Newbury has had a fair amount of work done on it over the years and has very modern grandstand with good facilities befitting of a top grade course. The old stands had plenty of character but I must say for a new set of stands they are well designed and spacious. Plenty of places to sit down, have something to eat and drink. Overall this is a very decent course and one of my favourites. Although others may have thought it a bit anodyne I have always enjoyed going racing especially the big Hennesey days I have been too which has been won by some greats. Two stick in my mind being Bregawn despite clattering the last and Borough Hill Lad a very impressive horse and not always getting the praise for his efforts he deserves.
The Gerry Fielding was always a decent champion guide and good hurdlers like Ra Nova and Buck House have all done well in this event although it seems a bit down at heel comparatively speaking nowadays. I also like the second season hurdles race at the October meeting which I saw the flashy chestnut Royal Vulcan excel in during the early eighties.
Ra Nova is an interesting one as back in 1983 I remember a columnist for the Sporting Life writing that he had had a dream the week before where he was sure the winner of the Shweppes at Newbury would be something like early or new sun and that a runner called Amarach was qualified on his believe that this was Gaelic for dawn and that he was thrown in as a new sun is known as the dawn, so there you go completely logical and thought out. However a bit more lateral thinking would have led him to conclude that Nova is Latin for new and Ra is the Egyptian Sun God. Of course I spotted this and Ra Nova scooted in. However the downside was I only spotted this retrospectively having a distrust of all things psychic but a tingling realisation that greater forces than the electrics were at work in Berkshire that Saturday like a giant magnet turning hairs into dancing iron filings.
The track is similar in many respects to Haydock having tightish turns but long galloping straights and almost entirely flat in topography.
Catering was good with a good range of food up for grabs at not bad prices and the cup of tea I bought was nice Darjeeling which if you really were compelled to put some milk in fresh milk was available. So plus points there. Entry at £15 was very very good value for a card containing several high quality races and only two of the eight being handicaps. This goes into the play offs as the best value card of the season. Fnatastic value particularly when set aside the dreadful effort from Chepstow the other week. The programme / racecard priced at pretty standard fare £3 and was considered OK.
The Racing
Berkshire Stand is one of two posh stands/ I have been in the Hampshire for a corporate event and the box was very good indeed with a panoramic view of the racing and a sort of head on view of the straight. I quite like the sort of nineties style quaint design of multi pitched roofs and the like. Not sure what the Berkshire is like inside but I am sure it is well thought through.
Dubai Duty Free Grandstand is a fairly utilitarian structure but houses plenty of betting, food and drink without it feeling cramped. Certainly one of the best newly built stands I ahve seen recently ikn the grade one tracks
Freemans Zone; here is where you can watch from the comfort of your car with only a chain-linked fence between you and the action. Not bad on the skinflints level
The Racing
The first race on the card was the first division of the split two year old maiden over six furlongs. There was an open look to this with the tissue favourite Fouth of June being a debutant. It was not a surprise that an improver from a green first run went on and won today. Mince had been well beaten on first run but put that behind her today with a half length victory over Swing It, the favourite .
The 10f class 4 handicap was the first of today’s races sponsored by airport retailers Dubai Duty Free and was a pretty competitive affair being won with a well timed run by Frankie on Sour Mash (a bit of a shock at 20/1 almost unheard of for Frankie) who had swerved wide from the start and had to be settled in and held up until produced from out three out to hold on by half a length. Good ride. However the positive is with Fine Threads who as a three year old and having only her fifth run is logically still open to improvement. Ayr winner in the mud last year has won this year at Windsor and has twice shown a liking to Newbury with two good places in highly competitive races. Was very unlucky to be hampered at a vital stage of the race and her run was trumped by Detorri today as pair were comfortably holding the rest by around two lengths. Looked well today and was staying on well for second but not overly pushed once chance had gone. She can win off this 80 OR soon and may even stay a bit further although 10f suits fine. One for the shortlist. Third home was Licence To Till who tried to make most but was headed around the furlong marker and could not do more than stay on at the one pace. Often races up with the pace and has won over this trip although if probably better on the sand. Fourth home was The Only Key who was the main cause of bother to Fine Threads and led to a caution for Adam Kirby. She is a good marker as is very consistent which augers well for the first two today. Of the remainder the fancied Elraabeya cost a lot of money but is still very weak and despite racing prominently soon disappeared. May be better put to filly maidens. Corsican Boy looked well but again failed to impress and looks abit of an awkward one. Great Shot was tetchy beforehand and never really featured. Nazreef ran and looked like he needed the run today. Shallow Bay looked fit but is a bit disappointing this season. Spectait carried a bit of condition today and is probably getting ready for a jumps campaign with Johnjo. Laughing Jack has not followed up on spring win at Windsor and sweated a bit beforehand being soon beaten. Best left.
To get us under orders for the conditions races ahead we started with the Dubai Duty Free Conditions Stakes over nine furlongs. This was not that strongly contested so other than the winner there are question marks over going and distance going forward in terms of potential. It was won by the 4/6 odds on favourite Dubai Prince in absolutely emphatic style by a very easy three lengths. He had looked fit in the paddock despite a near twelve month lay-off and despite a slight flat spot three out quickened up in the manner of a useful colt and the three year old then glided past. Looked classic quality as a juvenile and has had some problems this season but appears to have put those behind him and it would be good to see him compete as a four year old. The experienced Penitent tried to do a wait from the front effort to protect his failure to really see out beyond a mile and was found wanting some way out so needs to be covered up over a mile to been seen to best effect. Jet Away ran with credit to be second and had sweated a bit beforehand which didn’t help. Suits softish ground and this trip.
