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Newmarket Betting: Weatherbys Earl of Sefton Stakes (Group 3)

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Timeform rate the runners in one of Newmarket's feature races

Unsurprisingly, the three year olds take centre stage at the Craven Meeting, though the two races open to older horses are anything but short on quality with the listed Abernant Stakes over six furlongs and the nine-furlong Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes. The latter was won last year by subsequent Timeform Horse of the Year Manduro, and whilst it might be expecting a little too much for the race to throw up another winner as good as he proved, it looks a well-up-to-scratch renewal.

Pipedreamer is the likely favourite, and holds that position in the market by virtue of an impressive win in the Cambridgeshire over course and distance last October. That win, when sweeping down the outside to take control two furlongs out, suggested he was well up to holding his own in pattern company and it drew comparisons with Halling, Gosden's last Cambridgehsire winner who went on to win multiple Group 1's as an older horse.

He finds himself up against a number of smart rivals, the most interesting on which is probably Henry Cecil's Multidimensional. A lightly-raced five-year-old, he's won four of his six starts and shaped better than the result suggests when fifth behind Literato in the Champion Stakes at this track in the autumn, meeting a bit of trouble at a crucial stage. Although a winner at this trip, it's possible he'll prove best over a bit further. He's joined by unbeaten stablemate Phoenix Tower. A similarly fragile sort, he created a most favourable impression when winning in handicap company on his reappearance at Newbury last year and he again looked to be going places when making the most of a straightforward task at Windsor next time. However he suffered a setback last June and hasn't been seen since, though he's presumably been working well enough judging by his Lockinge entry.

Clive Brittain saddles Kandidate who continues to prove a grand servant to connections, and he won for the ninth time when taking the Masaka Stakes at Kempton last time by a head from Illustrious Blue. He had been plying his trade this year in Dubai prior to that success as has Traffic Guard who makes his debut for Jane Chapple Hyam.

Halicarnassus and Stotsfold head the weights on account of their 3-lb penalties for winning in this grade last year and could struggle, particularly the former whose best form is over further. The field is completed by progressive handicapper Smokey Oakey who was an impressive winner of the Lincoln on his reappearance. However he'll need to improve again at this level whilst his very best efforts have come with give in the ground.