Horse Racing Betting Tips: Turner has the Power to land opening race with Darkness
MARCUS Tregoning has trained some very good horses over the years with the likes of Sir Percy, Nayef and Mubtaker.
In truth, the last few years have been a bit quiet for the Hampshire-based trainer, but Mohaather’s win in last month’s Greenham Stakes at Newbury had him dreaming about a first 2000 Guineas success.
Sadly, a setback means the son of Showcasing will miss the opening Classic but will hopefully be back for the second half of the season.
That was a bitter pill for Tregoning to swallow, but he’s been around long enough to know the highs and lows of racing, and hopefully compensation awaits in tomorrow’s opening Spring Lodge Stakes (1.50pm).
POWER OF DARKNESS was unlucky not to win a mile handicap here at the Craven meeting last month on his seasonal reappearance.
Hayley Turner had to switch her mount round a few runners in the final furlong and couldn’t quite reach Beringer.
That was the son of Power’s first start since being gelded and having a wind operation, so it was an excellent performance and I don’t think a 2lb rise will stop him.
His trainer has already mentioned races like the Royal Hunt Cup and the Cambridgeshire, which he won twice with Bronze Angel, so he looks worth backing here at 7/2.
There are a number of dangers in the field like last year’s Silver Cambridgeshire winner Jazeel and Sir Michael Stoute’s Elector, but Power Of Darkness should prove hard to beat.
In the next, Mabs Cross will attempt to become only the second dual winner of the Group Three Zoustar Palace House Stakes (2.20pm) after Sole Power pulled off the double in 2013 and 2014.
She had an excellent season last year, but has a Group One penalty for her win in the Prix de l’Abbaye in October.
Although Marsha managed to successfully carry such a burden two years ago, the last one to do so before that was Lochsong way back in 1994.
The one I am most interested in is JUDICIAL, who was beaten just a neck by Mabs Cross 12 months ago.
Julie Camacho’s gelded son of Iffraaj was conceding 3lbs to his conqueror then, but receives 4lbs tomorrow so will surely turn the form around.
He goes well fresh and has a Group Three prize to his name after winning last summer’s Coral Charge at Sandown.
Camacho’s horses are running well and he looks a very good each-way price at 10/1 with Coral.
The fly in the ointment could well be Aidan O’Brien’s Sergei Prokofiev who finished third to Calyx and Advertise in last year’s Coventry Stakes.
He receives weight from the rest of the field and was a good winner of a Listed contest at Cork on his reappearance.
He will be bidding to become the first three-year-old to land the prize since 2009, while this race is one of few omis omissions on O’Brien’s glittering CV.
My final selection at Newmarket tomorrow is LOUIS TREIZE in the Havana Gold Handicap (4.10pm) for three-year-old sprinters.
Richard Spencer’s son of Slade Power bolted up at Newcastle last July and was then strongly fancied for the big Sales race at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.
He disappointed that day but will have strengthened up over the winter and I’m sure he will prove much better than his handicap mark of 83.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Power Of Darkness 1.50pm Newmarket
Judicial e/w 2.20pm Newmarket
Louis Treize e/w 4.10pm Newmarket