Moore booking looks significant for Nabucco at Newmarket

There is nobody riding better than former champion jockey Ryan Moore at present and John Gosden has snapped him up to ride the strongly-fancied Nabucco in the Casino At Bet365 Handicap (4.05 Newmarket).

The four-year-old colt by Dansili found only Niceofyoutotellme too good for him on his last visit to this course, eventually going down by a length. That marked an improvement on his previous form as he comprehensively reversed the placings with Ehtedaam.

Beaufort Twelve, a little under two lengths back in third, has a 3lbs pull in the weights but Nabucco may be the more progressive of the two. Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride Willie Jarvis’s gelding.

David O’Meara’s Awake My Soul is another leading contender. The chestnut only scraped home at Ayr last time but that run may have been better than it first appeared. His rider had to cope with a slipping saddle from early in the contest and it was a fine performance to get up to grab the spoils close home.

The weights are headed by Resurge who is up 4lbs for a victory at Epsom whilst Proud Chieftain takes a drop in class after being well beaten behind Mukhadram at Sandown. Richard Hannon’s Viewpoint is difficult to assess having won his last two races on the all-weather in 2012. He is also up 4lbs in the handicap and may just need his first outing of the season.

Forgotten Hero has been running consistently whilst Come On Blue Chip stayed on well to finish second at Windsor last time out and has each-way claims. Roger Charlton’s horses are in good form at present and Cry Fury could improve on a modest effort at Kempton in March.

Strictly Silver was disappointing when favourite at Ayr last time and Spifer could never get in to the race at Chester won by Area Fifty One. Both have a squeak on their earlier form but Nabucco can take this and earn a possible tilt at the Magnet Cup at York next month.