Newbury hosts a stellar card on Saturday, including the headline Group Three Greenham Stakes. Declan Rix of attheraces.com has four horses for you to keep onside, including last year’s St leger runner-up…
Arrest
1.30 – The John Porter Stakes (Group Three)
While he may not be a bet in a warm-looking renewal of the John Porter Stakes, last year’s St Leger runner-up is a fascinating runner, in what could be a big season for the son of Frankel.
Given his sheer size and stature, it’s not hard to imagine him being an improved animal this campaign, on the back of what was hopefully a good winter for the John and Thady Gosden-trained inmate.
Significant cut in the ground looks the key to Arrest on what we know so far, and if he has got bigger and strengthened up further over the winter, this variable may be even more important this season. I suspect that’s why his connections have got him out early, in the hope of winning a race or two before returning for the autumn.
No doubt the four-year-old needs to improve, but he may develop into a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe contender later in the year.
- Haatem strikes in Craven for Levey and Hannon
- Hollie Doyle’s blog: Army Ethos and Folgaria ready for Newbury tests
Star Music
2.05 – The Fred Darling Stakes (Group Three)
Just six fillies line up in a competitive renewal of the Fred Darling after what has been a wet and miserable spring. The market will likely be a good guide to this race, guiding us to what horses are that bit more forward.
Star Music needs to improve to win here, but she had the size and scope to be a better horse this season and may well be the horse in the field best suited to the seven-furlong trip, at least in the immediate short-term. Not only that, but the front-running daughter of Zoustar, on paper, may get an uncontested lead.
With Champion Jockey William Buick doing the steering and trainer Richard Hughes having his string in form, she is a value play against Relief Rally, who may not stay, and Regal Jubilee, who could prove to be better over further.
Room Service
2.40 – Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes (Group Three)
A bigger field in a race that houses more pace in the Greenham, seeing 11 colts and geldings do battle.
Many have chances, and it’s possibly a good race to have a bet in given favourite Zoum Zoum takes a significant chunk out of the market. I’m not saying he can’t win, but I’m more than happy to bet against him at ~13/8.
Like the Fred Darling, a few horses in here may prove better over six furlongs and have their stamina stretched in ground with plenty of moisture in. This scenario, however, looks like it could bring out the best in Room Service.
This son of Kodi Bear went straight into my tracker after winning on debut at Thirsk last season, but on quicker ground, wasn’t streetwise enough to show his best in his next starts at Beverley and York. At Doncaster though, when encountering soft ground over an extended six furlongs, Kevin Ryan’s inmate took a big step forward.
Even a dim view of that Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 two-year-old Stakes success wouldn’t see him with loads to find against the best of this field, but that was surely a performance that needed a significant upgrade, given he raced on the wing in parts and then hung badly left across the track.
It all didn’t stop him from producing a career-best however, and with Kevin Ryan having his stable in good form, he is overpriced at double-figure prices.
Dancing Magic
3.15 – OLBG Spring Cup Handicap (Class Two)
Take your pick, there are plenty of options in this big-field, 21-runner contest, but it’s not hard to imagine Dancing Magic is a well-handicapped horse off 96.
Roger Teal’s inmate started last season with an excellent third in the Group Three Craven Stakes and we shouldn’t forget he was a smart juvenile, too. His form tailed off at the end of last year, but a freshen-up after a gelding operation will hopefully revitalise the son of Camelot.
He is well capable of running big fresh, has form here at Newbury and will hopefully get a good set-up from his draw in stall seven.