Betting at Newmarket: Trainers and Jockeys to Follow This Summer

Often referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing, Newmarket is one of the most recognisable sporting venues in the UK. High quality flat racing events are held at the track each summer, and in 2020, there are a number of big meetings pencilled in for June and July. With both afternoon and evening cards being staged at the course until late October, there are ample opportunities for punters to get involved, and we take a look at some of the key names to keep an eye on over the coming months. 

Ralph Beckett 

Beckett has enjoyed plenty of success at the Suffolk track in recent years, and finished the 2019 season in profit. If you’d backed all of the Andover-based trainer’s runners at Newmarket last year to a £1 stake, you’d have ended the campaign over £40 in profit. He enjoyed several memorable moments including Max Vega’s victory in the Godolphin Flying Start Zetland in October, and he also landed the Group 3 Darley Stakes shortly before registering a third success of a highly productive day in the Boadicea Stakes. 

A dream start for Saturday racing for Ralph Beckett after winning both openers here and at York, Max Vega lands the Group 3 contest the Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes in some style under Harry Bentley 👏 pic.twitter.com/V7BjQCohfy

— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) October 12, 2019

He’s amassed at least £1million worth of prize money across each of the last four seasons, and although the majority of his successes at the track tend to arrive in the autumn, his representatives are always worth a check in the betting at Newmarket. 

Roger Varian

Local handler Roger Varian is rarely out of the winners’ enclosure at the Suffolk track, and he will be hoping for plenty more success this season. His last notable UK triumph of 2019 came at this venue with Roseman wrapping up the Price Bailey Ben Marshall Stakes at the start of November. With a 21% success rate here last year, many punters will be keeping a keen eye on his charges once again this year including the impressive Daahyeh, who will be hoping to maintain his 100% record at the track. The talented three-year-old was one of three representatives for this stable in the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes back in September, and he duly caught the eye when winning by half a length. 

The Breeder’s Cup runner-up also beat a 25-strong field in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, and the Varian yard are set to send another powerful string to the Berkshire track this summer, with the unbeaten Pierre Lapin currently priced up as the 5/1 favourite for the Commonwealth Cup in today’s horse racing betting markets with Betfair. Winners of this race have typically gone on to enjoy success in the July Cup, and there’s every chance that the Irish-bred sprinter may follow that same path. 

Two days after his 20th birthday, jockey David Egan celebrates a first #RoyalAscot win with trainer Roger Varian by guiding Daahyeh to victory in the Albany Stakes 🎂🎉 pic.twitter.com/0vtskcJJyH

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2019

William Buick 

Although there are a number of jockeys who regularly ride winners on the Rowley Mile, William Buick’s record at the track is arguably the most eye-catching. He won on 12 of his 46 mounts last season, and enjoyed Group 1 success on Pinatubo in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at the beginning of October. 

The 31-year old rarely gives much away, and whilst some of his fellow jockeys may prefer to play the starring role, Buick prefers to let his riding do the talking. He was triumphant in the Old Rowley Cup Handicap for Alan King and also partnered the aforementioned Daahyeh to success a fortnight earlier. 

Although his appearances at Newmarket can be few and far between, he tends to deliver on the big day, and he should be the man to follow once again this season. 

The Suffolk track continues to stage some of the biggest flat racing events of the season, and a number of top trainers and jockeys will be hoping to spend plenty of time in the winners’ enclosure over the coming months. Punters who enjoy a flutter on the flat should unquestionably keep an eye on the progress of Ralph Beckett, Roger Varian and William Buick this year as this talented trio look set to strike at Newmarket once again this summer.