Andrew Asquith had an 8/1 winner last week and is back with two more selections at Newbury this weekend.
Weekend View: Saturday July 18
1pt win Angels Lane in the Super Sprint at Newbury at 12/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt win Marvelman in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury at 4/1 (William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook Betfair Sportsbook
It’s a low-key weekend of racing in Britain following Super Saturday where there was arguably too much competitive racing to get stuck into. There is some high-class stuff in Ireland with the Irish Oaks taking place on Saturday and another good card on Sunday, but only one firm has priced up the Irish Oaks at the time of writing, so it’s hard to get involved.
Newbury takes centre stage on these shores and it features the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes which is sure to be another big-field event given the prize money on offer.
Bint Archange heads the betting for Richard Hughes having bounced back to form with a win in a Listed event at Sandown last time and that form probably does set the standard.
There are some less exposed types among the entries, though, and the one I like is ANGELS LANE, who was a surprise winner on debut at Chepstow, and Henry Candy’s sole two-year-old runner so far this year.
There was no fluke about that success, either, probably not ideally placed racing on the wing and going with plenty of enthusiasm in the early stages, while she also showed signs of greenness when asked for her effort.
Angels Lane went to her right under pressure, ending up in the centre of the track, but she picked up well and always looked like winning when the runner-up came to challenge in the closing stages, pulling out a little more when that horse got to her quarters.
The runner-up hasn’t won since, but she’s improved her form in the process, and the timefigure recorded for that race was very good indeed. It was soft ground at Chepstow that day, so conditions will be very different at Newbury on Saturday, but she’s by Harry Angel, who went on any ground, winning on firm and good to firm ground, while Angels Lane’s dam is a half-brother to Jimmy Styles also won on good to firm more that once.
Hopefully a firmer surface won’t be a hindrance as she gets in this of a nice racing weight having won only a maiden and I like the fact she’s been off the track since, signalling that this race has been a likely target for a while.
The Hallgarten And Novum Wines Hackwood Stakes is the race before and I think MARVELMAN should be clear favourite.
He’s got a really solid profile, his sole blips coming when in the unfavoured group in the Jersey Stales at Royal Ascot last year, his run in the QEII when pulling too hard upped to a mile and his run in Saudi Arabia two starts ago.
However, he looked a potentially high-class colt when winning the Park Stakes at Doncaster last season and he bounced right back to form in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle last month.
He had to carry a 5lb penalty that day for his victory in the Park Stakes and emerged as one as the best at the weights, beaten only by one who has a very progressive profile and an excellent record fresh.
Marvelman didn’t do much wrong, running up to the level he had in the Park Stakes, and comfortably on top of Symbol of Honour who may reoppose. He doesn’t have a penalty to carry here, so is back on a level playing field, and he has two solid efforts to his name at this track, notably when third to More Thunder in the Hungerford. Marvelman is still unexposed at six furlongs and looks a leading contender.
Preview posted at 15:30 BST on 14/07/2026
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