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Silver Cambridgeshire preview

Newmarket at the end of the season means big, nasty handicaps such as the Cambridgeshire and the Cesarewitch. This weekend it's the former and Chris Day, @chrisday100 starts his weekend work with the consolation race.

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The Silver Cambridgeshire (Shadwell Farm Handicap)
1700 Newmarket 1m1f

The Silver Cambridgeshire is the most recent of the consolation races devised to accommodate horses not rated high enough to get into Saturday’s main race but would grace most Saturday afternoons such is the quality of runner the race now attracts.

Favourite looks like being William Haggas’ Mange All, an improving three year old who appeared to find 10 furlongs stretching him slightly when second from a 5lb lower mark behind a progressive horse last time. Previously a winner over a mile, this intermediate distance could suit him nicely and he’s sure to go well but the market hasn’t missed him and I’ll give him a swerve on that basis.

John Gosden has a great record in these end of season contests and Gm Hopkins, under only a 4lb penalty, must be a major fancy after sluicing in after a five month layoff last time at Sandown. Once again, at single figure prices, I’m prepared to let him run.

Clive Cox runs the least exposed runner in the field, Lacan, who comes here after just three runs at Nottingham. A maiden winner last time, it’s impossible to know how good he is but you’d think he could take races from this mark.

Last year’s runner-up, Sheila’s Buddy limbered up for this contest with a third at Newbury last week, but has been on the go for a while and 10lb higher in the weights than last year. Obviously suited to a race of this type, he should be in the firing line but I’d be very surprised if something better treated does not emerge.

Desert Ranger is a progressive horse but has never contested a race of more than 10 runners, Ree’s Rascal has been running well but is 13lbs higher than his lowest winning mark and I’m loathe to suggest any of the outsiders due to them needing to be a bit above their ratings in terms of ability to win this and they do appear very exposed.

The one I’m siding with, though, is Stoute’s Munaaser, a facile midsummer winner at Newmarket from 82 and not obviously well treated from his new mark. He did, however, go off 11-4 favourite for a muddling but traditionally strong three year old handicap at the Ebor meeting where he went all round the houses but stayed on in a slowly run affair. I had my eye on him for the Cambridgeshire where Ladbrokes always had him on their side (not sure that's as useful as it once was), favourite for a while and think he’s well up to winning this at early quotes of around the 10-1 mark.

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