Thursday Racing Tips: Back the boys in blue on Craven day

Newmarket is the premier meeting of the day on Thursday, with the Craven Stakes taking place - a race that typically acts as a good trial for the Betfred 2000 Guineas.

The card at HQ is the focus of our Thursday racing tips, which includes one in the feature for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

15:35 Newmarket - Hidden Force @ 7/4

The Craven Stakes typically gives us plenty of Betfred 2000 Guineas clues and seven line up in this year’s renewal, with the big stables well represented.

The one that catches the eye is the Charlie Appleby-trained HIDDEN FORCE, who is 2-2 with both his wins coming on the all-weather.

This is a route that Appleby has been taking with his top milers in recent years. Notable Speech was also 2-2 but skipped the Craven, while Opera Ballo did go in the race after being 2-2 on the all-weather. However, he was too keen that day, although he did go on to become a Group One winner.

Hidden Force has made a similar impression to those two on his two starts, winning comfortably and showing the speed and class of a potential top miler.

Hawk Mountain comes into this race as the top two-year-old, having won the Futurity last October, while Aidan O'Brien’s runners typically come on for the run, but Hidden Force arrives race-fit and can use that to his advantage.

16:45 Newmarket - Maho Bay @ 13/8

It’s likely to be a good day for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, who also run MAHO BAY in a Novice Stakes over one mile and two furlongs.

This son of Dubawi was a very impressive winner on debut at Kempton towards the end of last year, beating two runners from John and Thady Gosden’s yard.

That win came over the extended trip of one mile and three furlongs, where he kicked away from his rivals powerfully, and he shouldn’t have any issues with this slightly shorter trip.

He faces five rivals, three of whom also arrive off debut wins, so this is a race with some depth. However, Maho Bay’s victory looked the most visually impressive and he also stands out on breeding, which makes him very appealing.

17:20  Newmarket - Havana Pusey each-way @ 28/1

This looks a deep handicap with 18 runners set to go to post over seven furlongs, and it may go the way of John Gallagher, who runs his mare HAVANA PUSEY.

Havana Pusey was progressive last season, having started off a mark of 84. She won twice during the campaign, placed several other times, and finished the season 10lb higher.

She’ll likely need to produce a career-best performance to win this, but she improved throughout last season and delivered several personal bests. She’s a mare that has aged well and may still have a little more improvement to come.

With Betfred paying five places instead of four, she's a smashing each-way prospect.

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