LiveScore Racing Preview: Newbury and Ripon, August 14, 2021
There is another bumper afternoon of racing on Saturday, with Newbury and Ripon staging quality cards.
The Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes is the feature race at Newbury on Saturday at 2.20pm, while at Ripon, the Great St Wilfrid at 3.45pm is one of their biggest races of the year at the Garden Racecourse.
And we have picked out five horses for you to follow.
Newbury 1.45pm - Denford Stakes (7f, Listed)
It was an impressive debut by BAYSIDE BOY, who prevailed over this C&D by just over three lengths.
That performance suggests he is a horse capable of progressing to a high level on the track.
Unlike his main rival here, Masekela, Roger Varian's runner is unexposed.
If he improves on this second appearance, he is going to be difficult to beat once again and this could be the latest stepping stone towards Group action for the colt.
LiveScore Selection: Bayside Boy
Newbury 2.20pm - BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1m5½f, Group 3)
This race was won in comfortable fashion by HUKHUM 12 months ago and Owen Burrows' runner can return to this C&D for another success as the colt is in excellent form at the moment.
The four-year-old has scored on two of his last three visits to a racecourse, including last time out when he won the Group Three Silver Cup Stakes at York.
He is the highest rated horse in this field so will need to concede weight all around but that is unlikely to stop him from a second straight win in this contest.
LiveScore Selection: Hukum
Newbury 2.55pm - BetVictor Handicap (7f)
ARATUS has only had three appearances so far in his career but has hardly put a foot wrong.
He broke his maiden two starts ago at Kempton (7f) on the AW.
After having a wind op in April, he prevailed by seven lengths on his seasonal reappearance at Doncaster (7f). This opening mark of 94 looks workable on his handicap debut.
Clive Cox's three-year-old is clearly on the up and if he follows up that impressive run at Doncaster, a third straight win can be recorded.
LiveScore Selection: Aratus
Newbury 3.30pm BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (7f - Group 2)
Godolphin have two runners in the feature race on the card at Newbury and it is AL SUHAIL who looks to have the best chance of giving the boys in blue another big success on a Saturday afternoon.
The son of Dubawi finished third on the Summer Mile at Ascot on his first run in the UK in 12 months.
He can build on that performance, especially over this 7f trip where he looked very good over as a novice.
LiveScore Selection: Al Suhail
Ripon 3.45pm - William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap (6f)
John Quinn's sprinter MR WAGYU has won over this C&D twice before and he may be set for his hat-trick of successes as his form recently has been excellent.
The six-year-old comes into this race on the back of a victory at Glorious Goodwood in the Stewards' Sprint Handicap, beating 24 other runners in that contest.
He has gone up 8lb for that win but he can defy that rise and add some decent prize money to his record in this valuable sprint race.
LiveScore Selection: Mr Wagyu.