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Cosimo de Medici
Medici set to make Cesarewitch line-up
The Hughie Morrison-trained Cosimo de Medici looks set to make the list of starters for the Betfred Cesarewitch at Newmarket on October 8 having landed the Cesarewitch Trial Handicap last week over course and distance, picking up a penalty in the process that should all but ensure he is high enough in the weights to make the starting line up for the famous marathon event, writes Elliot Slater.
Morrison had been particularly keen to incur the 4lb penalty without which it would have been distinctly borderline that Cosimo de Medici would gain a place in the contest, and the plan to win the trial race worked out perfectly. Held up towards the rear of the 14-strong field under Robert Havlin, the four-year-old gelding made eye-catching headway just over three furlong from home to move in behind the leaders, then quickened up readily to lead two furlongs out. Driven inside the distance, the son of Medicean stuck to his guns and held on readily to defeat Dark Ranger by a length. Anyone following the Betfair horseracing betting will have been impressed.
Cosimo de Medici has really come 'into his own' this season since being stepped up in trip having failed to score last turf season at distances around 12 furlongs. His win at Newmarket was his third this term and came hot on the heels of an impressive success on the July course where Morrison's charge ploughed through testing ground to readily account for the fair sort Downhiller, on soft ground. Proven on virtually any going and clearly in tremendous heart at present, bookmakers have cut the progressive stayer to as short as 10/1 in the horse betting odds, although 16/1 can still be found for shopping around.
Nicky Henderson's Veiled and the Roger Charlton-trained Keys currently head the ante-post market for the Betfred Cesarewitch at odds of 10/1.
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