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Betfred Offers £100,000 Autumn Double Bonus as Entries Revealed for Historic Heritage Handicaps 17/08/11
Betfred will generously award a fantastic £100,000 bonus to any stable that wins both legs of the historic Autumn Double, the £160,000 Betfred Cambridgeshire and the £160,000 Betfred Cesarewitch, at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse.
Strong entries for both races are revealed today, Wednesday 17th August, with 158 horses engaged in the nine-furlong Betfred Cambridgeshire (4.15pm), to be staged on Saturday 24th September, and 115 entered for the two and a quarter-mile Betfred Cesarewitch (4.15pm) on Saturday, October 8th.
The 158 entries for the Betfred Cambridgeshire mark an increase of 44 on the 114 entered in 2010. These include several exciting international raiders with five from Ireland and a pair from Germany trained by Mario Hofer in the shapes of Combat Zone, third in the Internationales Super Handicap at Hoppegarten last month, and recent Deauville winner Ideology.
The Betfred Cesarewitch has attracted 33 more entries than last year with nine of those trained in Ireland, two in France and one in Germany. The Francois Doumen-trained Diamond Boy was second to Americain in a Deauville Listed contest last time while German raider Lacateno was runner-up in a similar contest at the same track on July 29.
Betfred is sponsoring both races for the first time and should any stable land the lucrative bonus being offered, the prize will be split so that the trainer receives £50,000 and the yard’s staff share the remaining £50,000.
Betfred chairman Fred Done said: "The Betfred Cambridgeshire and Betfred Cesarewitch are two of the most historic handicaps in the turf calendar and I'm delighted to be sponsoring both races for the first time this year.
"I hope that the £100,000 bonus will give trainers a real incentive to aim their very best horses at the two races and make this year's renewal of both the Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch the best in recent memory."
The last trainer to win both races in a season was Sam Darling in 1925, who saddled Forseti to win the Cesarewitch having already taken that year’s Cambridgeshire with Masked Marvel.
The Roger Varian-trained Mijhaar, fourth to Nathaniel in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, has been installed as Betfred’s 8/1 favourite for the Betfred Cambridgeshire, while the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Tuscan Gold is the sponsor’s current 10/1 market leader for the Betfred Cesarewitch.
John Gosden saddled back-to-back winners of the Betfred Cambridgeshire in 2007 and 2008 with Pipedreamer and Tazeez respectively. The Newmarket handler had previously scored with subsequent champion Halling in 1994.
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Malton-based trainer Brian Ellison has entered 10 of his charges for the Betfred Cambridgeshire, notably Saptapadi who was fifth to Twice Over in a Group Two race at York last month and the useful hurdler Ultimate. Ellison’s eight entries for the Betfred Cesarewitch are headed by the talented hurdlers, Bothy and Neptune Equester.
Tony Martin took the Betfred Cambridgeshire in 1999 with She’s Our Mare and the 2007 Cesarewitch with Leg Spinner. He has entered Pires for the former while Buy Back Bob could represent in the latter.
Among the notable entries for the Betfred Cambridgeshire are the Hughie Morrison-trained (successful with Supaseus in 2009) Britannia Stakes victor Sagramor and the Marcus Tregoning-trained Boom And Bust who took the totesport Mile at Glorious Goodwood from the Roger Charlton-trained Proponent, with Pintura, trained by David Simcock, back in third.
Charlton, who won the race with Cap Juluca (1995) and Blue Monday (2005), could also saddle London Gold Cup winner Al Kazeem and Glorious Goodwood winner Cry Fury, while he has the improving Brown Jack Handicap victor Keys entered for the Betfred Cesarewitch.
Sir Mark Prescott has triumphed three times in the Betfred Cambridgeshire (1988 Quinlan Terry, 1997 Pasternak & 2003 Chivalry) and has entered the progressive Tenby Lady, while Tuscan Gold could bid to give him a first Betfred Cesarewitch success.
It is 35 years since Intermission gave Sir Michael Stoute victory in the Cambridgeshire and the trainer has entered Labarinto, 10/1 second-favourite with sponsor Betfred. The three-year-old landed a 10-furlong handicap at Glorious Goodwood on July 28.
The soon to retire Barry Hills has entered Maqaraat, while John Dunlop has engaged impressive recent Haydock winner Mahareb. Both are owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum.
Looking more closely at the Betfred Cesarewitch, Dermot Weld took the race with subsequent Melbourne Cup hero Vintage Crop in 1992 and the Irish handler could be aiming Rainforest Magic at the £100,000 bonus should either Stunning View or Rock Critic have already triumphed in the Betfred Cambridgeshire.
Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered a quintet for the Betfred Cesarewitch that consists of Group Three Queen’s Vase fourth Regent Street, Admiral Of The Red, Apache, Long Live The King and Nantucket Bay.
Aaim To Prosper prevailed in 2010 for trainer Brian Meehan, while Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor could saddle Darley Sun, successful in the 2009 Cesarewitch when trained by David Simcock.
The Andrew Balding-trained Whiplash Willie landed a brace when winning at Glorious Goodwood last month, while the John Dunlop-trained Swingkeel won the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
The Queen’s Tactician, trained by Michael Bell, won the Listed John Smith’s Silver Cup at York on July 9 and is an interesting Betfred Cesarewitch entry alongside another Royal contender, Lingfield maiden winner Wayward Glance.
Others of note for the second leg of the Autumn Double are the David Pipe-trained Mamlook, Beyond, Big Occasion and Tasheba, while Nicky Henderson, successful in the race with Landing Light (2003) and Caracciola (2008), has entered Sentry Duty and Ascot Stakes winner Veiled. Micky Hammond could rely on Goodwood Stakes victor Hollins.
Noel Meade has entered top class hurdler Donnas Palm, while Ian Williams has engaged Shergar Cup Stayers’ winner Ile De Re and Petara Bay could line up for Robert Mills having landed the Summer Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time.
Mark Johnston has engaged nine in pursuit of a third Betfred Cesarewitch success to follow Spirit Of Love (1998) and Contact Dancer (2004), including Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes winner Fox Hunt. Johnston also has six entries for the Betfred Cambridgeshire with Jutland leading the Middleham trainer’s pursuit of Betfred’s £100,000 bonus.
