A stacked card promises Friday excitement at Newbury Racecourse
Friday sees the beginning of a two-day Flat meet at Newbury Racecourse, with an eight-race card offering plenty of value for punters.
The Starlight Charity Day promises an exciting series of races, kicking off the meet which rounds off with the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes on Saturday.
2:00 - Friday’s opening race gets underway at 2pm, with a one mile apprentice handicap. 13 runners make up this class five race, with Darvel tipped to impress after winning a handicap at Bath last time out.
2:30 - The second sees 15 runners compete in a handicap which is the most valuable race of the day. Most favoured is Cracksking, having won a maiden race at Newcastle to finish last season and impressing at Newbury a month ago, placing fifth and showing plenty of promise.
Alan King’s Gallant Lion is shortlisted too, with a solid history of handicap form and having come third here in a course and distance last month.
3:00 - Race three sees Diligently lead the betting, beaten by less than two lengths on debut at Ascot two weeks ago against tough opposition. A debutant to note is Roger Varian’s Khafiz, bought for 135,000 guineas by a trainer who often delivers first time success.
3:30 - The fourth race is a class three, the Starlight Express Novice Stakes. 20 runners make up a crowded field in a 7f sprint down the straight. Jaraaf seems most intriguing, winning at Kempton on debut for Owen Burrows and only handed a 7lb penalty this time out.
His main rival here is likely Stanage, trained by the Gosden’s. A third at Doncaster last time out is noteworthy, whilst Ralph Beckett puts forward Night Lark to see if they can improve on a fourth place finish on their last visit.
4:00 - A 12-runner maiden stakes offers plenty to like, with multiple horses in with a fair chance. Clockmaker is slightly favoured, who was only just beaten over course and distance by a future group 3 winner.
John and Thady Gosden have hopes for this one too, with €175,000 purchase Alnayef looking strong in defeat at Yarmouth last time out.
4:35 - A division two maiden stakes is next, with Houstonn leading the way after an enticing second at Salisbury two starts ago. Better ground at Newbury should suit Richard Hannon’s three-year-old.
5:10 - The penultimate race sees Niloufar draw the most attention. A winner on all-weather courses at Lingfield and Chelmsford in his last two outings, he now hopes for a third straight win as he switches to turf.
5:40 - To round off the day we see a 12-runner class five handicap over 1m4f. Well tipped is Waxing Gibbous, who looked good on return when coming in second at Doncaster in a handicap three weeks ago for David Menuisier.
There’s plenty to like at Newbury tomorrow, with tickets available from newburyracecourse.co.uk for both days of racing.
Newbury - Friday 17th
2.00 - Darvel
2.30 - Cracksking
3.00 - Diligently
3.30 - Jaraaf
4.00 - Clockmaker
4.35 - Houston
5.10 - Niloufar
5.40 - Waxing Gibbous
Tips and selections courtesy of Grosvenor Sport, grosvenorcasinos.com/sport