Dubai Prince shows he is back to his best with facile condition stakes vistory
The second of the conditions races was the HH + C for two year old colts over a mile. It has a long a brilliant heritage with the great Shergar and the Derby winner Henbit onits roll of honour. Other notable winners were Unfuwain, the brilliant Rainbow Quest (one of my all time favourite flat horses) and Nayef. The race has also featured Shahrastani, Snurge and Authorised. So it is well worth a serious review this one. In the end we were treated to a fantastic battle up the straight with the favourite Harvard N Yale being nodded out of it by Caveleiro with a neck the judges verdict and the pair three lengths clear of the rest. To my eye they were both fully genuine articles staying on well and I feel the pair will be very useful over 10f plus next season. The winner Cavaleiro eventually broke his duck at third time of asking in facile fashion at Chepstow. Clearly going the right way and I liked his very genuine attitude. Harvard N Yale was noted as green on both his opening efforts and still looked a little behind the rest today so this was a fine run battling hard and he would have learnt a lot from this effort. Keep him onside next season. Whilst I was impressed by the winning two I think that the third may sneak under the radar in the future and pop up at rewarding odds. That was Spoke To Carlo and although this was his third effort I can see him landing a modest maiden as this was no poor effort today. There were two flashy ones behind him in Oscan (who had won over 7f at Leicester but did not see trip out today) and Linkable (every chance on debut but weakened before furlong stick). The other two were Mysterious Man who was on his toes today and raced prominently only to stay on at the one pace to finish fourth and Performing Pocket who looked well in the preliminaries but I think may be best over seven in modest maiden company if to have any chance of competing.
The Haynes Hanson and Clark Stakes third Spoke To Carlo (red and black) looks ready to pick up a maiden
Division two of the divided six furlongs two year old maiden stakes was won in fairly comfortable style by Accession with over two lengths the winning distance flattering the rest somewhat. Was a justifiable 5/4 favourite and is still not in tip top condition as appeared to need race. Clearly on the upgrade and could well step up on this win. Second home for the third consecutive time was Glen Moss. He looks to need softish ground to my eye so although disposed off well by Accession he is entered in some flash two year old races at the end of the year and with likely benefiting from underfoot conditions may pop in higher level than group. Sure to lose maiden tag before end of the season but always likely to go off shortish price. Third home was the one for my notebook and that was one of the debutants Our Merv who stayed on well despite being a bit tetchy in the paddock and running a bit green as of course he was entitled to be first time out. I think he can win a maiden and possibly at fair odds. May just suit seven. Of the remainder Coup De Grace looked well and forward on his debut. Showed good speed to be remain prominent until before the furlong pole, enough promise to keep an eye on. The Richard Hannon trained Royal Prospector was weak in the market and ran green.
Inside the final furlong and Accession (red/yellow with green cap) has then on the stretch
The big race for two year old fillies today was the Pivotal Fillies condition stakes over seven furlongs and again sponsored by Dubai Duty free. Tis was won in the manner of a very useful filly and I have Hazel Lavery down as a big positive going forward. The good consistent marker My Queenie again raced with merit to finish fourth but her near six length thrashing albeit giving four pounds acts as a sound bellweather here. My view is that Hazel Lavery quickened up approaching the last eighth and then smoothly put this race to bed. Clearly classy and should be a very good middle distance classic filly next season. Looks the sort to suit galloping courses. A definite positive. Second home was debutant Dank who looked a bit green and ran with promise to chase home a very good one. A Hannon middle distance prospect ran well to be third on her first outing. Others to keep an eye on are Westwiththenight who was a bit taken off her hooves on debut but is very nicely related and is likely to progress from this so should be able to pick up races next season over 10f plus, and Intense Pink could have been fancied to do well on debut based on decent two year old lines but got worked up a bit beforehand so may be worth another chance. This could be a very useful renewal.
In comes the winner Hazel Lavery one to shine in next year’s classic generation
Westwiththenight was not disgraced on debut and should do fine next year over 10f plus
The most valuable race of the day was the listed Dubai Duty Free Cup over seven furlongs. There was a strong field assembled with favourite being Beacon Lodge. The admirably consistent specialist seven furlong horse just never seemed to get going and was soon beaten. Perhaps he has had enough for the year. The second favourite was the well fancied Colonial who looked very well today and seemed to have the race in the bag entering the final quarter mile but could not live with the acceleration from the winner. It remains a good run by Colonial. The winner was the three year old Chilworth Lad who quickened up nicely to lead inside the final quarter and looked the winner some way out . He won by less than a length but was reasonably comfortable. Biggest disappointment was the 11/8 favourite Beacon Lodge who weakened before two out never really looking like a challenger.
Colonial in the parade ring
The very good card finished off with an eighth race (less than £2 a race by the way) in the form of a difficult to de-cipher class 4 handicap over one and a half miles. In a blanket finish Albert Bridge held on from the three way photo to separate Sugar Hiccup, Shubaat. An entertaining end to the day but not much in the way of pointers for the future
Notebook
Fine Threads (P)
Spoke To Carlo (P)
Our Merv (P)
Hazel Lavery (P) down £10
2
Ran very well but without any luck in 300k race over 7f she can go group as a three year old very nice type and kept as a positive