Newmarket Tips: Zain can leave rivals feeling blue

Newmarket’s Craven meeting concludes on Thursday afternoon with a bumper eight-race card from HQ.

Zain Blue goes to post in the mile handicap at 15:00 and John Butler’s charge looks capable of following up last season’s success at York. Read on for my Newmarket tips for Thursday, April 17.

15:00 - Zain Blue @ 18/1

ZAIN BLUE returns following last season’s success in a good handicap over a mile at York and John Butler’s charge can go in again.

The four-year-old stayed on well on good to soft ground on the Knavesmire and conditions should be ideal at Newmarket on Thursday afternoon.

Clearly, Zain Blue has been off the track since that victory at York 221 days ago and fitness has to be taken on trust, but only Urban Sprawl has been seen in action in the last two months and the bulk of the four-year-old’s rivals are in the same position.

Butler’s charge was well backed ahead of his York success, suggesting that Zain Blue could progress beyond his mark of 85, so the colt looks like a nice price to score again. 

This is an Extra Place Race, meaning that Betfred will be paying 4 Places (1/5 Odds) instead of 3. T&Cs Apply.

16:10 - The X O @ 10/3

THE X O makes his debut for Robert Cowell after making the switch from John Ryan’s stable and the speedball can land the five furlong sprint handicap at 16:10.

The five-year-old appears to peak with soft in the going description and the slower conditions on Thursday afternoon should suit Cowell’s charge perfectly.

The X O has been rated as high as 104 in the past and he looks well handicapped off a rating of 93 here.

The five-year-old ran an excellent race to finish second in a stronger contest at Doncaster last time out, which suggests The X O is ahead of his mark and Ryan Moore will give maximum assistance in the saddle.

Get a 10% winnings boost on your win single bet if your horse wins in our selected race! T&Cs Apply.

17:20 - Love Is The Law @ 11/1

LOVE IS THE LAW can make a winning return to action in the seven-furlong handicap at 17:20.

George Scott’s charge looked a progressive performer when winning a pair of two-year-old races on the turf at Lingfield and she can regain the winning thread back on the turf.

The three-year-old finished down the field at Newcastle last time out, but Love Is The Law raced on the wrong part of the track on that all-weather start and that performance can be upgraded.

A mark of 79 looks fair for the strong-travelling daughter of Sergei Prokofiev and she can account for her rivals in the final race on the card.

Click the links for the latest Today's Horse Races and Horse Racing Odds

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights