View from connections ahead of Saturday's feature TV action
Get the view from connections and Man On The Spot verdict for Saturday's key races at Newbury.
2.25 Newbury JLT Cup
What the trainers say:
Patrick Mullins - Stratum: "We've put the hood on him as he was keen enough at Ascot, so we're hoping it will help him settle. He ran on really well at Ascot, he was probably the horse to take out of the race. There's huge prize-money for this race, JLT are to be commended, and hopefully he can bring back some sterling. If he produces his run from Ascot, he should be bang there again. I don't see the ground being an issue. He's versatile, he handled fast ground well at Ascot and came out of that really well. He's still only had 12 runs in his life, so he's definitely open to more improvement."
Iain Jardine - Nakeeta: "The horse is well. He ran in the Northumberland Plate, but he didn't get much of a run in that. "He's improving quietly now and we'll be aiming for the Ebor later on in the season."
Mark Johnston - Hochfeld: "I had quite a good hand for this at the five-day stage, but unfortunately they were all down low in the weights and Hochfeld was the only one that could get in. He is coming back from a long break and he probably needed that run at Newmarket last week. This might come a bit soon for a horse that had previously come back off a long lay off. It was a good performance off a long lay off. We were thinking of waiting for Goodwood after that, but this is a good prize."
Angus Gold - Quloob and Almoghared: "Owen (Burrows) has put some cheekpieces on Quloob just to help him concentrate. He was still a weak horse last season and was always going to be stronger this year. He ran well first time back this year and will surely stay an extra two furlongs. There's no reason why he shouldn't run well.
"John Gosden's horse (Almoghared) ran a smashing race at Royal Ascot (fourth in Queen's Vase) to say it was just the third run of his life. He's still a big baby, he's come a long way in three months, but I'm very fond of this horse. He's a half-brother to Taghrooda and there should be plenty more to come, he's a nice sort of horse."
Man On The Spot verdict
This valuable stayers’ handicap has attracted Stratum over from Ireland and Willie Mullins’ charge finished in front of Coeur de Lion, Cleonte and Kloud Gate when third in last month’s Ascot Stakes over 2m4f. Stars Over The Sea was runner-up in a Group 3 at Naas last year and debuts for Ian Williams while Amazing Red finished in front of Quloob when winning over 1m6f at Newmarket last time. Jim Crowley sticks with the latter but that may be down to the light weight ALMOGHARED carries and John Gosden’s unexposed three-year-old gets the vote on the back of a fourth to subsequent Group 1 winner Kew Gardens in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot. Percy’s Word also has plenty of scope and could figure while Nakeeta is out of form but won last year’s Ebor at York and Hochfeld and Buzz could go well stepping up in trip.
3.00 Newbury bet365 Hackwood Stakes
What the trainers say:
Charlie Hills - Equilateral: "He returned from the Commonwealth with a dirty scope, it was filthy, so he had an excuse. He's done a couple of pieces of work since then which have been very encouraging. This looks a nice little spot for him. It obviously means taking on older horses, but there are a few there who ran nice races at Ascot. If he can repeat his Doncaster run, where he beat Andrew Balding's filly easily giving her weight, he should be involved. He was disappointing at Ascot, but I've always thought he was up to that level."
James Tate - Invincible Army: "Basically he seemed to have an off-day at Ascot, just like my filly who won in France this week (Second Generation), so you can forgive him for that. James Doyle rode him that day and he did think the ground was just a bit quick for him, so we're hoping it's not razor fast at Newbury. It would be great if they got the odd shower, but at least they have had some rain in the last week or two, which Newmarket hadn't had for weeks. We took him out of the July Cup, which was obviously an incredibly competitive race on very fast ground, and this is dropping back to a Group Three. He seems in very good form at home, so I'm fully expecting him to bounce back."
