Andrew Asquith steps in for Matt Brocklebank this weekend and has three selections at Ascot and Newmarket.
Value Bet Tips: Saturday, August 8
1pt win Martinet in 13:55 Newmarket at 17/2 (bet365)
1pt win Hermetic in 14:10 Ascot at 8/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
1pt win Stem in 14:45 Ascot at 8/1 (General)
The Charlie Appleby-trained Graceful Song is a short-priced favourite for the Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes following the good impression she made when making a winning debut over course and distance three weeks ago.
It is telling that she started odds on for that race, but it wasn’t breathtakingly striking and it was run at a dawdle meaning the form can’t be rated too highly. Still, she picked up well enough, and was well on top at the finish, but I think she looks incredibly short on the back of that, clearly priced up on connections and pedigree rather than what she’s achieved.
Talking of pedigrees, you’ll struggle to find a better bred filly than MARTINET running on Saturday – by Frankel out of multiple Group 1 winner Coronet – and I think she’s been underestimated in the market.
You couldn’t give her away on debut, starting 40/1 in what has turned out to be a good novice at Wolverhampton last month, but she showed a lot more than most juveniles from this yard do first time up, shaping very well in fact considering she was drawn in the car park and stuck out wide for a while.
Martinet was much sharper for the experience at Thirsk last time, fast out of the stalls and making all of the running in the style of an above-average filly. Admittedly, she set steady fractions, but it was still eye-catching the way she put distance between herself and her toiling rivals from around two furlongs out and she was only closed down late in the day when she was eased near the finish.
She’s bred to stay well, but isn’t devoid of speed, so this trip looks fine for now, and she could be hard to peg back at this course which can favour pacesetters if employing similar tactics. The amount she progressed from first to second run was substantial, and she has the pedigree and potential to take another marked step forward.
The Shergar Cup card at Ascot features some trappy handicaps, but there are a couple who appeal as being well handicapped to me in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers Handicap and Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap.
First up is HERMETIC, who had some fairly useful form at up to two miles in France last year, winning two of his four starts, and he has fared well in a couple of competitive handicaps since joining Ian Williams for €105,000.
He made his stable debut in what is usually a very competitive handicap at York and shaped with plenty of promise, racing close up and cruising into the lead around three furlongs out and sticking to his task well but just unable to go with some speedier rivals over a mile and a half.
Hermetic flopped at Goodwood next time, but I’d put that down to the track more than anything as he’s a huge horse who possesses plenty of scope.
It didn’t take him long to bounce back in the consolation race for the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle when last seen, again having every chance when the race began in earnest but sticking on at the one pace.
He clearly stays two miles, and the official distance is slightly shorter here, while this trip round here shouldn’t take as much getting as at Newcastle which has a long, uphill finish.
Hermetic finished in front of Shrimp Shady that day and is much better off at the weights now, so whether he deserves to be double the odds I’m not sure, and this unexposed four-year-old is just the sort that Ian Williams excels with; he should be competitive racing from the same mark.
The other is STEM, who had some very strong form as a three-year-old, finishing runner-up to the now smart Crown of Oaks on handicap debut over a mile and a quarter at this course, before bumping into another well-treated, progressive William Haggas horse in Eternal Force back over a mile at Newbury.
Stem’s only below-par effort this year came at Epsom on his second start back when looking unsuited by the undulating track, and he shaped like he was ready for a return to further when hitting the frame at Newmarket next time.
That rang true as he duly resumed winning ways in good style over a mile and a quarter at Sandown last month, always well positioned towards the front in what was a strongly-run race, and also one the last to come off the bridle.
The form has taken a couple of knocks since, but his performance was underpinned by a good timefigure, and it is worth taking a positive view of his performance as he didn’t seem to be all out when crossing the line.
This step up to a mile and a half poses a new question, but he appeared to stay well enough over a similar trip on his reappearance at Doncaster last season, and there is hope on the dam’s side of his pedigree it will suit.
The round course at Ascot tends to suit prominent runners and a subsequent 2lb rise for his latest success looks lenient for this still relatively lightly-raced four-year-old.
Preview posted at 15:40 on 07/08/2026
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