Our ambassador offers a preview of four contests on Newbury's Hungerford Day and weighs in on the headline races at Ripon – both meetings will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. An extra furlong could suit Coppull perfectly After watching Coppull’s performance in the Group One July Cup, I am convinced that the three‑year‑old trained by Clive Cox has the class to take on the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes over 3 miles 10 furlongs at Newbury this Saturday. The race will be shown live on Sky Sports Racing, giving punters a chance to see if he can translate his proven speed into stamina over the longer trip.
At Newmarket, Coppull was a little reluctant to settle, taking his time to find a rhythm while the winner, Comanche Brave, seized the early advantage. The extra distance at Newbury should play to his strengths, especially on a more conventional, less testing track where he can settle and unleash his turn of foot.
Never So Brave earned a strong second place in the Criterion at York over seven furlongs, but he has struggled to find the front of the race this season. Godolphin’s Symbol Of Honour is a solid performer, yet he has never managed a win at this distance, making both horses less compelling than Coppull.
A more intriguing contender in my view is William Haggas’s Extremely Zain. The colt has already proved himself over this course and distance, and his run in the International at Ascot was far better than his finishing position suggested.
He is on an upward trajectory and, although this race represents a step up in class, he should be able to hold his own in a solid, ordinary renewal. Millionaire sets the tone in the Geoffrey Freer Dubai Honour, a veteran with four Group One victories and more than £5 million in earnings, is looking to recapture past glories in the opening Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes over 1 mile 25 furlongs at Newbury. The eight‑year‑old has delivered some of my husband Tom Marquand’s finest rides, and with an excellent record when fresh, he could notch his eleventh win after a summer break. There is little to separate Mount Atlas and Tabletalk after their efforts in the Silver Cup at York, but I doubt either will improve enough to challenge the dominance of Dubai Honour on these terms.
Gamrai, who fought valiantly in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot, may benefit from a change of scenery after moving to George Scott from John and Thady Gosden. Though he is now in deeper water, the new environment could spark a resurgence. Fire can blaze in the Sprint Handicap Having finally secured a clear lead, Richard Hannon’s Wheels Of Fire is poised to deliver another impressive performance in the D&H Excellence In Nutrition Handicap over 1 mile 55 furlongs at Newbury. He comfortably defeated the re‑opposing Hypnotised at Sandown, and even a six‑pound weight increase may not be enough to stop him under Pat Dobbs, who is better suited to lighter assignments.
Chris Mason’s Glamorous Breeze earned a respectable showing at Goodwood and deserves a close finish. While Kinswoman has fallen short at Listed and Group level, she still has work to prove, especially after dropping back into a handicap with a reduced rating.
Humam looks to build on his Newmarket third Humam’s front‑running third place in a brisk Newmarket race suggests he is well‑placed for the TPT Fire Handicap over 2 miles 35 furlongs at Newbury. I was impressed by how this former Andrew Balding trainee stayed on the pace, delivering his best effort for trainer Stuart Williams since being gelded this winter. Running off an unchanged mark, his recent form is more compelling than that of market rival Scoville, who has been disappointing in both the Royal Hunt Cup and the Golden Mile at Goodwood and must improve to handle the shorter trip.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s admirable Great Acclaim has performed admirably in prestigious contests such as the Victoria Cup and Buckingham Palace, but a break from the handicapper may be in order. Never miss a story with the latest racing news, interviews and features on your phone.
Find out more. Roxby could spark a big‑race double Malton trainer Nigel Tinkler and his apprentice Alex Jary have a genuine chance of pulling off a memorable double at Ripon on Saturday, starting with Lord Roxby in the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap over 3 miles 25 furlongs. The four‑year‑old from Middleham Park returns to the North Yorkshire venue in top form after beating the well‑fancied Dark Cloud Rising over the same course and distance earlier this month.
He also handled a strong field at York earlier in the summer and should manage a five‑pound penalty against a group of smart rivals who still have something to prove. The likely favourite, Fast Track Harry, improved after wearing cheekpieces for the first time at Ascot, but I am not convinced the track will suit him. The class horse Aramram must overcome a low draw; he performed poorly from a similar position in this race two years ago. Boy can unleash the magic in the Silver Cup In the consolation race, the William Hill Supporting MND Silver Cup Handicap over 2 miles 55 furlongs, Nigel runs Magic Boy, a four‑year‑old who checks many boxes in a wide‑open, large‑field sprint.
Magic Boy is less exposed than many of his rivals and demonstrated his potential with a hard‑fought victory against 18 opponents at York last month. A slow start later compromised his chances three weeks later, but he remains well‑drawn in stall 14 and has prior track form that is crucial at the Garden Racecourse. He has finished second on both his visits and should be able to turn that into a win, provided he can produce a career‑best effort. Another noteworthy entrant is Clive Cox’s Mythical Composer, who also enjoys a favourable draw in stall 15.
He must bounce back after a sub‑par run at Goodwood, his first start since being gelded. Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.