Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Andrew Balding’s charge value in Newbury feature
The feature race at Newbury on Saturday is the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes, a 6f contest for three-year-olds and upwards (16:00).
Shine So Bright looks a fascinating contender and the value bet to land the spoils in what is a wide-open renewal.
This Andrew Balding trained four-year-old had some strong form to his name last season when winning twice and also running well in defeat.
After making all on seasonal reappearance to beat subsequent Jersey Stakes winner Space Traveller by 1 3/4 lengths in the Listed 7f European Free Handicap at Newmarket, the son of Oasis Dream was far from disgraced when a 5 1/4 lengths sixth of 19 to Magna Grecia in the 2000 Guineas over a mile at Newmarket.
Shine So Bright led the stands’ side group until getting headed at the furlong marker before weakening late on and clearly failed to stay the trip.
He then got back to winning ways over 7f at York when taking the scalp of multiple Group 1 winning mare Laurens in the Group 2 City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Shine So Bright set a scorching gallop from flagfall and battled on tenaciously when strongly pressed inside the last to prevail by a nose.
Drop back in trip promises to suit
The King Power Racing owned colt comes into the Hackwood Stakes on the back of just two starts this season.
He was well-beaten when last of 10 to Hello Youmzain in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 6f at Royal Ascot, before posting a much improved effort last time out when third at Epsom.
That came in the Listed 7f Surrey Stakes where Shine So Bright led and set a strong gallop to be clear at halfway, before weakening deep inside the last to be beaten three lengths by Safe Voyage.
Judged on that, he looks well worth another crack at the 6f trip of this and appears to be building up to a big performance. The plan will surely be to attempt to make all under Silvestre De Sousa.
If getting loose on the front end, Shine So Bright could prove really hard to peg back and pass judged on his aforementioned game success over Laurens.
He is also the second highest rated in the 12-runner line-up. So, at 7/1 with Betfred, Shine So Bright looks to have more going for him than his odds would suggest.
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Now dropped back in grade, previous Hackwood Stakes winner The Tin Man looks sure to go well and thus rates the main danger.
Trained by James Fanshawe, this eight-year-old landed the spoils in the 2018 renewal, and has a tremendous 33 per cent career strike rate having won nine of his 27 starts.
Although he failed to get his head in front last season, The Tin Man did post some solid efforts in defeat.
They included when a 4 1/2 lengths sixth of 17 to Blue Point in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he did all his best work at the finish after being slowly away.
The son of Equiano also ran a cracker on his penultimate start of the campaign when a half-length runner-up to Hello Youmzain in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock.
The form of those races set a clear standard in the Hackwood Stakes. An official rating of 115 gives The Tin Man 3lb and upwards in hand of his rivals.
It makes the veteran the one to beat. He comes into this having been far from disgraced on seasonal reappearance when a 4 1/2 lengths seventh of 10 to Hello Youmzain in the Diamond Jubilee this year.
The Tin Man looks sure to strip fitter for that and this represents a return to calmer waters. He has a 28 per cent strike rate in the grade, so commands the utmost respect under Oisin Murphy.
However, The Tin Man isn’t getting any younger and may prove vulnerable to more lightly-raced types. He is therefore opposed on this occasion, but can be backed at 6/1 with Betfair to win this for a second time.
Summerghand has an each-way shout in Hackwood Stakes
Summerghand comes into the race in cracking form; so, at 7/1 with 888sport, appeals most from an each-way betting perspective despite now taking a step up in class.
This David O’Meara trained six-year-old posted a string of solid efforts last year in ultra-competitive handicaps.
He looked as good as ever on return to action at Newmarket when a fast-finishing, but never nearer 1 1/4 lengths runner-up to Tinto.
He backed that up with a cracking second of 22 to Hey Jonesy in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot when going down by just a nose and looking a desperately unlucky loser in the process.
After being held-up in midfield travelling strongly, Summerghand was denied a clear run when making stealthy headway a furlong from home.
He had to be switched left by James Doyle to see daylight and then flew home to go down by the narrowest of margins.
Summerghand lost out on the nod and has since gained a deserved success at Pontefract when only having to be ridden out to readily account for George Bowen by half-a-length.
The son of Lope De Vega is clearly thriving and is a strong travelling sort with a smart turn of foot who looks well worth a crack at this level.
In a race which should be run at a furious end-to-end gallop, Summerghand looks sure to be finishing off strongly when others have cried enough.
If that proves to be the case, then he has every chance of at least hitting the frame in the hands of Harry Bentley who has won twice and been placed once on him in three starts.
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