Clyde and Honour look keys to crack Hackwood
WHILE this Saturday brings a slightly more low-key racing programme than of late, there’s still plenty of competitive action to look forward to.
Newbury’s Group Three Hackwood Stakes (3.02pm) is a race that has a good ante-post shape to it, with the market leaders looking vulnerable in my eyes.
Marvelman and Kind Of Blue set the standard on ratings but neither of them are bombproof and two at bigger odds stand out.
SYMBOL OF HONOUR won the Carnarvon Stakes over this course and distance in May last year and then built upon that when landing the Group Two Sandy Lane at Haydock on his following start.
He couldn’t run in last year’s Commonwealth Cup as he had already been gelded and was sent off at just 4/1 for the July Cup on his next start.
However, he failed to live up to that billing and subsequent starts at Deauville and Meydan didn’t prove much better.
It was his return to action in the Group Three Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle that offered hope of better to come, as he made some good headway behind the leaders without his full effort being called upon.
He finished just over a length behind Marvelman in third there, and he’s over double the price of that reopposing rival at 9/1.
Charlie Appleby’s four-year-old has plenty of class and back at a track he goes well at, he might regain the winning thread.
I think it’s worth dutching in this contest by also backing SONG OF THE CLYDE.
Clive Cox’s son of Sergei Prokofiev won this year’s Carnarvon Stakes, getting the better of the highly touted Albert Einstein, so he also brings winning course and distance form.
Last time out he was only beaten four lengths in the Commonwealth Cup and should appreciate being back in these calmer waters.
This three-year-old has winning form on quick ground, looks progressive and is in good hands with Cox known for getting the best out of his sprinters.
With the potential of further progress to come, he looks worth supporting each-way at 10/1.
In the two-mile-and-half-a-furlong Pertemps Handicap (2.25pm), Baileys Khelstar looks a likely type but the price about the Charlie Johnston horse has already gone and the value could lie elsewhere.
Instead, look to DURAJI at around the 20/1 mark.
This five-year-old has only had two runs for the Richard Hughes yard, having shown promise in Group races in Ireland last season when trained by Dermot Weld.
His first start saw him run a mighty race to finish third in the Chester Cup, when attempting to make all the running.
Similar tactics were employed last time in the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he faced plenty of pressure for the lead and ran with the choke out, meaning he faded in the home straight.
Front running tactics can work well at Newbury, and I don’t see him facing as much pressure on the lead as last time, so he could be difficult to reel in at the finish.
Summer Plate Day from Market Rasen is one of the big summer jumps meetings and in the Summer Handicap Hurdle (2.10pm), the Dan Skelton-trained LOUIS VERON leaps off the page.
The Skeltons are setting a frenetic pace this season with over 50 winners already and this five-year-old just screams a likely improver on handicap debut.
He cantered home at Stratford in June and could be very tough to beat, so take the 3/1 on offer before it disappears.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Louis Veron 2.10pm Market Rasen
Duraji e/w 2.25pm Newbury
Symbol Of Honour e/w 3.02pm Newbury
Song Of The Clyde e/w 3.02pm Newbury