Today’s feature meeting comes from Newbury who stage an eight-race card. The highlight is an impossible looking listed 19-runner sprint for juvenile fillies, but I am looking forward to seeing Siyata (2.45) in the BetVictor sponsored 7f handicap.
The selection was taken out of a race at Haydock last weekend on account of the soft ground, but there should be no problems with underfoot conditions today on ground described as good on Thursday morning.
Oisin Murphy was in the plate when Roger Charlton’s 3-y-old broke his maiden tag at Ffos Las and he can race from a mark just 2lbs higher this afternoon. The selection can pull hard and be slowly away in his races, but he looked more of the finished article in south Wales and would be carrying a couple more pounds if this race were run at the weekend. Note the runner up to Siyata last month – Gilt Edge – went one better last week. The 9/4 available on Thursday afternoon looked too big and the selection is 11/8 with 10Bet at the time of posting.
Neenee’s Choice could be well treated on his handicap debut for Andrew Balding in the mile handicap, but Willyorwon’t He (4.30) remains well handicapped and hope he has been freshened up by Philip McBride following a near seven-week break.
Hollie Doyle takes over in the saddle for the first time and the winner and runner up from his third at Newmarket back in June are subsequent winners. That run was over 10f but this return to a mile looks sure to suit. The classic generation have won three of the last four renewals of this handicap and I would be surprised if a 3-y-old did not land today’s prize. The ew recommendations is 6s with BetVictor.
Over at Newmarket and the filly Al Saariyah (5.35) has a record of 211 on fast ground over six furlongs and is taken to follow up her recent Windsor success from just a 3lbs higher mark. William Buick has a record of 21 on the selection who was beaten less than 2L by Alcohol Free on ground softer than ideal as a juvenile. There was 4s available when betting opened but the selection is 7/2 with MansionBet at the time of posting on Thursday night.
Hydros (7.38) is a fascinating contender in the concluding mile handicap and the form of his third over this evening’s C&D on his belated reappearance has been boosted by the first two home. He has always been held in some regard by the Stoute camp and he remains open to significant improvement after just three career starts. He is taken to defy an opening mark of ninety although I am loath to desert Thibaan who was taken out of a race on account of the soft ground at Haydock last weekend.
The 5/2 on Thursday afternoon looked too big and he is a best price of 2s with Boylesports at the time of posting.
At the Curragh I am looking forward to seeing Wordsworth (7.00) return to 1m 6f in the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial. I would be more confident on fast ground, but the Ballydoyle colt has run well on yielding/good to soft ground in the past. The market is headed by Ascot Gold Cup runner up Princess Zoe, but this trip is on the sharp side for the mare although significant rain and the prospect of soft ground would tip the balance in favour of Tony Mullins’ mare. Wordsworth is 11/4 with William Hill at the time of posting – on decent ground he represents a 2/1 shot in my opinion.
