Cambridgeshire: 'This has been his target' - Thady Gosden on stable's big hopes

Saturday: 3.40 Newmarket
bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap (Heritage Handicap) | 1m1f | 3yo+ | ITV4/RTV

John Gosden knows what it takes to win the Cambridgeshire with a Group horse in waiting – take future Prince of Wales's winner Lord North's victory in 2019 as exhibit A – and he and son Thady could have two candidates of the same ilk this year.

One-time Derby contender Uncle Bryn had been all the rage for this since returning to form at Ascot earlier this month, but has had his place at the top of the market usurped by Magical Morning following Frankie Dettori's decision to ride the four-year-old over his year-younger stablemate.

Magical Morning has already won Sandown's Coral Challenge this year and was a head away from adding another big prize in York's Clipper Logistics Handicap, but joint-trainer Thady Gosden does have some concerns about Dettori's mount.

He said: "Magical Morning has been running well lately but has plenty of weight and he wouldn't want the ground to be too lively. He's drawn high as is Uncle Bryn so we'll have to see if that's good or bad."

For Uncle Bryn, this is his main event of the campaign and a gelding operation seems to have done the trick after he was comprehensively beaten in the Dante.

Gosden said: "Robert Havlin gets on very well with Uncle Bryn so takes the ride and this has been his target for the second half of the season since he came back from a gelding operation in the summer. He handles fast ground so this surface should suit him."

'Chichester has done nothing wrong and hopefully this can be his big day'

If you don't have a Group-class horse up your sleeve, the next best thing you can ask for is a well-handicapped one. Step forward the Keith Dalgleish-trained Chichester, who is 9lb well in following an impressive win in Ayr's Kilkerren Cup last week.

Chichester has progressed nicely through the handicap ranks since having his first of 11 starts for Dalgleish in April, and is set to be reunited with jockey Hollie Doyle, who twice rode him last year for Sir Michael Stoute.

Having been 66-1 on Monday, Chichester's price plummeted after his spot in the race was confirmed and Doyle admits the prospect of riding such a buzz horse is hugely exciting, saying: "It's great to have a horse with such a good chance in the Cambridgeshire – I've not had something this good in it before. He bolted up at Ayr and is officially 9lb well in so that's a bonus and it takes a well-handicapped or a Group horse to win this.

"Hopefully we're not bumping into one of those Group horses with Magical Morning because we have seen some really good horses come out of this race."

Chichester carries just a 4lb penalty for his emphatic six-and-a-half-length win at Ayr, but if he is to follow up he will have to do so from stall ten, where he is drawn away from his main market rivals.

Doyle said: "I think the draw is okay, although the better-fancied horses are all drawn a long way away from me which could be an issue. He's done nothing wrong and hopefully this can be his big day. He's progressed through the ranks well and seems to be getting better with age."

What they say

Mike Prince, director of operations at Middleham Park Racing, owners of Marie's Diamond
He comes here in decent from and was a bit unlucky to get touched off at Ayr last weekend. He loves the Rowley Mile at Newmarket and the fast ground should suit him. It's a race where you need to have something up your sleeve and he's a lot more exposed than some of them, but he'll certainly run his race.

Marcus Tregoning, trainer of Power Of Darkness
He's in very good form. He's getting on a bit, but he hasn't been heavily raced and I think the ground and trip should be alright. It's been in my mind that he could come back here and the pace they'll go will suit.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Fantastic Fox and Good Birthday
Conditions look ideal for Fantastic Fox. A slow gallop in his last two races hasn't suited and, as a result, he pulled too hard. The stronger pace here should show him in a much better light. Good Birthday was third in the Cambridgeshire two years ago. He's been in good form this season, and I could see him being thereabouts at the finish.

Michael O'Callaghan, trainer of Fastnet Crown
He had been sharpening up all the time at home with quick horses this year so we dropped him back to six furlongs when winning at the Curragh. I don't think he'll have any trouble staying a mile and one [furlong], though. He looked as though he'd stay even further when winning his maiden over a mile at Dundalk. Nice ground will suit him well and he's entitled to be here.

Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell, owners of Anmaat and Montather
Anmaat ran very well the other day at Doncaster. It was an impressive performance and he won like an improving horse. This is a step up in grade, but he travelled well there and William Buick said he had plenty of pace to drop back a furlong. It's a big call to go here as a three-year-old, but he's a nice horse. Montather is a talented horse if not the most straightforward. He certainly retains his ability from his homework and if the race is run to suit him then he should put in a decent effort.

Donnacha O'Brien, trainer of Zozimus
He was disappointing when I thought he'd run well at Irish Champions Weekend but I think this track and trip should suit him fine. It's obviously a very tough race to win, but hopefully he'll run well.

Saturday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Superlative Stakes form gets tested as Masekela lines up in the Royal Lodge

2.25 Newmarket: 'I wouldn't change her for anything' – key quotes for the Cheveley Park Stakes

2.30 Curragh: exciting O'Brien juvenile Luxembourg set to show star promise in Beresford test

3.00 Newmarket: Perfect Power renews rivalry with familiar foes in top-class Middle Park

4.10 Curragh: Art Power bids for another lucrative Irish raid in Group 3 Renaissance Stakes

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