Horsebetting.com experts give their best bets for the three Listed contests on the eight-race card at Newmarket on Saturday, 3 November. Irish raider True Self is in the form of her life, so rates the NAP to complete the hat-trick in the 1m 2f James Seymour Stakes. Graffiti Master is a promising sort with some solid form in the book and is our next best bet in the 1m Ben Marshal Stakes. Vivid Diamond, meanwhile, makes plenty of each-way appeal in the 1m Montrose Fillies’ Stakes given her trainer’s good recent record in the race. For full details on these horses’ chances, read our in-depth preview with Newmarket betting tips for November 3.True Self taken to score again in James Seymour StakesIrish raider True Self is progressing at a rate of knots and was ultra impressive when scoring last time out, so looks worth a bet to follow-up in the Listed 1m 2f James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday (15:10). This Willie Mullins trained mare is a dual winner over hurdles who is unexposed on the level after just thee starts, winning twice.
After with stacks of promise when a 1 1/4 lengths runner-up to Cliffs Of Dooneen in a four-runner maiden at Bellewstown, the five-year-old went on to bolt up by by nine lengths from City Ballerina in an 11-runner maiden over 1m 4f at Cork. She travelled well throughout and, after taking up the running two from home, quickly asserted to forge clear and score with consummate ease.
It was a performance which suggested there more to come, and that view was confirmed when True Self took the step up into Listed company in her stride to land the 1m 6f Beckford Stakes at Bath in style. The daughter of Oscar travelled ominously well throughout in the the hands of Colin Keane and, after taking up the running two from home, drew readily clear under a hands and heels ride to easily beat Mistress Quickly by three lengths.
That impressive display earned True Self an 8lb rise in the weights and she now races in this similar grade affair off a mark of 101. That is 11lb lower than the top rated Air Pilot, but she receives 8lb from that one, so only has 4lb to find on adjusted ratings.
Given that Air Pilot is a thoroughly exposed six-year-old, it does not look insurmountable – especially give True Self’s upwardly mobile profile. Ground conditions are also ideal and the drop back to 1m 2f should not inconvenience her, judged on the way in which she travels through her races.
So, with Keane once again in the saddle, and Mullins operating at tremendous strike rate of 36 per cent in the last 14 days at the time of writing, True Self looks to hold leading claims of landing the hat-trick. She therefore had to feature as the best bet on the card in our Newmarket betting tips for November 3.Graffiti can prove the Master in Ben Marshall StakesIn the Listed 1m Ben Marshall Stakes (15:45), the lightly-raced and promising Graffiti Master looks worth a bet to land the spoils. Trained by John Gosden, this three-year-old has only had four starts and is has far more scope than his fully exposed five rivals.
The three-year-old son of Dubawi opened his juvenile account at the second time of asking last season when staying on strongly to win well by 1 3/4 lengths at Kempton, having lost ground when being carried wide rounding the home bend. He went on to round off the campaign with a solid four-length third of seven to Kew Gardens in a 1m 2f Listed contest here.
Graffiti Master was ridden to chase the winner a furlong from home before weakening late on and losing second near the finish to Dee Ex Bee. Given that Kew Gardens has gone on to land this year’s St Leger and Dee Ex Bee ran a stormer to finish runner-up to Masar in the Epsom Derby, the form has a rock solid look.
It was an effort which suggested there was some decent prizes to be won with Graffiti Master this season, but he has only had one run and has clearly not been the easiest to train. That came at this venue back in May where he raced at the head of affairs until weakening when headed approaching the final furlong to finish a three-length fourth of eight to Key Victory in a 1m 2f Listed affair.
Old Persian, who finished just over two lengths in front of him in second, has won three times since – including twice at Group 2 level – so the form once again reads well in the context of this contest. The decision by connections to drop Graffiti Master back in trip also looks a shrewd move, given how he has finished off the aforementioned races.
So, taking everything into account, Graffiti Master looks to have plenty going for him in this and thus rates our next best bet on a competitive eight-race card at flat racing’s headquarters.Vivid Diamond an each-way gemTrainer Mark Johnston has won two of the last six runnings of the Montrose Fillies Stakes, so his Vivid Diamond makes plenty of appeal in this year’s renewal of the Listed 1m contest (14:35). After shaping with promise when fifth on debut here, this well-bred daughter of Cape Cross out of a Hurricane Run mare duly showed the benefit of that experience when landing an 11-runner maiden at Nottingham last month.
Vivid Diamond looked far more streetwise and, after racing close-up with the pace, took up the running four from home. She then came under a ride two out and when pressed throughout the final furlong dug deep to hold off Ambling by a neck.
It was a really game effort and the pair pulled 3 1/2 lengths clear of the third home. Although the runner-up has been beaten since when finishing third at Doncaster when sent off favourite, there was nothing not to like about the attitude shown by Vivid Diamond to get the job done.
There is undoubtedly better still to come from her and the fact the she has winning form over the 1m trip of this is a plus. If it turns into a battle, Vivid Diamond also looks unlikely to shirk the issue judged on her win at Nottingham. So, in what looks a wide open Montrose, she had to be the each-way punt in our Newmarket betting tips for November 3.Your Next Bet
