Hopkins to silence his rivals
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However, it was contested by 27 runners and the safety limit has been reduced to 20 this time.
The nearest equivalent class-wise this season was the 30-runner Royal Hunt Cup, in which nine of the first 10 home raced on the far side.
They will probably come up in one group this afternoon and, given that the field will drift from the middle of the track to the far side, it could be that a patiently ridden, tough sort will prevail.
The winner will likely have run in a big-field handicap this season and it’s those we need to concentrate on.
Horses like Ayaar and Professor are regularly backed but seldom deliver, while Sacrificial — the only three-year-old in the field — is 13lb higher than when third in the Britannia.
John Gosden hit the bar in this contest 12 months ago with Maverick Wave and his GM HOPKINS ticks the boxes here.
He didn’t get the run of the race in the Cambridgeshire last time, but is still well treated on his Hunt Cup victory and is worth 2pts win at 11-1 in places.
Have the same bet on MUSADDAS, who was a close-up seventh at Newmarket last time out. The Saeed bin Suroor five-year-old is another one who will be putting in his best work late on — he’s 12-1 generally.