NEW CENTURY TO TAKE CRAVEN CROWN

By Tony Kelshaw, PA

With Andrew Balding's string in such good form, New Century gets the nod in the bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

The Kingsclere handler landed Saturday's Greenham Stakes at Newbury with Jonquil and will seek to strengthen his 2000 Guineas hand with this battle-hardened son of Kameko.

New Century struck three times from six starts as a juvenile, including a Grade One victory over Al Qudra at Woodbine in Canada, and finished off his two-year-old campaign with a creditable fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

The reopposing Aomori City may have dashed past late on to secure third spot at Del Mar but Oisin Murphy just encountered a bit of trouble in running at a crucial point between the final two furlongs on New Century, so it would be no surprise to see the tables turned.

Romantic Style is rated a rock-solid selection for the Blandford Bloodstock Abernant Stakes following a successful stint in Dubai.

Although an odds-on second to Choisya was initially viewed as disappointing, that victor has since franked the form by scoring twice more, most recently in Grade One company at Keeneland.

Connections expressed the view that Romantic Style's stamina was stretched by a mile and dropping back to six furlongs did the trick when she quickened up smartly to land a Listed contest on good to firm.

Charlie Appleby's filly has a Deauville triumph over Ramatuelle and Tamfana to her credit from last April which now reads really well and everything appears to be in place for her to kick on this term.

David O'Meara does not usually travel down from North Yorkshire to Newmarket just for a day out, so Dark Cloud Rising is of interest in the bet365 Handicap.

The son of Dark Angel has been gelded since showing promise as a juvenile and put in a very polished display when making all to score at Pontefract recently. Altareq appeals in the bet365 Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes, with Jim Crowley selecting this Frankel colt from two blue-blooded Shadwell homebreds. He is a full-brother to smart mare Al Asifah, who won her first two races before being a beaten favourite in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

At Cheltenham, all eyes will be on the trainers' championship battle between Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton and Classic Getaway can score for the Irish maestro in the feature Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned nine-year-old has never quite lived up to early expectations since beating Minella Cocooner on his debut over fences a few years back but did impress on his last run in February, when upsetting better-fancied stablemate Saint Sam in fine style at Gowran Park.

Nicky Henderson's East India Express is taken to return to winning ways in the Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle. Following an Ascot and Kempton double, he was sent off as the second favourite for the Martin Pipe race at the Festival here and ran well enough for a long way before just fading out late on to finish seventh.

Top tips for today’s UK meetings

TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

CHELTENHAM: Race 1: 14.30 Toad Hall, Race 2: 15.05 East India Express, Race 3: 15.40 Classic
Getaway, Race 4: 16.15 Mahland, Race 5: 16.50 Mr Hope Street, Race 6: 17.25 Java Point, Race
7: 18.00 Liverpool Knight.

BEVERLEY: Race 1: 14.40 Sioux Perfect, Race 2: 15.15 Grace Angel, Race 3: 15.50 Spirit Of
Applause, Race 4: 16.25 Adoon Valley, Race 5: 17.00 Lightening Mann, Race 6: 17.32 Marioento,
Race 7: 18.07 Seed Investor, Race 8: 18.37 Electric Avenue.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 14.50 Dark Cloud Rising, Race 2: 15.25 Altareq, Race 3: 16.00 Romantic
Style, Race 4: 16.35 NEW CENTURY (NAP), Race 5: 17.10 Stellenbosch, Race 6: 17.45 Spanish
Voice, Race 7: 18.20 Fifty Nifty.

FFOS LAS: Race 1: 17.37 Devon Dude, Race 2: 18.12 Kap Boy, Race 3: 18.45 Star Walking, Race
4: 19.15 A Moments Madness, Race 5: 19.45 Kado De Joie, Race 6: 20.15 Bampton Star, Race 7:
20.45 Just Aidan.

DOUBLE: Romantic Style and New Century (Newmarket, Races 3 and 4).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab.co.za