2024 Joel Stakes Tips - Cunha's rising star worth backing at Newmarket

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Wed 25 Sep 2024 15:53

Share

Jon Vine 25 Sep 2024

Share this article

Odds and betting predictions for the 2024 Joel Stakes
This Group Two headlines the card on day two of the Cambridgeshire Meeting at Newmarket on Friday 27th September
Prague is our best bet at 9/2

Expired

The Joel Stakes at Newmarket. (Getty)

The main event on Friday's ITV Racing coverage at Newmarket is the Joel Stakes. This Group Two has been won by many classy milers during it's 35-year history, including Creachadoir, Time Test and the only two-time winner, Benbatl.

We've taken a look at the latest betting for Friday's renewal of the Joel Stakes and picked out our best betting tips.

2024 Joel Stakes Odds

Name	Odds
Lead Artist	10/3
Ice Max	4/1
Poker Face	9/2
Prague	9/2
Task Force	6/1
Dancing Gemini	7/1

2024 Joel Stakes Runners

Heading the betting for Friday co-main event is Lead Artist, who ran out an impressive winner of the Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. John & Thady Gosden's star then found the classy Kinross a bit too quick over seven furlongs at Doncaster, and should be happier back over a mile on Friday.

Ice Max and Poker Face renew rivalries, having finished first and second in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood. Whereas the winner hasn't run since, Poker Face returns to Britain after a fine effort at Leopardstown, where he placed a close fourth behind Diego Velazquez on Irish Champion Stakes day.

Dylan Cunha's progressive four-year-old Prague remains over a mile, having only been beaten half-a-length by Holloway Boy in the Superior Mile at Haydock. Task Force followed a third-place finish behind Lead Artist with a staying on fourth in the Strensall Stakes. Dancing Gemini also has ground to make up on the favourite, having finished fifth in that Group Three at Goodwood.

2024 Joel Stakes Tips

I've been on Newmarket weather watch all week, given that my ante-post punt for the Cambridgeshire wants the ground to be as fast as possible. Sadly, the met office is adorned with yellow weather warnings in the Newmarket area on Thursday and Friday, so I doubt the ground will be any quicker than good-to-soft come Saturday afternoon.

The worst of the weather looks set to arrive on Friday morning, which might not suit Lead Artist, who produced his best performance of the season on fast ground at Goodwood and disappointed on good-to-soft in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes. Ice Max will want the ground to be as soft as possible and, with that three-year-old allowance on his side, I wouldn't be surprised to see him leap-frog Lead Artist in the market.

Despite a four-pound pull at the weights, three-year-olds have only managed to win five of the last 20 renewals of this Group Two. The one who intrigues me most is PRAGUE (9/2), who Dylan Cunha picked up for peanuts from Coolmore last winter, and won at odds of 40/1 on debut.

Having travelled a little too keen in both the Gala Stakes and a nine-furlong conditions race at Goodwood, Cunha dropped Prague back to a mile for his most recent start at Haydock. Danny Tudhope managed to restrain his mount early on and once the gaps opened, Prague picked up well in the closing stages, finishing just half-a-length adrift of Holloway Boy.

Prague was backed into 10/3 favouritism in the build-up to that Group Three and might have won if a path to the post had opened sooner. From stall one, I'll be hoping to see Tudhope give Cunha's four-year-old a more confident ride, as prominent runners tend to do well in this contest. Given how quickly this colt is progressing, he could be well up to winning a Group Two.

Live Stream

Visit our Joel Stakes Live Stream page if you plan on watching any of Friday's races via a mobile or tablet.

Verdict

2024 Joel Stakes

Prague is our best bet in Friday's Joel Stakes.

Prague

2024 Joel Stakes Tips

@9/2 - 10 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365