It’s the Lockinge Stakes this Saturday, so Newbury betting tips take pride of place on Horsebetting.com. That Group 1 over the straight mile for older horses has an odds-on favourite, so our experts look for each-way value. There are also selections from Newmarket and Navan here.
Newbury betting tips – Happy Romance the Carnarvon choice
In the Listed 6f Carnarvon Stakes (13:50), HAPPY ROMANCE looks best suited by the task. Trained by Richard Hannon, this Dandy Man filly won valuable juvenile Sales races last summer and then landed a Group 3 at Salisbury. Although she found the highest level too hot and Classic trials too far, this step back into calmer waters should suit her.
Happy Romance resumed winning ways with a success in this grade on her all-weather debut at Castleford last time out. Both of her main market rivals – Tactical, who must give her 3lb, and Creative Force – have shaped like they want further than this.
The former landed a Listed handicap over 7f at Newmarket, needing all of that trip to get up in the colours of The Queen. Creative Force, meanwhile, is out to prove himself better than a handicapper. Happy Romance is 11/2 with Betfair to follow-up now switching back to turf.
Al Aasy appeals in Aston Park
Following on from that is the 1m 4f Group 3 Aston Park Stakes (14:25), a match on paper between Logician and AL AASY. The latter has youth and race fitness on his side for trainer William Haggas after a comfortable success on reappearance over course and distance in the John Porter.
Al Aasy stays a bit further too after landing the Bahrain Trophy at last year’s July Festival. The form of his winning Newbury return looks good as the runner-up, Without A Fight, confirmed it when again finishing ahead of the third home, Outbox, at Ascot last weekend.
A four-year-old colt by Sea The Stars, Al Aasy holds early closing entries in Epsom’s Coronation Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. If worthy of those lofty targets, then he should be winning this. Odds of evens with BetVictor say Al Aasy can do just that en route to bigger things.
Logician saw his unbeaten run come to an end last time out, so this is the comeback trail. Things have not gone smoothly with the 2019 St Leger hero since his Classic triumph. The soft ground at York may explain his disappointing end to last season. Any further rain could harm his chances for John Gosden and son Thady.
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Lockinge Stakes betting tips – Each-way plays against Palace Pier
As noted above, Palace Pier is all the rage for the feature contest, the Lockinge Stakes (15:35). There is no value in backing him at odds-on for team Gosden, however, so our Newbury betting tips instead focus on each-way alternatives.
The betting suggests that Lope Y Fernandez is the main danger. He was a costly horse to follow as a three-year-old last season, however, with no wins from seven. This is also far deeper than the Listed event Lope Y Fernandez won on reappearance for Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien.
My Oberon was also prominent in the ante-post market. Although he also won on his return to action in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton at Newmarket, he has disappointed when running with cut in the ground. There is no reason why TOP RANK shouldn’t confirm their Superior Mile form from Haydock.
James Tate’s charge meets My Oberson on 5lb better terms after running out a 1 1/2 lengths victor in September. Top Rank, who gave weight all-round and took the Doncaster Mile on reappearance, definitely looks one to consider each-way at 10/1 with William Hill as a result.
I can’t resist mentioning SAFE VOYAGE in these Lockinge Stakes betting tips either. John Quinn’s stable star was a revelation last season when landing back-to-back Group 2s. Although now an eight-year-old, Safe Voyage may get a mile fresh and I’ll be having a few quid on at 16/1!
King Frankel interesting in London Gold Cup
Completing our Newbury betting tips is the intriguing KING FRANKEL in the 1m 2f London Gold Cup Handicap for three-year-olds (15:00). Trained by Mark Johnston, he has three seconds and a win from four career starts on turf after making his racecourse debut on the All-Weather.
You can’t take the 32-length romp King Frankel recorded at Pontefract literally last time out. That is definitely the handicapper’s view, as the assessor has only raised him 2lb for it. His Goodwood conquerors, Act Of Wisdom and Juan De Montalban, have both won since.
That means King Frankel gets into the London Gold Cup off a nice racing weight of 8st 2lb. With Joe Fanning now taking the ride for the first time, he is worth an each-way play at 10/1 with Betfred in a typically wide-open renewal.
Early favourite Bay Bridge has no form on turf but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he translated what he’s done on the All-Weather. The handicapper has also given unbeaten Godolphin runner Tamborrada a serious 8lb hike from just winning by a neck at Doncaster last time out. There are dangers everywhere in this hot handicap.
Newmarket betting tips – Fancy Man your best bet for Fairway
At Newmarket, in the Listed 1m 2f Fairway Stakes also for three-year-olds, FANCY MAN appeals down in trip and grade. Also trained by Hannon, progressing to land a Listed contest at Haydock on soft ground on his final start as a juvenile. Fancy Man beat Alenquer, a Dante Stakes fancy this midweek until being withdrawn, fair and square.
The Pride Of Dubai colt was a little disappointing on reappearance over 1m 1f at this venue in the Feilden Stakes. He shaped as though wanting further but didn’t quite get an extended mile-and-a-half in the Group 3 Chester Vase earlier this month.
Fancy Man’s placed effort there, when just fading to be third in the final furlong, is the best form on offer in relation to this. Now dropping back in distance and grade, he may well resume winning ways on his third start of the season. Odds of 5/2 with SportNation say Fancy Man will do just that under Pat Dobbs.
The market suggests the mount of William Buick, John Leeper is the one to be on after his impressive win at Newcastle. He’s a maiden on turf, but still respected. I think Tasman Bay, trained by eventing legend Sir Mark Todd, could be an interesting alternative to the top two.
Navan betting tips – Wordsworth the Yeats Stakes selection
Over in Ireland, the only black type race on the day is the Listed 1m 5f Yeats Stakes (16:15), another three-year-olds only contest. WORDSWORTH is the less exposed of two O’Brien runners in the field, but should really appreciate this step up in trip.
A colt by Galileo, he chased home High Definition on his racecourse debut and only start as a juvenile in a Curragh maiden. When Wordsworth returned to that venue on reappearance, he kept on well and got his head in front over 1m 2f. This is three furlongs further, and whoever wins it will be favourite for the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
There is more improvement to come and progress in Wordsworth, who cannot be opposed at 8/11 with William Hill, than stable companion Sir Lucan. I was extremely disappointed with his reappearance run in the Group 3 Sandown Classic Trial. This is easier, but a big step forward from that return to action is needed.
Sir Lucan, a colt by Camelot, was just never on terms. That listless display requires him to bounce back now racing on his home side of the Irish Sea. The Yeats Stakes simply looks at the mercy of Wordsworth, who has Seamie Heffernan in the saddle.
