Horse racing news: Archivist and More Thunder best-handicapped in York, Newmarket contests
William Haggas’s duo of handicap hotpots have been given another boost ahead of Saturday, with Timeform revealing that Archivist and More Thunder are the best-handicapped horses in the John Smith’s Cup and Bunbury Cup, respectively.
Archivist chasing history
The sole three-year-old in the John Smith’s Cup field, Archivist (118p), gets a generous weight-for-age allowance and has taken his form to new heights this season, standing out like a sore thumb on handicap debut when landing odds of 6/4-on over a mile at this course two weeks ago.
The manner of that success, along with his pedigree – by Dubawi out of a smart mare who stayed a mile-and-a-quarter – strengthens the view that he will be even better now stepping up to middle distances, and the Timeform ‘small p’ attached to his rating highlights he’s open to further improvement.
However, you have to go back to Wigmore Hall in 2010 to find the last three-year-old winner of the John Smith’s Cup, and there have only been three in total this century.
Regardless, it is set to be another fiercely competitive renewal of the valuable mile-and-a-quarter handicap, with just 3 lb separating the first 10 of 19 horses declared.
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Competition remains high
Archivist is closely followed in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by See That Storm, who also has the Timeform ‘small p’ attached to his rating (117p).
He completed a four-timer on his return at Redcar in May and has progressed further in defeat the last two times, filling the runner-up spot twice.
See That Storm was also well backed when runner-up to a pattern performer in a handicap over this course and distance last month.
He beat Paddy the Squire comfortably on that occasion and is sure to be popular again if able to race from the same mark. (He’s due to be 2 lb higher in future races.)
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Ratings highlight leaders
Andrew Asquith of Timeform said: “Both Archivist and See That Storm look well-handicapped horses, so it’s no surprise they are towards the head of the betting.
“It might not be as easy as the betting suggests for Archivist, though, given the record of three-year-olds in the race, and Fox Legacy, who isn’t far behind on ratings (116), seems sure to be suited by this step back up in trip.
“He looked well ahead of his mark on his return and first start for Andrew Balding at Newmarket and was well supported for the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last month.
“Fox Legacy fared best of those who raced in the middle group on that occasion and was coming back at those around him at the line.
“He still looks a well-handicapped horse and his strong-travelling style will be tailor-made for this test around a flat, galloping track like York.”
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Bunbury Cup favourite
William Haggas is also responsible for the favourite in the bet365 Bunbury Cup at Newmarket on Saturday in the shape of More Thunder.
He has proved a revelation since joining Haggas and dropped markedly back in trip this season, having won over a mile and a quarter for Sir Michael Stoute last year.
More Thunder won his first two starts for Haggas over six furlongs on the Rowley Course at Newmarket, each time proving very strong at the finish, and he was a big eyecatcher when only narrowly failing to get up in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot last month after being around six lengths adrift entering the final furlong.
That run strongly suggested that the step up to seven furlongs would be perfect for him and, racing from the same mark, in what doesn’t look the strongest renewal of the Bunbury Cup, with only 13 runners, he will be very hard to beat on known form.
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