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Newbury hosts a competitive card on Saturday including the valuable Super Sprint Stakes for the juveniles and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes.
Frankie Dettori returns with his first ride since his whip suspension in the 6f Group 3 Hackwood Stakes (3:00) aboard Lezoo. The Ralph Beckett-trained filly was one of the leading juveniles last season, winning the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot before a comfortable success ahead of Meditate in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stud Stakes at Newmarket. She hasn't looked the same horse this year, finishing eighth in the 1000 Guineas and a well-beaten tenth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. That said, this represents a considerably easier task and it could be an opportunity for the filly to get back on track with a weight advantage over rivals.
Her main opposition appears to be Commanche Falls, winner of the Listed Dash Stakes at the Curragh on his last start. The six-year-old gelding holds plenty of experience and has been an excellent servant for trainer Michael Dodds, earning nearly half a million pounds in prize money. He's looked better than ever this season and is a solid option compared to Lezoo.
WIN: COMMANCHE FALLS
Relief Rally will take on the boys in the 5f Class 2 Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes (3:35), having been denied by a nose in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. The form of her penultimate Salisbury victory was confirmed when the second-placed horse Juniper Berries finished fourth in the same Royal Ascot contest, with both of those runs coming on good ground. She's been ridden byTom Marquand on all three of her runs so far and the pair have to be considered a leading chance for this valuable prize.
Bobsleigh seemed to relish the unusual conditions at Epsom Downs when landing the Woodcote Stakes on Derby Day and was probably underestimated at a price of 14/1 for the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, producing a big effort to finish three lengths back in sixth behind River Tiber. The drop back to five furlongs would be a question mark, despite his debut Brighton success over five-and-a-half furlongs.
Bobsleigh's stablemate Juniper Berries has already been mentioned, having finished second in a Salisbury contest before a good fourth in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes behind Relief Rally. The form of the Eve Johnson Houghton yard would be a concern for both Bobsleigh and Juniper Berries with a 0% strike rate from the last fourteen days (0-21).
WIN: RELIEF RALLY
Epic Poet makes his UK debut in the 1m2f Listed Steventon Stakes (1:50) for new trainers Freddie and Martyn Meade. Formerly trained by Jean-Claude Rouget in France, the colt was a Listed winner at Compiegne in July 2022 and placed on his three subsequent starts at Listed and Group 3 level, including when third behind West Wind Blows in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d'Orange. He could be interesting if connections have found any improvement.
Al Aasy heads the betting for William Haggas following a disappointing run in the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket on seasonal reappearance. Impressive when taking two Group 3 events at the start of 2021, he was gelded following two subsequent defeats at the end of July. The son of Sea The Stars ran once in 2022, winning the Listed Buckhound Stakes in impressive style but did not look the same horse on his return to action.
WIN: EPIC POET
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – SAVVY KINGDOM
RACE 2 – EPIC POET
RACE 3 – NATHANAEL GREENE
RACE 4 – COMMANCHE FALLS
RACE 5 – RELIEF RALLY
RACE 6 – FREE NATION
RACE 7 – MAMAN JOON
RACE 8 – SPARKS FLY