We have a busy day’s racing on Saturday with flat action from Deauville, Doncaster, Lingfield, Newbury and Ripon, live on Sky Sports Racing…
3.10 Newbury – Group Two Hungerford Stakes – Never So Brave and Coppull head competitive feature
Never So Brave and Coppull head a very competitive feature Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes at Newbury this afternoon.
Never So Brave holds the strongest form, having enjoyed a fruitful campaign last year, with wins in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Summer Mile and then topped off his season with success in the City Of York. Andrew Balding’s gelding is nought from four this year but has been keeping good company and far from disgraced himself in the Sussex Stakes last time out. Bold bid expected.
Coppull is still lightly raced and produced a career best last time out in the July Cup where he came home strongly to finish a narrowly beaten fourth of 11. He steps up to seven-furlongs for the first time today and there could yet be more to come.
Like Coppull, Symbol Of Honour is stepping up in trip and hasn’t been seen over this trip since his first start as a three-year-old. He has a fine record at Newbury, winning here on both starts and most notably last time out in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes.
William Haggas sends Extremely Zain went into the International Handicap at Ascot unbeaten and was a short-priced favourite to continue his winning sequence, however he could only manage fourth. He remains very unexposed and could take another step forward here.
1.25 Newbury- Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes – Dubai Honour returns to take on five rivals
Dubai Honour takes on five rivals as he returns in our opening race at Newbury today, the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes.
This gelding is a credit to William Haggas and connections having won 12 races from 37 starts, winning four Group Ones and accruing over £5 million in earnings. We last saw him back in April when he finished a credible fourth in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
Mount Atlas and Tabletalk represent worthy adversaries and are set to clash for a fourth time. Mount Atlas, has got the better of his old foe on two of the three occasions that they’ve bumped heads but is three pounds worse off at the weights here having outbattled Tabletalk in a gripping finish to the John Smith’s Silver Cup.
Gamrai remains unexposed after being pipped to the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot. He has since been bought by Victorious Forever, duly switching yards to George Scott from John and Thady Gosden and there could be plenty of improvement left in the tank.
Rebel Rocket is the only three-year-old in the field and takes the step up in trip on his fourth start after last being seen finishing sixth in the Derby. He is of interest.
3.25 Ripon – Great St Wilfrid – Fast Track Harry, Lord Roxby and Dark Cloud Rising clash
Fast Track Harry, Lord Roxby and Dark Cloud Rising all clash in what looks to be a typically open renewal of the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap.
Clive Cox sends just his second runner in the last five years to the ‘Garden Racecourse’ this afternoon and could have a winning chance with Fast Track Harry who arrives here after a fine run behind Amazing Journey, who went on to win the International Handicap on King George Day. Having already won off of this mark of 95, he rates a danger to all.
Lord Roxby arrives here off the back of a course and distance success where he saw off the reopposing Dark Cloud Rising in convincing fashion. Both hold good claims here with the David O’Meara runner four-pounds better off at the weights, with a win over the track and trip of his own, and bids for a fourth win in the coveted contest for his handler.
Best of the rest
12.45 Deauville – Group Two Prix Alec Head – Rabbit’s Foot returns having not been seen since June where she beat recent Group One scorer Tiffany.
1.33 Deauville – Group TwoPrix Guillaume d’Ornano – Daryzan and Montreal lock horns in a fascinating affair.
1.45 Ripon – Restricted Class Two novice, £15,462 to the winner.
2.35 Newbury – Unexposed Scoville dropped two-pounds in valuable race.
2.55 Ripon – Go Vince Go and Educating Rita clash in the Silver Cup.
3.25 Deauville – Group Three Prix de Lieurey– Narissa, The Prettiest Star and Esna all feature.
3.42 Newbury – Arabian Force, Sea The Casper and Golden Story’s half-brother debuts.
3.55 Ripon – Ralph Beckett sends hat-trick seeker Swiped.
4.00 Deauville – Group ThreePrix Gontaut-Biron– Leffard and Cualificar take on the likes of Map Of Stars, Wimbledon Hawkeye and First Look.
10.06 Saratoga – Grade One Christophe Clement Turf Stakes – Ancient Egypt and Survie clash.