15:35 Newmarket

Wednesday 16 April 2025

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

bet365 Craven Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 1m 39.26s

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(4)

Aomori City¹⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 113

9/1

Won the Group 2 Vintage at Goodwood (7f, good to firm) last summer and ended his 2-y-o campaign with an excellent ¾-length third of 12 to Henri Matisse in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar (1m, firm). William Buick seemingly prefers him to Opera Ballo.

Form: 13143-

(5)

Benevento¹⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: D Egan| T: Raphael Freire| OR: 104

20/1

7f Doncaster listed winner at 2 but his form is only useful and it's likely he'll find at least the odd one too strong now stepping up to 1m for his reappearance.

Form: 1214-

(6)

Field Of Gold¹⁹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K Shoemark| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 109

10/3

Raced only 7f last year, seeing off the reopposing Matauri Bay to win the Group 3 Solario at Sandown (good to firm) at the end of August. Improved again when 2 lengths fourth of 9 to Camille Pissarro in Group 1 at Longchamp (good to soft) final start. Will stay 1m and likely to progress again at 3.

Form: 3114-

(9)

Matauri Bay¹⁷¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: H Crouch| T: R M Beckett| OR: 106WS

16/1

Left his debut winning form well behind when second to Field of Gold in the Solario at Sandown (7f, good) 3 weeks later. Presumably unsuited by much softer ground when well beaten in 1m French Group 1 on final start. Has had wind surgery.

Form: 126-

(2)

New Century¹⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 110| D

9/2

Salisbury listed winner who bagged a Woodbine Grade 1 (1m, firm) last autumn before finishing a place behind the reopposing Aomori City when 2 lengths fourth to Henri Matisse in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar (1m, firm again). Stable won the Greenham on Saturday.

Form: 412114-

(3)

Opera Ballo⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 106| D

7/2

Winner of maiden and conditions event over 1m at Kempton this year, easily seeing off some useful opposition latterly. Buick seemingly prefers Aomori City but this son of Ghaiyyath still looks a really exciting prospect.

Form: 11

(8)

The Waco Kid^t¹⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Tom Marquand| T: H Palmer| OR: 109| C

22/1

Took his form up a notch with 7f course Group 3 success (heavy) last autumn but well behind a couple of these in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on final start. Probably vulnerable on reappearance.

Form: 154310-

(7)

The Watcher⁶⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 89

33/1

Has looked a useful prospect when winning a pair of AW novices this winter. More to come but big chunk of improvement will be required to remain unbeaten pitched in at the deep end on turf debut.

Form: 1-1

(1)

Wimbledon Hawkeye¹⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Davies| T: James Owen| OR: 114| CD

7/2

Second to The Lion In Winter in Acomb at York (good to firm) before winning the Royal Lodge over C&D (good to soft) in September. Not in the same form when 4¾ lengths third in Group 1 Futurity at Doncaster (1m, heavy) on final start but could bounce back with a bang on reappearance.

Form: 13213-

Forecasts

Field Of Gold (10/3), Wimbledon Hawkeye (7/2), Opera Ballo (7/2), New Century (9/2), Aomori City (9/1), Matauri Bay (16/1), Benevento (20/1), The Waco Kid (22/1), The Watcher (33/1)

This looks a good Craven. James Owen continues in red-hot form so WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE might be the way to go but he faces some strong opposition. Field of Gold, Aomori City and New Century all made an impact in top 2-y-o events abroad last autumn, while the other Godolphin runner Opera Ballo has created a really good impression when bolting up twice on Kempton's polytrack.