Newbury Saturday Preview - 17/08/19

Newbury hosts the best card of the weekend in Britain and the first race of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap over 1 mile 2 furlongs and Roger Charlton's Qarasu looks one to watch.

Very lightly raced three year old who has only four starts in his career and on his first three he ran to a high standard but last time out was poor and needs to be better today.

He got off the mark two starts back at Windsor over this distance and now back in grade from his last run, he will be tough to beat with soft conditions suiting him.

The Listed Denford Stakes really spices up the card with the seven furlong event seeing some classy juveniles head to post and Juan Elcano is our selection.

The son of Frankel has raced twice as a juvenile and looks a very progressive horse winning on debut in a Class 4 on heavy ground at Haydock.

On his latest start he he finished a really good second in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes behind a smart King Power juvenile and now with conditions to suit will be tough to beat.

The Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes sees a small five runner field go to post and we have gone for the outsider of the field with Martyn Meade's Technician.

This three year old has been a mixed bag this season producing some really smart runs with his best coming at Longchamp when taking the Listed Prix Ridgway.

He has also been outclassed in better events than this but back on soft ground with conditions to suit and if he shakes of his latest performance can thrive with this trainer in smart form.

Charles Hills trained Breath Of Air is the favourite in this Class 3 Handicap and looks to have a big chance dropping back down into this grade

The three year old has not looked the same horse this year putting in some underwhelming performances but two starts ago did finish a staying on third in a Class 3 at Doncaster behind some nice runners.

He won at this track last year and won't mind some rain with him winning on good to soft back as a juvenile but will need to step up to go well here.

The feature race of the day is the Group 2 Hungerford stakes over seven furlongs and this race holds some seriously good entries and we are sticking with John Quinn's Safe Voyage.

The six year old has raced four times all year, winning his first three in good style with all of them coming at Haydock, stepping up to Listed and Group Three company and scoring nicely.

Last time out he suffered his first loss of the season at the Curragh in the Group Two Minstrel Stakes and with the form being franked from that, he looks to have a strong chance.

The penultimate selection of the meeting sees a Class 3 Maiden Stakes and Henry Candy has a bright young colt called Adonijah who looks a smart recruit for the yard.

Jason Watson picks up the ride after being on board for his debut run when he finished second of five runners at Newmarket, rallying well late on to narrowly be pipped on the line.

The colt stayed the 1 mile 4 furlong distance well that day and it will be interesting to see how he handles the cut in the ground this time around.

Pour Me A Drink for trainer Clive Cox is our final selection of the afternoon from Newbury and he runs in the 1 mile 2 furlong Class 4 Handicap.

This gelding is very lightly raced and will enjoy the slower conditions with his best runs coming on softish ground and also gaining his last winner over this trip today.

Looks to be an improving type for the yard and with everything going his way, a big run is expected.

NO BET ADVISED