The 2018 Noel Murless Stakes betting tips given by Horsebetting.com say the Charlie Appleby trained Ghostwatch, a progressive three-year-old, is the one to be on in the Listed 1m 6f feature contest at Ascot on Friday, 5 October. Mekong registered a wide-margin victory last time out, so is feared most in a competitive renewal. Trainer John Gosden has a good recent record in the race and his Sevanna Star is another with claims now dropped in class. Read our in-depth 2018 Noel Murless Stakes betting tips preview for full details on these horses’ chances.Ghostwatch the one to be on in Noel Murless StakesGhostwatch has a progressive profile and looks worth a bet to notch another success in the feature race at Ascot on Friday, the Listed 1m 6f Noel Murless Stakes (15:35), now stepped back up in trip. This Charlie Appleby trained gelding has won three of his seven starts this season and also made the frame on several occasions.
In the last of those successes at York, the three-year-old landed valuable 16-runner Melrose Handicap over this distance in fine style. The son of Dubawi travelled strongly throughout and, after taking into the lead two furlongs from home, only had to be ridden out by William Buick to readily beat Supernova by half-a-length.
Ghostwatch scored with real authority and has since run a cracker off 6lb higher when second of 10 to First Eleven in the 1m 4f Lavazza Stakes Heritage Handicap at this venue. After taking up the running two from home, he had no answer to the winner’s turn of foot inside the last, but stuck to the task well to be beaten two lengths.
It was a fine effort in trying to give 1lb to the well-regarded First Eleven, who had some strong form to his name in hot handicaps going into the race, especially as Ghostwatch seemed unsuited by the drop back in trip. The extra two furlongs in this is sure to play to his strengths, as he‘s won twice and been placed once in four starts over 1m 6f.
Forecast underfoot conditions are also ideal and Buick, who gets a great tune out of hims, is once again in the saddle. The yard also continues to be among the winners, so there is nothing not to like about the profile of Ghostwatch. He looks well worth a crack at this level and we therefore had no hesitation in making him the main selection in our 2018 Noel Murless Stakes betting tips.Mekong the main dangerMekong finished just 1 3/4 lengths behind Ghostwatch when fourth in the aforementioned Melrose Handicap. He has work to do to turn around the form as he is now 1lb worse off at the weights, but the Sir Michael Stoute trained son of Frankel has since run out an impressive wide-margin winner at Haydock, so looks the obvious danger.
The three-year-old tore apart a seven-runner field at the Merseyside venue when slamming Natural History by seven lengths in the hands of Ryan Moore. Despite racing keenly in the early stages, Mekong forged clear from the two marker to win with consummate ease. The front two pulled a further eight lengths clear of the third home and it was a dazzling display.
That success came over the 1m 6f trip of this and Mekong has now won two of his three starts at that distance. Although his victory at Haydock came on bottomless going, Mekong also has proven form on quick ground – so a return to a faster surface is unlikely to be an issue.
He looks a typical improver from the Stoute yard and an exciting young staying prospect who should have plenty more to offer. This is by far the stiffest task Mekong has faced to date, but he undoubtedly has the potential to make up into a pattern performer.
Mekong is also rated 1lb higher than Ghostwatch (102) and receives 5lb from the 107 top-rated Sevenna Star. It means that there is very little to split the trio and Mekong is clearly going the right way. So, with Moore once again in the plate, he looks sure to make a bold bid to follow-up and is feared most.Sevenna Star out to enhance Gosden’s recordTrainer John Gosden has won two of the last five runnings of the race courtesy of Nichols Canyon (2013) and Mill Springs (2015). He saddles Sevenna Star, who now drops in grade and is therefore another with claims in what is a competitive renewal of the Noel Murless.
This lightly-raced three-year-old colt who has won two of his six starts and finished in the frame on as many occasions. After opening his account with a runaway 14-length success on seasonal reappearance at Windsor, Sevenna Star showed a good attitude to follow-up in a Group 3 over 1m 2f at Sandown when digging deep for pressure to beat Ispolini by a short-head.
The third home Hunting Horn has gone on to land a Group 3 before finishing an excellent short-head second last time out in the Group 2 Prix Niel at Longchamp, so that gives the form a solid look in the context of this lower grade contest. Although Sevenna Star has been well-beaten in two subsequent starts, they have been in The Derby at Epsom and the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
This represents a return to much calmer waters and his official rating of 107 is the highest in the line-up. The son of Redoute’s Choice does have to give weight away all-round, but appeals as the type that may have more to offer and is one from two under jockey Frankie Dettori.
So, taking everything into account, Sevenna Star looks to have plenty going for him and is going to be very hard to keep out of the frame at least. Thus he features as the each-way punt in our 2018 Noel Murless Stakes betting tips.Your Next Bet
