Newbury Saturday Preview

Newbury host the best card of the day and to start us off we have a six furlong Novice Stakes and Jacinth for the inform William Haggas looks the classy selection.

Many horses in the field are making their debut which should give our filly an advantage having already raced once before over course and distance.

She finished a smart third behind impressive winner Fly Miss Helen who sadly passed away after going wrong when racing last weekend.

She offers the best form in the race and like many of Haggas' youngsters they come on a fair bit for their first run.

The first big race of the day is the Listed Denford Stakes over seven furlongs and very smart field of juveniles line up, but at a decent price Francesco Guardi could go well.

The 7/1 shot trained by James Ferguson may be under estimated due to the trainer not being the biggest name in the game but on his debut he showed plenty of ability.

He landed a 12 runner event at Salisbury seeing off a nice runner for John Gosden, just getting up on the line and he should improve for that having learnt on the job.

His pedigree is superb being a son of Frankel and also related to dual Arc winner Treve.

The Class 2 Handicap sees some smart experienced runners take their chance and King Carney for Charlie Fellowes could run well at a big price.

The three year old was a classy juvenile, not finishing out of the top two on his three starts and winning twice on soft ground at Nottingham and Pontefract.

The gelding is a son of Epsom Derby winner Australia and although not being at his best this season, he is dropping back to his favoured mile and also in grade which should see him go well again.

The first group contest of the day is the Geoffrey Freer Stakes over 1 mile 5 furlongs and Hukum for Owen Burrows has a huge chance getting weight off the favourites.

The three year old colt was a decent two year old, only racing twice and getting off the mark at the second time of asking at Kempton over a mile.

Burrows always planned to step this horse up in trip and on his seasonal debut this term he landed the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in gritty style.

The way he battled and stayed on that day makes us think he will revel in the extra trip and if handling the softer ground which his pedigree suggests he will, he should go close.

The feature race of the day at Newbury is the Group Two Hungerford Stakes and the three year old Threat for Richard Hannon can use this as a stepping stone to rebuild his career.

The colt was a superb juvenile, finishing second in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

After some near misses he finally landed some decent contests, taking the Group Two Gimcrack at York's Ebor meeting and backing that up in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

He has found it hard to improve in classy fields now a year older, finishing fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes and then a never nearer 10th in the July Cup.

Dropping down in grade and being tried at seven furlongs could see him back to his best as he holds to much potential to be overlooked here.

With no bet for us in the Fillies Novice Stakes we move on to the Class 4 Handicap over 1 mile 2 furlongs and Annie De Vega for Ralph Beckett looks a nice filly.

The three year old has only been seen twice during her career finishing third back in October on soft ground and looked like she needed a step up in trip.

She got just that when racing over course and distance on her seasonal debut and although only finishing fifth it was behind some smart runners.

Now race fit and having a classy pedigree she should give a good account of herself.

The final selection from us at Newbury comes in the Maiden Stakes over 1 mile 4 furlongs and Solar Screen for Roger Varian should build on his serious debut.

The son of Arc winner Golden Horn was bought for 210,000gns and on his debut in October finished sixth of 13 at Newmarket.

He made his three year old debut at Doncaster, stepping up in trip to todays distance and he was a smart second behind the nice Sea Of Style for William Haggas.

He looks a big improver off the back of that run and has the stamina in his pedigree to dominate at this trip.