Protagonist at Sandown and, now 2 lb better off, it should again be close between them.
***
Carolus Magnus
Trainer: Andrew Balding Jockey: David Probert Age: 4 Weight: 8st 6lbs Draw: 8
Both wins gained on this course, the latest a 1m handicap at this meeting last year. However, he hasn’t managed to add to that since and is perhaps a shade too high in the weights for now.
*
Dutch Decoy
Trainer: Charlie & Mark Johnston Jockey: Andrew Breslin Age: 5 Weight: 8st 6lbs Draw: 9
Has more than paid his way already this year, winning 5 times since January. However, his form has somewhat dipped of late and he’s likely to find this too competitive.
*
Caradoc
Trainer: Ed Walker Jockey: Nicola Currie Age: 7 Weight: 8st 5lbs Draw: 17
Highly capable performer when on-song and shaped well on his first 2 starts of the present campaign. However, he appears to have gone off the boil judged on his York effort last time and there’s now an air of vulnerability about him.
**
Pistoletto
Trainer: John Ryan Jockey: Royston Ffrench Age: 5 Weight: 8st 3lbs Draw: 1
Looked unlucky not to finish closer when fourth of 11 to Dutch Decoy in handicap on the July Course here last month. Stone last at Newbury next time, though, and it’s easy enough to look elsewhere.
*
Night Of Luxury
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor Jockey: Josephine Gordon Age: 3 Weight: 8st 3lbs Draw: 5
Has clicked since switched to handicaps, cranking it up another notch for third win in 6-runner contest here (July Course) last month. Didn’t appear to stay 1½m at Ascot 3 weeks ago and while this drop back in trip will help, he’s likely to find a few too good.
**
Geremia
Trainer: Jim Goldie Jockey: George Rooke Age: 4 Weight: 8st 2lbs Draw: 4
Yet to strike on turf but deserves to do so judged on several creditable efforts in York handicaps at up to 16.2f this year. Still, current mark leaves little margin for error and others make more appeal.
*
Majestic
Trainer: Mick Channon Jockey: Aidan Keeley Age: 4 Weight: 8st 1lbs Draw: 26
Off the mark at Pontefract in August and hasn’t done a great deal wrong since, not beaten far when sixth in a strong Newbury handicap (1¼m, good) last weekend. Not without an each-way squeak.
**
Fast Medicine
Trainer: Peter Chapple-Hyam Jockey: Joey Haynes Age: 4 Weight: 8st 1lbs Draw: 2
Gelded following 2021 campaign and looked an improved model when landing a 1m Nottingham handicap in April. However, this free-going sort has failed to reproduce form akin to that in 4 subsequent appearances. Engaged 5.20 here Friday.
*
Cambridgeshire Handicap tips
Timeform: William Haggas has yet to land this prestigious handicap but MUJTABA is taken to put that right. Though admittedly short in the betting for one who has yet to prove himself in the hustle and bustle of a big-field scenario such as this, he is unexposed and was impressive when returning from a break at Doncaster recently. Stablemate Protagonist merits respect, but recent trends suggest a low draw is not ideal and bigger threats may be posed by Electrical Storm, Savvy Victory and Jimi Hendrix.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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