14:25 Newmarket - European Free Handicap (Listed Race) - Hey Jonsey 0.5pt ew - 5/1
It’s day 2 of the Craven meeting from Newmarket this afternoon there’s some excellent racing on offer with two group 3 races and a listed race. Away from HQ there is a cracking national Hunt card at Cheltenham where Harry Fry will be looking to claim the Grade 2 Barchester Healthcare Silver Trophy for the third year running! There’s also two flat meetings for the purist this evening from Kempton and Dundalk, all in all we should be set for a cracking days racing.
Catching my eye this afternoon is a horse trained by Kevin Ryan called HEY JONSEY (5/1). This three-year-old colt put in some smart performances last year. His debut came at Carlisle over 6f where he was beaten by a nose before going on to York to win a Class 3 over the same distance on good-to-soft ground.
This son of Excelebration then stepped up in grade for his next start and was sent off 3/1 fav in a 19 runner yearling stakes at York where he finished third to the winner Tangled. On the back of those performances he was then sent to line up in the grade 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. He took a keen hold on that race and had every chance in the final stages but was outpaced in the final furlong by The Aidan O’Brien pairing of Tangled and Fleet Review.
Despite the fact that Hey Jonsey has only raced over 6 furlongs on all four of his career starts to date, I’m confident that he should see today’s trip out. Kevin Ryan’s horses tend to come on very well from age 2-3 and Hey Jonsey’s is bred from a family of horses that have raced up to a mile. He’s been well supported in the market this morning and has been pushed into favourite over the what looks the main danger in the race Charlie Hills’, Nebo. Currently priced at 5/1 hey Jonsey looks a cracking each way bet and if he delivers this afternoon, there’s no reason to say that he can’t go on to line up in the 2000 guineas in a few weeks time.
