Newbury plays host to it’s Hungerford Day card on Saturday, one of it’s biggest flat racedays of the year. Featuring the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes and the feature Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, it’s sure to be a fantastic day of racing.
The Tote are guaranteeing £150,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.50pm
Leg 1 Selections: (7) Arrest (6) Klondike
I’m taking the early favourite Kemari, who has failed to fire in both visits to Newbury and has to give weight away to his two main rivals in the market – It’s those two that I’ll be taking him on with. It’s worth noting that four of the last six renewals have gone the way of 3YO’s, and the two I’m backing are the only 3YO’s in the race.
ARREST needs the ground to have some give in it but that’s likely considering the rain at Newbury on Friday, and having been sent off as favourite for the Derby this year, he’s clearly a talented horse and is more than capable of making his presence felt in a Group 3 race. The last time he raced at this level he cruised to victory in the Chester Vase.
I’m also adding in KLONDIKE, who has only had the three runs but they include a victory here on debut and a couple of good efforts since. He was runner-up to Gregory at Goodwood, who boosted the form when winning the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. He then finished within three lengths of the winner Castle Way in the G3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes, in a race it would’ve paid for him to be closer up with the pace.
Leg 2: 2.25pm
Leg 2 Selections: (6) Katey Kontent (4) Harry Brown
A tough race to call, so I’ll be playing two in the race. The first is KATEY KONTENT, who has only had the five races but this is a marked drop in class and the last time she raced at this level she ran out a comfortable winner. She was well beaten on her seasonal reappearance in June but she’s entitled to have needed that run and has dropped to an attractive mark. I’m shocked to see her as big a price as she is.
The other one I like is HARRY BROWN, who also drops in class and has been dropped 4lb in the ratings following an 8th placed finish at Ascot last time out. He was only just over 3 lengths behind the winner that day, despite being slowly away, so I’m happy to forgive that run. He’s finished in the top three in each of his 10 races at this level or lower, so he’s a good shout to finish in the places again.
Leg 3: 3.00pm
Leg 3 Selections: (10) Classic (1) Bless Him
This race doesn’t tend to spring a surprise – the biggest odds winner in the last 10 years was 10/1, so I’ll be focusing on the head of the betting here. First up is CLASSIC for Richard Hannon, who won nicely at Sandown last time out and has only been raised 2lbs in the ratings. He’s already finished ahead of a couple of these rivals this season and I expect him to confirm that form here.
The other I will add in is one of the older horses in the line up, David Simcock’s BLESS HIM. His record over this trip in the last 18 months reads 11240, and I’m willing to forgive him his last run where he raced on the wrong side of the track. He’s back down to his last winning mark and I expect him to go well.
Leg 4: 3.35pm
Leg 4 Selections: (2) Jumby (8) Mostabshir
First up I’m sticking with last year’s winner JUMBY, who arrives here in good form and will be confident of retaining his crown. He was impressive when winning last year and it would be a shock if he wasn’t in the mix this time around.
The other who I’d give a chance to is MOSTABSHIR, who drops in trip and has blinkers fitted for the first time. He has the services of last year’s winning jockey William Buick, who was on board when he bolted up at York in his last victory and knows what it takes to win this. Mostabshir wasn’t beaten far in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and this drop in trip should suit, so I expect him to go close.
Leg 5: 4.05pm
Leg 5 Selections: (12) Navy Jack (9) Highland Spring
An open race so I’ll certainly have a couple on my side here. First up is NAVY JACK, who was only a couple of lengths behind Arabian Crown last time out. The form of that took a boost this week when the winner won the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury, so I expect him to be thereabouts at the finish, especially with William Buick booked for the ride.
Navy Jack finished ahead of HIGHLAND SPRING last time out, and I’m keen to have him on my side too. He was less than two lengths behind Navy Jack, who has experience on his side, and I expect them both to be in the mix here. Tom Marquand comes in for the ride and I see that as a big positive to his chances.
Leg 6: 4.40PM
Leg 6 Selections: (14) Order Of Malta (11) Feud
I expect the step up in trip to suit the bottom weight ORDER OF MALTA here, who was only just over a length behind Lion Kingdom last time out and is now 4lbs better off with that rival now. He was keeping on that day so I don’t think he’ll have any issues with the extra couple of furlongs, and I can see him finishing in the top three.
The other I like is Ralph Beckett’s FEUD, who has improved for the step up in trip and should be in the mix again here. He won when stepped up to this trip last month, and was given an easy time of things when beaten at Catterick last time out. Considering both trainer and jockey are in red-hot form of late, it makes sense to add him in to our placepot.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (7) Arrest (6) Klondike
Leg 2 Selections: (6) Katey Kontent (4) Harry Brown
Leg 3 Selections: (10) Classic (1) Bless Him
Leg 4 Selections: (2) Jumby (8) Mostabshir
Leg 5 Selections: (12) Navy Jack (9) Highland Spring
Leg 6 Selections: (14) Order Of Malta (11) Feud
64 Lines x 25p = £16
Check out our Weekend Watch podcast, where Andrew Mount, Matt Sutcliffe and Dave Young guide us through their picks for Saturday’s ITV racing, with the action coming from Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon:
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Value Pointers and Punts – Saturday, 19th August
Matthew Sutcliffe looks back on the previous weekend for smart performances, as well as picking the best value plays ahead of Saturday’s action. He highlights plenty of horses who caught his eye, including one in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. His selections this week include a couple of E/W fancies at tempting odds…
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