Newbury Sunday Preview - 18/04/21

The first race of the day at Newbury is the Class 4 Maiden Stakes over a mile and it looks a match up between Derab and Snow Lantern.

We are going with the John & Thady Gosden trained three year old who has a superb pedigree being a son of Sea The Stars that is a half brother to the superstar Enable.

The colt has only been seen once making his debut in a Maiden Stakes at Ascot and he finished a close second behind the smart La Barosa for Godolphin.

That horse has since gone on to frank the form by winning next time out and finishing a close second behind Master Of The Seas on Thursday in the Group Three Craven Stakes.

Solid Chance.

The first Group Three event of the day at Newbury is the 1m4f Suprise Stakes registered as the John Porter Stakes and Outbox for Archie Watson is a horse on an upward curve.

The six year old was formerly owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and trained by Simon Crisford and looked a smart son of Frankel.

However, after a poor run of form he was sold for 16,000gns and given to Archie Watson at the start of this year and now looks a different horses.

In March on the all weather at Wolves he landed his first race since 2018 taking out a Class 2 Handicap and last time out backed that up with another smart performance back on the turf at Doncaster.

The quicker the conditions the better for this horse and although stepping up in class he is on the upgrade and revels in running over this trip.

Seeking a hat-trick

The Group Three Fred Darling Stakes over seven furlongs looks a very hot affair and with that in mind we have picked out two horses at each way prices.

The first is the Roger Charlton trained Lucid Dreamer for Juddmonte and this three year old filly is currently unbeaten stepping into this season.

The daughter of Dansili made her debut as a juvenile back in August in a seven furlong event at Kempton and ran out a fairly easy winner, taking the sport straight away.

She then used that to get off the mark on her turf debut, taking out a seven furlong event over course and distance at Newbury, also on good ground.

She has not put a foot wrong on both her starts to date and if as good this season she will be tough to beat.

At a similar price in the market the Richard Fahey trained Umm Kulthum was highly progressive on his four starts last term and could be even better this season.

The filly has been superb since starting her life on a racecourse last year, getting off the mark on her debut at Thirsk and then backing that up in the Group Two Lowther Stakes when a good third behind Miss Amulet and Sacred.

That run at York's Ebor meeting has since been franked with first and second that day since going on to run well in better races.

She dropped in grade at Ayr when winning the 15 runner the Group Three Scotty Brand Firth Of Clyde Fillies' Stakes and then went to Newmarket for a season closer.

The filly finished a superb third in the Grade One Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs and now stepping up in trip could be even better.

The feature race of the day is the Group Three Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes over 7f and Chindit for the inform Richard Hannon team has a huge chance if as classy as he was as a juvenile.

The son of Wootton Bassett started his career off at Doncaster when landing a decent maiden and off the back of that scored again at Ascot in July.

The form of that race was been massively franked with the Second, Third and Fourth from that race since going on to win in nice company.

Chindit on his second to last run showed how good he could really be when taking his first Group race at Doncaster in the Group Two Champagne Stakes.

He was last seen in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket when running no sort of race in classy company only being able to grab ninth, but he is obviously a top class horse.

Hopefully he will have come on a lot for being a year older and this looks a perfect starting point for the inform trainer.

The Spring Cup Handicap over a mile sees a huge field of runners head to post and we have picked out to horses, with one win and one each way selection.

The win selection comes from Troll Peninsula for Roger Varian with the four year old gelding showing bundles of ability in his three starts to date.

He made his debut in October 2020 and finished a good second on the all weather at Newcastle over seven furlongs behind a nice type for Saeed bin Suroor.

The gelding used that debut to get off the mark next time out on his turf debut at Redcar, landing a Class 5 Maiden over seven furlongs.

Obviously a useful horse Troll Peninsula then went back on the all weather at Kempton this time over a mile and landed another nice event by close to four lengths.

That run came in March and that should give him the fitness edge on some of these runners.

At a bigger price and value price in the market is Nugget for Richard Hannon who has some great chances across the day at Newbury.

The four year old had two runs as a juvenile that showed promise, but it wasn't until last year that he truly showed how special he could be when getting off the mark on seasonal debut at Doncaster.

He then stepped up to 10f and was a fair second in a four runner event, but was immediately stepped back down to a mile at Newmarket on the July course and got back to winning ways on good to firm ground.

Back for another season, he made his return at the start of the month at Nottingham, slightly needing the run when finishing into third.

He should come on for that a fair bit and could be right in the mix.

Next up is the second division of the Class 4 Maiden Stakes and the horse that takes the eye is the Andrew Balding trained Foxes Tales for King Power Racing.

This 400,000gns son of Zoffany made an exciting debut in December 2020 at Kempton over a mile when finishing a narrow behind a nice type for Sir Michael Stoute.

The third in that race has since come out and won but the Balding are hopeful that this colt can learn a lot for that experience and come on a fair bit for his turf debut.

The penultimate event of the afternoon at Newbury is the Class 3 Maiden stakes over 1m3f and the Ed Walker trained Navegaon Gate looks an interesting prospect.

The son of Frankel has only been seen once to date and it came in October 2020 when finishing a good fourth of 17, finishing in behind some smart horses.

He showed plenty of scope to improve that day and now stepping up in trip this half brother to Matthew Flinders could go close.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap 1m2f and with 17 runners heading to post we have picked out two horses at each way prices.

The first is the four year old filly for Henry Candy By Starlight, who has been seen three times to date and has shown enough ability to warrant having a big chance, especially getting weight off most of the field.

This Sea The Stars filly made her debut at Newmarket over 12f and finished a fair fourth of eight on good to firm ground.

She came on for that run to finish a better third at Chepstow over the same trip and then last time out was tried on the all weather and it did not suit.

Getting back to the turf on quick ground is a positive and she is too well weighted to back.

Also near the bottom of the weights is Flyin' Solo for David Menuisier and this colt may have a slight fitness edge on this field having ran twice on the all weather this year.

The four year old made his debut at Kempton in November and needed the experience, but bounced back from it to get off the mark at the second time of asking at Wolves.

Given almost three months off he returned at the scene of his win and finished a fair fourth, before backing that up with a closer third and this slight step up in trip should suit him well.

Rossa Ryan rides and he is a jockey going places this term.