Middleham ace Mark Johnston saddles two fancied runners in tomorrow’s Cesarewitch Handicap on Champions Day at Newmarket, and, while most punters will be steering towards Alanbrooke, the mount of Frankie Dettori, there is every chance that Keenes Day, who is more than double the odds of his North Yorkshire stablemate, will be the value bet.

Run over two-and-a-quarter miles, this famous event, sponsored by totesport, and with prize money of £160,000, offers the huge field a searching stamina test.

Alanbrooke looks to have strong credentials over slightly lesser distances and he figures at the bottom end of the handicap, but the worry is his age. He’s only three years old and it is worth remembering that only one three-year-old has managed to win this race in the last 17 years – an alarming statistic given that 49 horses of that age-group have contested the Cesarewitch during that period.

Keenes Day, a year older, does not exactly have watertight credentials himself. He has yet to win on turf this season and you have to look back to Lingfield in April for his last success.

That said, he has run some cracking races in defeat, not least when finishing a close-up fourth at Ascot last time.

He is priced at around 33-1, compared the 14-1 which is available about Alanbooke. At those odds, Keenes Day is an appealing wager and I am prepared to go the whole hog and award him with a sporting nap vote.

On a cracking card at Newmar-ket, the main feature, the Emira-tes Airline Champion Stakes, looks a fascinating race, with the likes of Classic winners Fame And Glory and Sariska in the field.

Both those horses, though, have had long seasons and my vote goes to Mawatheeq, who, having spent the summer away from the track, has returned in tremendous form, winning at both Doncaster and Ascot, where he beat Campanologist in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes.

He has more to prove here, stepped up to Group 1 company, but there is every chance that Marcus Tregoning’s colt will be up to the task.

In the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes, Silver Grecian should not be underestimated. He was giving away weight when narrowly beaten in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last time, plus the principals got first run on him that day.

John Ryan’s stable-star should make a bold bid to resume winning ways here and underline what a great buy he was at just 16,000gns earlier this year.

Also worthy of note at Newmarket are the in-form Ashram (1.50) and the unbeaten Tabassum (4.15).

At Catterick, the £15,000 totesport.com Catterick Dash over five furlongs takes pride of place.

The Nifty Fox goes well on this course and, well berthed in stall five, he should make a bold bid for Tim Easterby and David Allan.

Pavershooz, trained at Flaxton by Noel Wilson, and a particular favourite of mine, is also worthy of respect, and he is passed over only because of his wide draw in stall 12.

The speedy The Only Boss (2.15), trained by William Haggas, and the in-form Gold Fix (4.00) are two others to note on this bumper eight-race card at the North Yorkshire course.

Racing selections

Newmarket
1.50 Ashram, 2.25 Silver Grecian, 3.00 Mawatheeq, 3.40 Keenes Day (NAP), 4.15 Tabassum, 4.50 Crystal Capella, 5.25 Urban Poet.

Catterick
1.40 Boundless Prospect, 2.15 The Only Boss, 2.50 Tadhkeer, 3.25 The Nifty Fox, 4.00 Gold Fix, 4.35 Simple Jim, 5.10 Hazelrigg, 5.40 Eastern Hills.

Tomorrow’s other meetings:
Cheltenham, Kelso, Wolverhampton.

Today’s meetings:
Redcar, Cheltenham, Newmarket and Wolverhampton.