Newbury Saturday Preview - 14/08/21

Next up is the Listed Denford Stakes over seven furlongs and the Roger Varian Bayside Boy could take some beating if coming on for his impressive debut.

The son of New Bay was a 200,000gns purchase a yearling and first made his debut in July over course and distance when emphatically winning a Novice Stakes on good ground.

He looks a very likeable and progressive type that will be sure to step up to the challenge of Listed company and with his handler running at 32% strike rate, he looks tough to take on.

One of the smarter events on the card is the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes over 1m5f and we can't look past the favourite Hukum, who on ratings should school this field.

The four 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 last term he landed the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in gritty style.

The way he battled and stayed on that day showed he could handle a bigger trip and when stepped up to 1m5f in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, he was a runaway winner in soft conditions.

Both these runs set him up perfectly for a crack at the Group One St Leger at Doncaster, but on the day he was outstayed by better horses and had to settle for fifth.

He returned this season at Sandown in the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown over 1m2f and looked to need the run in the final stages.

As expected he came on for the run last time out when getting off the mark for the term in the Listed Tapster Stakes at Goodwood back over 1m4f and that put him spot on for a go at back to back Royal Ascot winners.

He headed into an above average renewal of the Hardwicke Stakes and plugged on well in soft ground to grab third behind the dual Group One winner Wonderful Tonight.

Many horses coming out of that race have franked the form and Hukum added to that roster of animals when last time out landing the Group Three Silver Cup Stakes at York in taking style.

Anything near that performance makes him very tough to beat, with his closest rival in the field having 8lb to find on ratings.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon sees the Class 3 Handicap over seven furlongs and we are taking another chance on the William Haggas trained Ajyaall.

The four year old makes a big appeal in the contest being a lightly raced son of Kingman that is sure to have a big race in him.

As a three year old the gelding was seen three times, winning two events well once at Haydock and another at Wolverhampton, also finishing second in another event on the all weather.

He returned this term at York over 7f and the soft ground scuppered any chance of running a big race.

The gelding then went back to the Knavesmire over a mile and ran a much better race to finish fifth of 17 behind some course specialists.

He might not have stayed the mile out aswell as possible the step down to 7f is a plus and off the same mark of 90 he could go close.

The feature race of the afternoon at Newbury on Saturday is the Group Two Hungerford Stakes and we are taking a value punt on the Roger Varian trained Laneqash.

The son of Cable Bay was a £175,000 purchase as a yearling and last year was seen three times, winning smartly on debut at Ascot by three lengths and then backing that up in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster when a head second to New Mandate.

He was last seen on heavy ground at Newbury in October in a Group Three event, where the conditions ruined any chance he has, so the less rain the better for him.

The now three year old has not been seen since then, but holds plenty of ability and potential for what he could be this season and at the prices could be worth taking a chance on if not needing the run.

Varian in flying form a bonus.