Newbury Saturday Preview - 18/09/21

We kick start the day with a strong vote of confidence in the opener for Andrew Balding's 2yo colt, Jabbar.

Balding has a 27% strike rate with his 2yo's at Newbury this season, with 7 of his 11 2yo runners here having finished in the first 2.

His first string jockey, Oisin Murphy, is equipped on board who also boasts an 18% strike rate at the track this season.

Despite being unraced, Jabbar appears as though he won't need to amount to too much in order to get the better of some of his competitors today.

Progeny of Galileo Gold have an eye-catching 24% strike rate on straight, flat galloping tracks like Newbury's, paying further dividends to his chances of a big run first time out.

Tom Collins represents William Haggas who has been operating at a highly touted 20% strike rate at Newbury across the last 5 seasons.

The trainer teams up with Tom Marquand for the contest and the duo boast an impressive 26% strike rate when pairing up this season

Both of Tom Collins past wins have come upon soft ground, conditions he's likely to encounter again come start time, sure to suit.

This will be the son of Dubawi's third run for his new yard having been a 100,000 guineas purchase for the stable and he was a real eye-catcher last time out at Newcastle when a keeping on 4th behind Raatea who was subsequently 2nd in a class 2 at the Leger festival last week.

He has since been off for 84 days, presumably in training to eek out that further improvement ahead of an attainable contest such as this class 3.

Looks well within his grasp.

Kings Lynn was a solid listed winner in the Achilles Stakes at Haydock in May on good to soft and looks set to be well suited by the conditions once more here.

Progeny of Cable Bay have an impressive 19% strike rate and 45% place rate on straight, flat galloping tracks like Newbury's on ground softer than good, outperforming their expected wins by 1.46x.

He's had genuine excuses on his last 3 runs, undone by ground too quick and having trouble in running on his penultimate run at Ascot.

Andrew Balding is 20% with his 3yo's at Newbury this season and has a 21% strike rate when teaming up with champion jockey Oisin Murphy.

His runner has had a 2 month break from the track now and looks set for a big bounce back run if returning rejuvinated from the layoff.

Al Aasy is another confident vote ahead of race 4, the Legacy Cup Stakes

Sent into the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes over 1m4f here at Newbury, he could not have been an easier winner of the race, cruising to the front and demolishing a field on the bridle that included St Leger winner Logician and Dante Stakes winner Thunderous.

That run was arguably one of the performances of the season and he tried to reproduce that last time out in the Group One Coronation Cup but was unfortunately chinned on the line by the gritty Pyledriver.

Looking to get back to winning ways he was last seen at Newmarket in the Princess Of Wales Stakes and again he finished narrow second to the determined Sir Ron Priestley.

He has been given a break now and dropping back into a Group Three makes him appear extremely difficult to beat.

Aramaic holds clear leading claims heading into this class 2 contest thanks to a 3.25 length demolishing of his field at York last time out in a class 3 on handicap debut.

There's seemingly plenty more to come from the runner who may still be ahead of the handicapper heading into the contest despite having been raised 7lbs for his win.

The son of Le Havre should relish the step up in class and looks well weighted off 8stone 11lbs for the contest.

William Haggas is in great form of late and has been operating at a highly touted 20% strike rate at Newbury across the last 5 seasons.

The trainer teams up, once more, with last times winning jockey Tom Marquand, and the duo boast an impressive 26% strike rate when pairing up this season.

Dawaam has been running consistently well this campaign for trainer Owen Burrows without due reward.

Burrows has his yard in great shape of late with a 20% strike rate across the last 14 days and operating with an eye-catching 80% of his horses running to form.

He teams up with Jim Crowley who is also flying of late with a 32% strike rate across the same 2 week period and he also holds a 32% strike rate when teaming up with Burrows.

Dawaam is fairly lightly raced for a 5yo and is not completely discounted for stepping up on recent efforts which included a blanket finish 3rd last time out at Yarmouth at this level.

The visor has been turned to for the first time in order to eek out that further improvement from this once $450,000 purchase and if having the desired effect, may just be what Dawaam needs in order to get his head in front.

Furthermore the switch to Newbury looks set to suit given progeny of Kitten's Joy hold a 19% strike rate and 38% place rate at the track.

Solid each way claims at the very least.

John Gosden won this race in 2018 and boasts a highly impressive 24% strike rate at Newbury across the last 3 seasons.

John and Thady enter their 2yo colt Dhabab for the contest, who has been well backed throughout the week.The son of No Nay Never was a huge eye-catcher to fly home to win from the rear on debut at Leicester (6f), however was luckless next time out in the Coventry (6f) when hitting traffic inside the final furlong when loaded up for a big run.

The step up to 7f last time out at Newmarket in the Superlative Stakes didn't quite go to plan when showing little in the final furlong despite going off as favourite for the contest, fading into 3rd.

The drop back to 6f looks a big plus whilst progeny of No Nay Never also boast an 18% strike rate on straight, flat galloping tracks, providing substance that the switch to Newbury will seemingly also suit.

Charlie Hills is in fine form of late with a 21% strike rate across the last 14 days whilst 70% of his runners are running to form of late.

He teams up with William Buick in the saddle, desperate for winners as he chases Oisin Murphy in the jockey championships, who boasts a 24% strike rate across the last 2 weeks and also holds a 24% strike rate when teaming up with Hills this season.

The pairs entrant is the unraced Ermin Street who based on profile, may just make a winning start in this race.

The son of Belardo was a 15,500 euros purchase as a foal however then re-sold at a much increased price of 60,000gns as a yearling.

Progeny of Belardo have an impressive 18% strike rate and 34% place rate at straight, flat galloping tracks like Newbury, outperforming their expected wins by 1.34x.

He's out of multiple winning 2 year olds and looks in with a great chance at the first time of asking.