Steve Ryder has three selections on Saturday covering the ITV racing.
13:50 Newbury
Only 4lbs split the top seven in the market in ratings but with a handy 9lb weight-for-age allowance RASHABAR best priced at 4/1) looks the one to beat. There hasn’t been a three-year-old win this contest since 2019 but he arrives with a lofty rating of 113. A surprise 80/1 winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, he finished 2nd beaten less than a length on both of his next two starts at Group 1 level behind Whistlejacket and Camille Pissarro.
Dropped in class to the Group 3 Greenham Stakes on his reappearance, he finished a close 2nd behind subsequent French 2000 Guineas runner-up Jonquil before finishing midfield behind Field Of Gold in both the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. This step up in trip to 1m2f should suit based on his breeding and he looks the one to beat back at Newbury.
14:57 Newbury
If heavy rain arrives overnight it would be a slight inconvenience to REGIONAL (best priced at 9/4) but he is the clear form pick in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes. The Ed Bethell trained seven-year-old won the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock in 2023 before finishing 2nd in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last season. He was only fourth beaten 1 ¾ lengths by the re-opposing Elite Status in this race last season but he was trying to concede 5lbs to that rival that day.
Regional ran a joint career best on figures when 2nd behind Believing at Meydan on his reappearance before finishing 3rd in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot this year shaping like this step back up in trip to 6f would suit better. Both Elite Status and Jarraaf need to show improved form in first-time headgear and Regional looks the one to beat as a result.
15:12 Market-Rasen
Sean Bowen elected to ride Statuario last year instead of SURE TOUCH (best priced at 5/1) but this year is on board for his boss Olly Murphy. The nine-year-old won this race off a mark of 137 last season beating subsequent Desert Orchid Chase winner Soul Icon by a neck. That rival is now rated 7lbs higher whereas Sure Touch is now rated 1lb lower off a mark of 136.
Sure Touch slightly lost his way towards the end of last season but it seems significant that first-time cheekpieces have been saved for this race. With Sean Bowen on board this year, he looks hard to keep out of the frame.
