Muffin Looks Tasty In Cambridgeshire

In my latest betting blog I take a look at the big betting race of the upcoming weekend, The Cambridgeshire Handicap. Run at Newmarket over 9 furlongs this is traditionally the first leg of the ‘autumn double’ with the Cesarewitch, also run at Newmarket, being the second leg.

In the last 10 runnings of the Cambridgeshire the classic generation has only been victorious twice and in most other renewals has been responsible for many high profile fancied failures and Mukhadram, who currently heads the betting, fits that profile being a lightly raced highly touted 3 year old and therefore I am happy to swerve him.

Of the 3 year old representatives the one who’s chance I respect most is Marcus Tregoning’s Bronze Angel. He ran a cracker in the Britannia at Royal Ascot, where for the majority of the contest he raced alone down the centre and was the only horse placed from a double figure stall. Unraced since that splendid effort Bronze Angel comes into this race a fresh horse and with the Tregoning stable really hitting form late in the season a big run looks on the cards. At 14/1 I feel he represents fair value.

As befits a cavalry charge handicap for a big pot there are numerous entries who you can make some sort of case for but one who is firmly on the judge’s radar is northern raider Muffin Mcleay. Trained by David Barron this progressive 4 year old hasn’t been seen since the end of July when winning at Ripon strongly suggesting that his trainer has been protecting his mark for Saturday. On that occasion he overcame trouble in running to eventually win cosily conceding 14lb to a decent yardstick of Mark Johnston’s. An 8lb rise for that effort seems more than fair considering the overall ease with which he won and I fully expect him to be competitive off his revised mark with a stiff 9 furlongs and the virtually guaranteed strongly run race looking ideal for this strong traveller.

At 33/1 Muffin Mcleay looks cracking each way value to give the North another success following Prince Of Johanne’s victory for Tom Tate last season.

The Judge’s Advice

Cambridgeshire (Newmarket – Saturday)
Bronze Angel 1pt EW @14/1
Muffin Mcleay 2pt EW @33/1