Weekend Winners: Kate, Sam and Declan have their say on the Cambridgeshire, and all three agree on one thing only: that the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket is a race where nobody can agree. The trio — Kate Tracey, Sam Boswell and Declan Rix — met again ahead of Saturday’s feature Handicap to pick apart the field, and each came away convinced their horse is the one to beat.
The Cambridgeshire is a big-field handicap, with 27 runners expected to go to post. John Gosden, working alongside his son Thady, sends out Gavriel as the favourite. Gavriel is the leading light of the Gosden operation, and a win would extend the family’s record in the race to six successes. The Cambridgeshire is also known as the bet365 Cambridgeshire, named after the sponsor.
Hand Of God Draws First Blood
Declan Rix led off with a straight recommendation. He pointed to Hand Of God, a five-year-old who finished second behind the well-handicapped Raamee in a recent outing. Rix’s argument rests on a simple idea: class wins in this race.
“Don’t be afraid of horses towards the top of the handicap in this race with class coming to the fore in recent years,” he said.
Rix also noted that Hand Of God is enjoying his racing at the moment. The horse went a little cold last year, but has found form since. The nine-furlong distance suits him, as the race goes hard throughout. Rix thinks Hand Of God is a nice bet at a double-figure price.
Alcarath Carries Kate’s Trends
Kate Tracey took a different route. She brought back her Trends system for the Cambridgeshire, a tool she uses to find the horse that fits the numbers. For this race, the pattern points to a four-year-old with a rating between 102 and 109, drawn low.
The horse that matches those criteria is Alcarath, trained by Alan King. Alcarath wears first-time cheekpieces, which Tracey takes as a sign of intent. She also stressed the importance of a prominent runner in this style of race, noting that the winners of previous years tended to be positioned well early.
Tracey added that the draw has changed in recent years. The favourites in the race tend to be drawn badly, which means a low draw is a real advantage.
Spanish Voice Lands Sam’s Clutch
Sam Boswell admitted he was struggling to find a clear angle. He doesn’t match any of Kate’s trends, and he described his position as “clutching at straws in this competitive handicap.” His solution was to look for a horse who can control the pace, and Spanish Voice caught his eye.
Spanish Voice loves the course and the distance. The horse has been well fancied on starts on the turf, but has disappointed slightly in recent outings. Boswell believes this trip is within his remit, and he thinks Spanish Voice could go very well for Oisin Murphy.
Boswell framed his pick as a bet that could help Murphy in the Jockeys’ title chase.
The Field’s Other Names
The field includes plenty of other names worth watching. Nabati is mentioned alongside Arapaho Gold in the Mill Reef context. Plenty of jockeys like Saffie just need a chance.
The Cambridgeshire is a handicap, which means every horse carries a weight assigned by the handicapper.
A Race With Three Clear Paths
What stands out about this meeting is how different each angle is. Rix is targeting a top-weighted class horse. Tracey is trusting a rating system that picks a younger, lower-drawn runner. Boswell is chasing a pace-controlled ride from a jockey near the top of the standings.
None of the three experts are saying the others are wrong. They are simply picking the angle they believe in. That is the nature of handicapping, and the Cambridgeshire is a race that rewards confidence as much as it tests it.
The race runs at Newmarket on Saturday. The Gosden team will hope Gavriel can hold up. The three experts will be watching closely, each convinced their horse is the one to beat.
What We Know About the Cambridgeshire
- The Cambridgeshire is a feature Handicap at Newmarket, sponsored by bet365
- 27 runners are expected to go to post
- John Gosden and Thady Gosden send out Gavriel as the leading light
- Gavriel’s win would extend the Gosden family’s record to six successes
- Hand Of God is Declan Rix’s pick, at a double-figure price
- Alcarath is Kate Tracey’s Trends selection, trained by Alan King
- Spanish Voice is Sam Boswell’s choice, ridden by Oisin Murphy
The Experts’ Picks
- Declan Rix: Hand Of God
- Kate Tracey: Alcarath
- Sam Boswell: Spanish Voice
The Verdict on the Cambridgeshire
The Cambridgeshire is a race built for disagreement. Each expert brings a different approach, and each approach lands on a different horse. That is the beauty of horse racing: there is always a reason to believe.
Rix’s class play is bold. Tracey’s trend-based pick is methodical. Boswell’s pace call is practical. None of them are wrong by definition, because handicaps are about finding an edge, not proving one.
Saturday will settle this. One horse will win, and the losing experts will have to wait until next week to try again.
Source material: “Weekend Winners: Kate, Sam and Declan have their say on the Cambridgeshire,” Sky Sports.
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