Newmarket preview: Baltic Brave and Moore a potent combination

Baltic Brave is unbeaten under jockey Ryan Moore, and can get back winning ways in the 7f handicap on today’s card at Newmarket (15.10) now reunited with the three times champion.

The Hughie Morrison trained gelding opened his account under Moore when scoring by 1 1/2 lengths at Yarmouth last July, and went on to follow-up in terrific style over course and distance when slamming Dutch Art Dealer by three lengths off a mark of 79.

Baltic Brave got put up 8lb for the latter success, but went on to finish a solid third at this venue off his revised rating of 87.

This four-year-old also ran well on his penultimate outing when beaten just 1/2 a length in a class 4 contest at Lingfield off his current mark of 84, before finding class 3 company too much last time out over course and distance.

The drop back down into class 4 company is sure to see Baltic Brave in a far better light, and it looks significant that the son of Baltic King is now reunited with the rider who has partnered him to both his career success.

Moore clearly knows how to get the best out of Baltic Brave and, with underfoot conditions fine, this looks a good opportunity for the pair to maintain their 100 per cent record for Morrison’s gelding.

Fairway To Heaven was a desperately unlucky loser last time out and can gain compensation by landing the feature 5f handicap (16.20).

The Michael Wigham trained was last successful in a class 2 handicap at Windsor 12 months ago when coming with a storming late run to beat Gamesome by a length off a mark of 89.