Anguls Gold - Enjazaat & Yafta: "Yafta is ultra-consistent and I think he's still improving. He's from a late-maturing family and he's got a tremendous will to win. I'm a big admirer of his. He ran well at Newcastle when beaten by an older horse (Above The Rest), we're just never sure what his trip is. He ran over six on the Rowley Mile when he stayed on as if he wanted further and the same thing happened over seven. His pedigree is all speed though.
"On the other hand Enjazaat is a frustrating horse. We thought we'd traced the problem last year to his wind, so we did that. He ran a great race first time out at Ascot, but then back there at the Royal meeting, he ran no race. The ability is there, I don't think he's ungenuine, it's a question of stringing the two runs together."
Man On The Sport verdict:
Bacchus arrives fresh from landing the Wokingham at Ascot though came up well short the last time he raced at this level. Invincible Army finished in front of Equilateral, Enjazaat and Hey Jonesy in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot but is penalised for an earlier win at the same track and takes on older sprinters today. The consistent Yafta ran well again in a Group 3 sprint at Newcastle last time with Dream Of Dreams behind but PROJECTION (NAP) makes most appeal in this. Third to The Tin Man at Windsor in May, Roger Charlton’s sprinter finished a creditable fifth behind Merchant Navy in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Ascot last month and a similar effort should see him go very close in this.
3.35 Newbury Weatherbys Super Sprint
Karl Burke - Little Kim:"The 8lb penalty she got for winning the Prix du Bois obviously doesn't help, but she's in good form and we're looking forward to running her. She was in the Prix Robert Papin, but Nick in particular was keen to avoid the Queen Mary winner (Signora Cabello). I actually run a nice colt in the Papin as well, so I didn't take much persuading. They called the ground good to soft when she won at Deauville, but I felt it was good, fast ground on the day and conditions shouldn't be a problem for her. She's got black type already, so we thought we'd have a shot at the money. Fingers crossed, she'll run well."
Mick Channon - Kinks: "He's in great form, we're very happy with him and hopefully he goes there with a big chance. His form is good and if they get a bit of rain, that would be in his favour."
Eve Johnson Houghton - Tin Hat & Buckingham: "He is rock solid. He was was fifth in the Windsor Castle and that form has worked out really well. He's a tough little horse. I'm sure he'll go there and run his race and hopefully he's got a great chance. Buckingham loves a flat track, so Newbury should suit him well. Coming back to five furlongs is not perfect, but hopefully he's got enough pace to get involved."
Richard Spencer: Cookupastorm & Cococabala: "They were both cheap purchases and they've both shown us a level of ability. We felt it was worth letting them have a crack at a big pot like this. The colt has had more racing than the filly. He (Cococabala) has won two races for us, but I don't think we've seen the best of him yet. I hope there's more improvement in him.
"The filly stepped up massively from her debut at Lingfield to win at Newbury. Coming back in trip is a slight negative as she won cosily over six furlongs, but hopefully they've both got chances and it will be great if we can pick up some prize-money."
Charlie Fellowes - Snazzy: "She is very quick. Some very good fillies have won this in the past and I think mine is pretty good. She showed how quick she was at York, running very well without any cover and still managing to stay on into third place. If the same filly turns up, she has got to have a nice chance."
Man On The Spot verdict:
Richard Fahey has sent out three of the last five winners and Paul Hanagan’s presence on Nottingham winner Red Balloons suggests she has preference of the yard’s six runners ahead of Society Queen. But the former has a bit to find on these terms with KINKS, a dual winner earlier in the year and sixth in the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot last time. Mick Channon’s colt gets the nod but Tin Hat also ran well at Ascot in the Windsor Castle and is preferred to stablemate and handicap winner Buckingham. Little Kim has arguably the best form having won a Group 3 at Deauville recently but she’s penalised for that success and Snazzy may reverse earlier running with Karl Burke’s filly on better terms. Its The Only Way could go well for the Hannon yard and Cookupastorm made all over 6f here last week.
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