Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Progressive Charlton colt the one to be on at Newmarket
The big betting race at Newmarket on Saturday is the Cambridgeshire Handicap (15:35), a 1m 1f contest for three-year-old and upwards.
Tempus is ultra-progressive and may be ahead of his mark, so looks a worthy favourite to land the spoils.
This Roger Charlton trained four-year-old improved with each outing last season when winning two of his three starts.
He then overcame a lengthy absence of 302 days to make a winning return to action at Newbury last month when awarded the race in the stewards’ room.
Tempus got badly hampered and carried right by first past the post Overwrite when coming with a powerful run inside the final furlong and then rallied strongly to go down by a diminishing head.
The decision to give him the race was the correct one. Tempus has since followed-up in fine style at Ascot when landing a gamble in facile fashion off a 2lb higher rating of 91.
Group horse masquerading as handicapper
After tracking the leaders travelling ominously well, the son of Classic winner Kingman took up the running at the furlong marker and quickened nicely to easily beat Walhann by 1 1/2 lengths.
The runner-up, to whom he was conceding 3lb, went into the race on the back of a solid eighth of 17 to Monatham in a hot handicap at York, while the third home that day Top Rank went on to land a Group 3 next time up.
It gives the form a solid look. The way in which Tempus beat that rival with consummate ease suggested that he was group horse masquerading as a handicapper.
If that is the case, then he looks potentially chucked in at the weights under a 4lb penalty off 97 – especially as he is a lightly-raced sort who remains open to bags more improvement.
Jockey Jason Watson is also three form five on him and the trip and ground are ideal. There is simply nothing not to like about the profile of Tempus and, at odds of 6/1 with Bet365, he thus looks very much the one to be on.
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In a race where a case can be made for plenty of the 29 runners set to go to post, Bell Rock looks primed for a big run under Oisin Murphy.
After winning his sole start as a juvenile, this Andrew Balding trained four-year-old was highly-tried last season when competing in two Listed contests and the Group 1 St James’s Place Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He failed to hit the frame in any of those contests, but resumed winning ways on return at action here over 1m back in June when dropped into handicap company and staying on strongly to get up close home and beat Ouzo by a neck.
Bell Rock got put up 5lb for that and ran very well of his revised rating of 103 when sixth of 23 to Dark Vision in the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile at Ascot.
After being held-up in mid-division, this other son of Kingman made good headway to chase the leaders two from home before keeping on at the one pace to be beaten 6 1/2 lengths.
Bell Rock has since finished a solid staying of five-length third of 18 to Maydanny at Glorious Goodwood off the same rating.
He is able to race in the Cambridgeshire Handicap off an unchanged mark. The drop back to 1m 1f in a race which is traditionally run at a strong end-to-end gallop looks sure to suit.
Bell Rock has also bagged what looks potentially a decent draw is stall 24, next door to market leader Tempus in 23, and underfoot conditions are ideal.
Murphy has also won twice and been placed once on him in six starts, so Bell Rock makes plenty of each-way appeal at 14/1 with William Hill who pay six places.
Fifth Position another each-way Cambridgeshire Handicap contender
The Roger Varian trained Fifth Position is another that looks well worth considering from an each-way betting perspective at the 18/1 on offer with BetVictor, who pay five places.
This four-year-old shaped with stacks of promise on debut when a tenderly handled fourth of 13 to Fox Chairman in a warm maiden at Newbury.
He showed the benefit of that experience when landing a nine-runner novice contest over 1m at Nottingham where he stayed on gamely to get the better of Space Blues by a head.
The pair pulled five lengths clear of the third home and Space Blues has won six times since, including a Group 1 last time out, to be rated 120. That gives the form a very strong look.
Fifth Position backed that up with a solid a 2 1/2 lengths third to Private Secretary in a 1m 3f Listed contest at Goodwood.
The son of Dark Angel also ran well in this 12 months ago when eighth of 30 to Lord North off a mark of 100.
Fifth Position has had six starts this year, finishing a promising third on return to action at Newcastle before forging clear late to win going away by a length from Anythingtoday at Doncaster.
He then finished a fine four-length third of 22 to Sinjaari in the John Smith’s Cup at York off his current rating of 104 when not getting the clearest of runs.
Fifth Position now meets the winner on 8b better terms, so looks overpriced in relation to William Haggas’ charge who is a 7/1 shot for this.
He also hails from an in-form yard which does well with it’s runners in Heritage Handicaps like this.
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