Golden Spear is on a handy mark and and with some bookmakers paying eight places makes plenty of each-way appeal at 22/1 in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket today (3.40).
Tony Martin’s seven-year-old is a a useful dual purpose performer who s last successful on the level at Leopardstown back in October 2016 when landing the valuable 23-runner November Handicap at Leopardstown where he stayed on strongly to beat subsequent 2017 Ebor winner Nakeeta by 1/2 a length off a mark of 87.
Golden Spear has since run well on numerous occasions in decent hurdle contests and was also far from disgraced three starts back when a keeping on 3 1/2 lengths sixth of 13 to St Stephen’s Green in a 2m handicap on the flat at the Curragh off a mark of 90.
He is able to race in this off 4lb lower and his revised rating of 86 means that he is now below his last winning mark.
It gives him every chance from a handicapping perspective and altough beaten 10 lengths when runner-up to Stars Over The Sea the winner was enterprisingly ridden and soon 20 lengths clear whilst Golden Spear was held-up miles off the pace.
The whole field allowed Stars Over The Sea too much rope and never had any chance of making up the leaway. So given that Golden Spear was not given a hard time but stuck to the task nicely to finish second he shaped better than the bare result suggests.
Golden Spear also ran well in this two years ago when fifth off his current mark and another bold showing looks on the cards.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Golden Spear (22/1 Sky Bet, William Hill – BOG, 1/5 odds eight places)