Saturday 13th August 2022

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Newbury

A big welcome to this week’s Saturday Preview which comes from Newbury where it’s Hungerford Stakes Day. I’ll be looking at the four highest graded races of the afternoon which start off with the 1:55 which is the listed Denford Stakes that’s contested over seven furlongs. This is all about Victory Dance who’s currently trading at a short price of 8/13 for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. He’s very highly regarded by connections and built on his debut win when going down by just a head last time out in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newbury as he was just edged out by the smart Isaac Shelby. That’s by far the best form on offer in this contest and if he runs to that level again here he’ll be very tough to beat.

Next up it’s the 2:30 which is the Geoffrey Freer Stakes, a Group 3 contest that’s ridden over a mile and five and a half furlongs. This is a trappy affair as all of them coming into the race with questions to answer, I think it can go to Zechariah though at 15/8 for the Meade’s and Tom Marquand. On his penultimate outing he ran a blinding race at Royal Ascot, going down in a photo by just a nose to Eldar Eldarov in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase. He wasn’t quite up to that level the time after on his most recent outing, where he finished fourth of six at Newmarket in the Bahrain Trophy. I think he’s the best horse in the race though, and if he finds the form of his Ascot run again he has to be considered as a major player.

Moving onto the 3:00 now which is a Class 2 Handicap over seven furlongs. Despite only attracting the seven runners, this is extremely competitive as it’s currently the 7/2 the field. I’ve taken a chance on Fivethousandtoone at 9/2 for the team of Andrew Balding and David Probert. Sporting the King Power Racing silks and named after the price that Leicester were when they won the Premier League, he’ll be looking to create some success for himself here and I think he’s got a very solid chance of doing so. He’s not won for a long time now, however, on his most recent outing at Salisbury last month he went very close, only going down by a shoulder. I think he’s got a race within him off his current mark, and he clearly doesn’t mind it around Newbury as he finished second in the Group 2 Mill Reef stakes here back in 2020.

The feature race of the day comes up at 3:35 which is the Hungerford Stakes that’s contested over seven furlongs. We have ten runners currently set to take their place here and of said ten it’s Tiber Flow I like the chances of at 4/1 for the team of William Haggas and Tom Marquand. He’d been progressing very nicely before a slightly underwhelming effort in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, previously, he won a listed contested over course and distance and he’s also unbeaten over today’s trip having won both of his outings to date. I think he’s got more progression left him and whilst some of these have reached the ceiling of their respective abilities, he could well have more to offer.