Simon Holt Saturday preview

Free Racing Tips for Saturday August 15 including Newbury and Ripon

By Simon Holt

Horse Racing

Sat August 16, 2025 · 4M ago

Top commentator and tipster Simon Holt is back with his verdict on some of the weekend's key races at Newbury and Ripon.

Racing betting tips: Saturday August 16

1pt win Faustus in 2.25 Newbury at 12/1 (General)

1pt win First Folio in 3.20 Ripon at 12/1 (Bet365)

2pts win Witness Stand in 3.35 Newbury at 5/1 (Bet365)

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ITV4 SELECTIONS: Pinhole 1.50 Newbury, Binhareer 2.05 Newmarket, FAUSTUS 2.25 Newbury, Novello Lad 2.45 Ripon, Havana Pusey 3.00 Newbury, FIRST FOLIO 3.20 Ripon, WITNESS STAND 3.35 Newbury

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WITNESS STAND was bought to become a flagship horse for the burgeoning Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole training partnership and is fancied to defy a small penalty in Saturday’s Group Two Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

The four-year-old has already been successful at this level having run out a surprise 25/1 winner of the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood late last month when he had higher rated horses behind him in the next five placings.

It’s hard to believe that they all ran below form, and the official handicapper agreed by giving Witness Stand an 8lb rise.

Even with a 3lb penalty, Billy Loughnane’s mount looks the one to beat if reproducing that effort over a course and distance at which he won a Listed race by three lengths last September. This is clearly a progressive horse and it seems a little surprising to me that the narrow Bunbury Cup winner More Thunder is so much shorter in the betting despite being officially rated 15lb inferior and facing a steep rise in class.

Earlier, course form could also prove significant in the D & H, Excellence In Tradition Handicap in which FAUSTUS defends an unbeaten record from two previous visits to Newbury.

The most recent success came in early July when Ryan Kavanagh’s mount made all the running in an apprentice handicap from subsequent winner Aces Wild with the four-timer seeking Lequinto back in third.

Fourth placed Roach Power won his next two starts and now renews rivalry on 7lb worse terms while Sarafina Mshairi (fifth) and Merrimack (sixth) have also upheld the form since.

Faustus was raised in class for a Class 2 handicap at the Goodwood Festival next time but had a bad draw on the wrong side of the track and was soon beaten.

That run can be cast aside and this looks a bit easier with Kavanagh claiming 5lb this time.

At Ripon, the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap looks a tough call but FIRST FOLIO could improve for his recent course and distance sixth to Mister Sox under Ryan Sexton which came after a break.

Once rated over 100 when trained by James Ferguson, the now Julie Camacho-handled grey ran his best race of the season when beaten a short head by the useful Trefor, again over Ripon’s six furlongs in June, under 5lb claimer Tom Kiely-Marshall who is now back aboard.

At the age of seven, First Folio is now rated 87 and, while not as good as he was, looks capable of winning off this mark.

After a quiet spell, Camacho sent out a 9/1 winner at Windsor on Thursday evening.