The Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket tomorrow (3.40 p.m.) is a 29-runner race over two miles two furlongs in which any number of horses have a chance of landing the spoils.

The most likely winner, if he stays the distance, is the lightly-raced, four-year-old gelding Sea Lantern

The most likely winner, if he stays the distance, is the lightly-raced, four-year-old gelding Sea Lantern

Last year’s first and second, Beylerbeyi and Dawn Rising, are in the field once again and both will appreciate the fact that the worst of the forecast rain this week has missed the track because both horses like quick ground. At the revised weights, the Irish raider Dawn Rising should come out on top of the pair but Beylerbeyi is the younger, improver. Furthermore, the form of his second at Doncaster last month to Caballo De Mar was franked in spades at Longchamp last weekend.

The most likely winner, if he stays the distance, however, is the lightly-raced, four-year-old gelding Sea Lantern. His trainer, Brian Ellison, could hardly have been more bullish about his charge’s chances this week saying bluntly, “I just think he’ll win. He’s a good horse.” Odds of 5-1 are not for me, however, and there are other horses at single-figure odds, including Beylerbeyi and Dawn Rising, that I am happy to overlook as bets solely on the basis that they are poor value.

I have put up one horse already for this race: Gooloogong each way at 33-1 but he ran dismally in the Turners Cesarewitch Trial at Newmarket last month, without any obvious excuse, and my faith in him has therefore evaporated.

Instead, I........

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