Horsebetting.com experts say Projection is their best bet among Hackwood Stakes betting tips from Newbury. Equilateral rates the main danger for the 6f Group 3 sprint on Saturday, 21 July, while Hey Jonesy looks a bit of each-way value. Learn more about these horses and why we’ve put them up in our 2018 Hackwood Stakes betting tips preview.Projection well worth backing in HackwoodRoger Charlton’s stable has been absolutely flying of late, so it looks worth siding with his five-year-old gelding Projection to cash in on a drop in class and land an overdue success in the 6f Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury on Saturday (15:00).
This son of Acclamation won twice as a juvenile and hasn’t scored since, but that does not tell the full story as connections have gone close with him in this grade. Projection was a half-a-length second and closing on Blue Point in his final start of last season in the Bengough Stakes at Ascot.
Given the winner has come out this season and landed the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at the Royal meeting, that is strong form. Projection was also a two-length second to Brando and also behind Sir Dancealot on reappearance in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, and those two were subsequently runner-up and fourth in the July Cup at the same venue last week.
Projection followed up on that outing with a three-quarters of a length third to The Tin Man in a Listed affair at Windsor and then a fine 2 1/4 lengths fifth to Merchant Navy in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. This is much less demanding than that Group 1 cavalry charge and all this smart form surely gives him every chance of victory here.
As the joint top rated in the line-up, alongside Invincible Army, he should find this assignment easier and although he’s top weight Projection has all the tools to deliver at last.Equilateral a danger if bouncing backCharlie Hills’ colt Equilateral could not have been more impressive on his penultimate start, so if putting a poor performance at the highest level behind last time out is an unexposed danger.
The three-year-old is owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah and bolted up by eight lengths on seasonal reappearance at Doncaster. Although you can question what he beat, Equilateral still made all and that margin of victory in a 6f sprint is massive.
Connections were obviously bullish about his prospects and pitched him right in at the deep end when going for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Equilateral was sent off 6/1 for that and raced prominently in the central group, but could not quicken at the business end of affairs and weakened to be beaten 6 1/2 lengths down in 12th place.
As with Projection, this is a drop in grade for Equilateral. Returning to a smaller size field – less than half the number of runners from the Commonwealth Cup go in the Hackwood – may also be a plus.
If the hype of his Doncaster display is to be lived up to, he must produce something similar here. On official ratings, Equilateral is 2lb well-in on Projection, and the race terms are in favour, so he ought to be doing himself justice if able to bounce back. Hey Jonesy the each-way betHey Jonesy finished 4 1/2 lengths and seven places in front of Equilateral in the Commonwealth Cup, yet is available at more than twice the price, so he looks the each-way value in this.
Trained by Kevin Ryan, the three-year-old re-opposes on the same terms with that rival and was put up 1lb by the assessor for his two-length fifth behind Eqtidaar at Royal Ascot to a mark of 109.
That makes Hey Jonesy best of the rest on official ratings behind Projection and Invincible Army – another he finished ahead of off level weights in the Commonwealth Cup. He is now getting 3lb from that re-opposing rival, so there’s no reason he cannot confirm the firm.
This son of Excelebration also put in a smart effort on his final start as juvenile when a three-length fourth to U S Navy Flag in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Given he captured the July Cup for Aidan O’Brien last weekend, that back form should be respected and certainly adds to the each-way claims of Hey Jonesy.Your Next Bet
