Dave Massey is back for The Craven Meeting 2026; read his latest Newmarket Tips exclusively for kwiff.

Hot Newmarket Tips: Craven Meeting 2026

The market has already worked out what a great chance Double Rush has on debut for Andrew Balding. He looked a horse to follow at the start of last season, winning on seasonal reappearance at Wolverhampton and following up here at Newmarket (good ground). For all he didn’t win again, he ran well in competitive handicaps at York and Hamilton but the suspicion is we haven’t seen the best of him yet. A move to Balding from Charlie Hills might work the oracle. 

Newmarket Tips: Humam (1.50)

At a much bigger price, have a look at Humam, who might have the best of the draw to work form in stall 1 (the use the far side course today, and the rails are on the far side too). He has the speed to lead these and could grab an advantageous rails position. For all he didn’t win in four starts for Stuart Williams last year (had been with Andrew Balding) he ran well in good company, and he does stay 7f, so has a bit more stamina than a few of these. He could be hard to catch if Marco Ghiani can ping him out in front. 

Newmarket Tips: Bourbon Blues (2:25)

As ever with 3yo races at this time of the year, paddock inspection will be vital to see what’s fit, what’s not, and more importantly what’s progressed physically over the winter. It makes putting up a selection tricky, but the one that looks a bit overpriced on the early shows is Brian Meehan’s Bourbon Blues (2.25). 

He took a bit of time to hit top form as a 2yo, for all he won second start at Brighton, but there was little wrong with his two runs in the autumn, beaten a head by Explosion over ten furlongs here, and off the back of that, was only just touched off in the G3 Prix Thomas Byron at Chantilly on his final start, splitting the Godolphin pair in the process. The assumption seems to be that, as he’s already had eight starts, there won’t be as much improvement to come as some of the once- and twice-raced opponents, but I think that’s a dangerous assumption to make. A shame we haven’t the eight runners, 

Newmarket Tips: Boiling Point (3:00)

Damysus remains fairly unexposed after just the six starts and if fit and ready to go, might be the one to beat, but Boiling Point’s (3.00) Cambridgeshire win here looks a better piece of form than anything Damysus has shown so far, and after a run on the all-weather this spring, he should be fit fot this. 

And it was a solid run too, not beaten far in a bunch finish for the Winter Derby at Lingfield, perhaps just finding the tenth furlong stretching his stamina a bit too far. In a race lacking any pace, there’s no reason for Clifford Lee not to pop out and make all here, as he did in the Cambridgeshire, and with drying ground ideal, he looks the value option. 

Newmarket Tips: America Queen (3:35)

 I think the horse with the most potential in this field is Inis Mor, twice a winner at Newmarket on the July Course and an excellent second to Cape Orator at Longchamp on her final start of the season at Loingchamp. The worry today is the drop back to seven furlongs, as she already looks like a mile is her minimum trip already (and will want further this season) and that makes this a tricky race to have a bet in. 

America Queen (3.35) looked a good prospect when scoring at Haydock on her debut in July and she improved on that, despite not winning again, when second to Royal Fixation in the Lowther and fourth in the Cheveley Park on her final start of the year. The question is whether she’s an out-and-out sprinter and a seventh furlong will suit, but she stuck well to the task at both York and Newmarket and is worth giving a chance to today.

By Dave Massey

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