Newmarket Tips: Swan value for breakthrough success

It’s a top class day of action on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course on Friday with the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile backed up by four other Group races.

The Fillies’ Mile looks a bit more competitive than the betting suggests and Betfred are the only bookmaker at the time of writing paying out three places in the seven-runner heat. We've picked out an each-way player in the big race as well as two picks from the support card for our Newmarket tips.

Today's Horse Races

13:47 - La Bellota @ 14/1

Earlier on the card in the Cornwallis Stakes, La Bellota might be worth giving another chance coming back down in class.

He had little to no chance in Sunday’s Abbaye from a double figure draw but he had previously been on a steep upward curve, culminating in a narrow defeat in Group 3 company at Newbury and he showed he’s also effective on a quicker surface when not beaten far at York previously.

With the yard in flying form, running at a 30 per cent strike-rate in recent weeks, he looks worth chancing at a double figure price given that his relatively high draw is probably in his favour.

This is an Extra Place Race so Betfred are paying 4 Places (1/5 Odds) instead of 3.

15:00 - Royal Scotsman @ 9/2

Royal Scotsman doesn’t seem like the easiest horse to train and he arrives on the back of another absence, but he’s another that could be suited by a high draw in the seven furlong Group 2 contest on the card.

He proved he retains all of his ability when winning the Diomed Stakes at Epsom when last seen and a drop back in trip on a stiff track could see him to even better effect, if he’s fully tuned up for his return here.

This is an Super Extra Place Race, so Betfred will be paying 4 Places (1/5 Odds) instead of 3.

15:35 - Anna Swan e/w @ 12/1

There are plenty of top prospects in this year’s competitive-looking Fillies’ Mile but one that might have been forgotten about in the market to some extent is Anna Swan.

This Almanzor filly has made a highly encouraging start to her career, winning a fillies’ novice at Yarmouth by a wide margin on debut before following up in a Newbury novice.

She had to make her own running in that Newbury contest and the pace angle makes her attractive here, given that she’s likely to get an uncontested lead on the front end if connections choose to make the running again.

The filly gives the impression that a step up to the mile will be in her favour and her pedigree suggests as much, given that both her sire and dam were highly effective over middle distances. It’s also worth upgrading the fact that this juvenile has won both her career starts to date for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who often brings his horses along slowly.

If she does improve again, it’s easy to see her finishing in the first three and she should be able to bag the near side rail from the highest draw in stall seven. That could make her hard to pass.

This is an Extra Place Race so Betfred are paying 3 Places (1/5 Odds) instead of 2.

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