This season’s renewal of the Cesarewitch Handicap is just a month away and our ante-post betting market is already getting busy. Let’s take a look at some of the horses most-likely to win this famous old race…
Heartbreak City
The 6-year-old French gelding has won 4 of his last 5 races and may well start the race as favourite. A 4-length victory in the York Ebor underlined his class and did no harm to the profile of Adam McNamara, who was on-board the Lando-sired runner.
Starchitect
This Sea The Stars 5-year-old has returned to winning ways for David Pipe and looks a major threat. Victory at Newton Abbot was followed by a comfortable win at Salisbury, where he fully justified his short-price in the betting.
St Michel
Sir Mark Prescott’s 3-year-old is another of Sea The Stars progeny and he’s won 4 of his last 6 encounters. He hung badly to left, last time out at Goodwood, but rallied well to hold off a strong challenge from Oriental Fox.
Others In Contention
There are many others that have the capability to go close with a run, including Oceane, Quick Jack, Sea Of Heaven, Magic Circle, Sweet Selection, Pyromaniac, Golden Spear, Antiquarium and Qewy.
The likes of Blue Rambler, Montaly, The Graduate, Teak and She Is No Lady will be of interest to each-way backers, also.
Notable Past Winners Of The Cesarewitch
The Cesarewitch was inaugurated in the same year as the Cambridgeshire Handicap (1839) and the two races combine to make up what is referred to as the Autumn Double.
The Cesarewitch Handicap is run over the Rowley Mile and is a stayers fixture. The race distance is two miles and two furlongs. The runners and riders travel in a right-handed direction and horses must be at least three years of age.
The purse is a quarter of a million pounds, with just over half that amount going to the owner of the winning horse. The Cesarewitch Handicap takes place in October, towards the end of the British flat season. The 2015 renewal was won by a horse called Grumetti, which won at odds of 50/1!
The 2006 winner was a very good American grey gelding called Detroit City. Out of a dam called Seattle Victory, he was sired by Kingmambo, a winner of the Prix Djebel (1993), the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1993), the St. James’s Palace Stakes (1993) and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1993).
Detroit City was owned by Terry Warner and foaled in the Spring of 2002. His major wins included the Triumph Hurdle (2006), the Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle (2006), the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (2006), the International Hurdle (2006) and the Agfa Hurdle.
Following a number of medical problems, Detroit City finally died on the track and in the arms of jockey Richard Johnson. The horse had suffered a heart attack.
Pat Eddery rode the Nicky Henderson-trained Landing Light to victory in 2003. The Irish Ballymacoll Stud-bred bay gelding was out of a dam called Gay Hellene. His sire was In The Wings (Sadler’s Wells), a winner of the Prix de Vineuil (1988), the Prix du Haras de la Huderie (1988), the Prix du Prince d’Orange (1989), the Coronation Cup (1990), the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1990), the Prix Foy (1990) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (1990).
Landing Light was still racing as an eight year-old, before he was forced to retire. His other biggest wins were the Tote Gold Trophy (2001), the Championship Hurdle (2001), the Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2001) and the Christmas Hurdle (2001).
Another top-quality winner was the aptly named Vintage Crop. He was trained by Dermot Weld and owned by Dr Michael Smurfit. The British chestnut gelding was sired by Rousillon and his dam was called Overplay.
After winning in 1992, as a five year-old, he went on to score in the Curragh Cup (1993, 1995), the Irish St. Leger (1993, 1994), the Melbourne Cup (1993), the Saval Beg Stakes (1994) and the Ballycullen Stakes (1995).
