Alex Hammond tips: Racing blog ahead of Newbury and Ripon

Last week’s Shergar Cup was an absolute blast. I was roaring Hayley Turner home in the last, a victory that ensured she was leading rider at the unique fixture for a record third time and the Ladies team were the overall winners too. When chatting to Hayley at Windsor on Thursday she seemed a bit bashful that her success at the meeting had slightly taken over. I think she should own it, and rightly so.

Despite revelling in her success, she cost me a few quid. When Hayley arrived at Ascot, she looked suitably stylish in a swish cream dress (with pockets, the key to any excellent dress!). Anyway, she’s clearly a great model as well as jockey because I ended up ordering the dress that same evening and will give it a maiden voyage at Newbury on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday. Let’s hope it brings me some of the Turner luck.

On to Newbury then and we have a high quality card despite all the excellent racing we are enjoying currently.

There's a trappy start to the day in the BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes with Al Aasy Sky Bet’s 4/5 favourite. He hasn’t done much wrong this season and was impressive with his cruising victory at Goodwood last time out.

Al Qareem may set the race up for him with his front running tactics, and three year old Go Daddy will be hanging off the favourite’s coat tails. The Shadwell silks have done well in this Group 3 in the past with three time winner Mubtaker and dual winner Hukum, and Al Aasy is the obvious pick.

However, with his penalty for that Goodwood win, and the sole three year old, GO DADDY, getting a 9lbs weight for age allowance, I’m taking a chance on the latter at 6/1.

Race two is the Play the BetVictor Predictor Now Handicap over five furlongs. It's wide open but I'm keen on 11/4 favourite THE BIG BOARD for Richard Hannon. She's a likeable filly and is looking well handicapped too, as she's dropped 8lbs below her last winning mark. She went close at Ascot last time and is a hardy and honest horse.

I’m going to take a chance on one of the bigger priced horses in the TPT Fire Handicap at 3.00pm. SPANISH BLAZE is 12/1 for trainer Marcus Tregoning and jockey Hayley Turner but he’s been running well.

He's creeping up the handicap as a result but with the yard in good form I hope he can finish in the frame (Sky Bet are paying five places here). My beloved Documenting is the 40/1 outsider of the lot and whilst he won this race two years ago, it looks a tough task this time round at the age of 11. He sometimes surprises me though and his appetite for the game is still strong.

The BetVictor Hungerford Stakes is the feature at 3.35pm and the Group 2 has attracted two previous winners. Jumby won this two years ago but is the 14/1 outsider to replicate that, while Witch Hunter is 9/2 to back up last year’s win.

We have Frankel’s younger (half) brother Kikkuli in the line-up and he has some smart form this year, including his second to Haatem in the Jersey Stakes. He’s 5/2 favourite.

Tiber Flow needs to put his latest run behind him but could have more to give over this seven furlong trip and is a tempting 9/2 chance. English Oak had excuses for his disappointing run at Goodwood as he twisted a shoe in the Lennox. A reproduction of his impressive handicap win at Royal Ascot puts him bang there and he’s 11/4 second favourite with Sky Bet. It’s devilishly difficult and I’m not sure the race will be run to suit TIBER FLOW, but I love him and will stick with him here.

Hutchence will be popular in the Chapel Down Handicap at 4.40 for Ralph Beckett after his cosy win at Salisbury last time out. I’m banking on blinkers making the difference on CIRO DE MARZIO in the closing Childwickbury Stud Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

Away from Newbury the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap is the seasonal highlight at Ripon. It’s as tough as ever but I like the Richard Fahey trained DARE TO HOPE, the pick of stable jockey Oisin Orr. He’s an 11/2 shot with Sky Bet. Richard has been doing a decent job of picking the right horses in the Racing League and he’s a good trainer to follow in these hot handicaps.

At Newmarket, the annual Jenningsbet Grey Horse Handicap will be popular with punters. It’s a great spectacle and Sky Bet are offering money back as cash if you’re second or third, so it’s worth a crack.

Strike struck in this two years ago off a rating of 67 and was 6th last year off a mark of 70 for trainer Jonny Portman. He’ll have to be better than ever to defy a mark of 75 but he comes here in red hot form. He’s 4/1.

I’ve followed Eminency over a cliff, and he’s turned out again quickly after his Racing League defeat at Windsor on Thursday. He’s 9/2 to win just his second ever race. He will pop up but who knows when?

Fine Interview is the likely improver but has a jockey up with little experience of British racing and the foibles of Newmarket’s July Course. Faleh Bughenaim is a leading rider in the middle east though and if the horse is good enough, hopefully he will be too.

First Folio has top weight for Julie Camacho and is looking well handicapped on his best for James Ferguson but that came at least two years ago.

Do I abandon Eminency? I think I will and will side with the solid option in STRIKE. Jonny Portman is overdue a winner, but his horses have been running to form so it’s just a matter of time.

Let’s hope some of those help pay for that dress!

Published at 1550 BST on 16/08/24

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