Our ambassador gives a preview of four races on Newbury's Hungerford Day and offers his take on the headline contests at Ripon, with both meetings available live on Sky Sports Racing. A Longer Trip Suits Hungerford Hopeful After a strong showing in the Group One July Cup, Coppull has convinced me that he can handle the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes over three miles and ten furlongs at Newbury this Saturday. The three‑year‑old, trained by Clive Cox, was a little reluctant to settle at Newmarket, where the winner Comanche Brave broke well and led from the front. Coppull, a proven traveler, should relish the extra furlong on a more conventional, galloping track.
Never So Brave will be backed by his connections after finishing second in the Criterion at York over seven furlongs, but he has struggled to find a clear run this season. Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Symbol Of Honour is a solid performer who has never won at this distance, making his chances marginal. A more intriguing entry in my view is William Haggas’s Extremely Zain.
The colt has already won over the same course and distance, and his performance in the International at Ascot was far better than his final placing suggested. Although stepping up in class, he has shown a steady upward trajectory and should be able to hold his own in a standard renewal of the Hungerford Stakes. Millionaire Sets the Bar in the Geoffrey Freer Dubai Honour, a veteran with four Group One victories and more than £5 million in earnings, looks set to recapture his former brilliance in the opening Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes over one mile and a quarter at Newbury. The eight‑year‑old has delivered some of Tom Marquand’s finest rides and, having been fresh in his recent outings, could notch his eleventh win as he returns from a summer break.
The form between Mount Atlas and Tabletalk, who contested the Silver Cup at York, is very similar, and I doubt either will improve enough to threaten Dubai Honour’s dominance on these terms. Gamrai, who fought valiantly in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot, has moved to George Scott after a spell with John and Thady Gosden.
Although he is now in deeper water, a change of scenery could prove beneficial and spark a resurgence. Fire Can Ignite the Sprint Handicap Now that he has regained the lead, Richard Hannon’s Wheels Of Fire is poised to deliver another bold performance in the D&H Excellence In Nutrition Handicap over one mile and five furlongs at Newbury.
He comfortably beat the re‑opposing Hypnotised at Sandown, and a six‑pound weight increase may not be enough to blunt his momentum, even if Pat Dobbs, his rival, is better suited to the higher weights. Chris Mason’s Glamorous Breeze earned a close finish at Goodwood and deserves another look. While Kinswoman has yet to make a mark in Listed and Group company, she still has plenty to prove, especially as she drops back into a handicap with a reduced rating. Humam Aims to Build on Newmarket Form Humam’s front‑running third place in a warm‑weather race at Newmarket positions him well for the TPT Fire Handicap over two miles and three‑quarters at Newbury.
I was impressed by how this former Andrew Balding trainee stayed on the pace and produced his best effort for trainer Stuart Williams since being gelded this winter. Running off an unchanged rating, Humam’s recent form looks more compelling than that of market rival Scoville, who has underperformed in both the Royal Hunt Cup and the Golden Mile at Goodwood and must improve to handle the shorter trip. Eve Johnson‑Houghton’s dependable Great Acclaim has been competitive in major events such as the Victoria Cup and the Buckingham Palace Stakes, but a spell from the handicapper may be needed to keep him fresh.
Roxby Targets 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, beginning with Lord Roxby in the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap over three miles and twenty‑five furlongs. The four‑year‑old returned to the North Yorkshire course in excellent form after beating the well‑regarded Dark Cloud Rising over the same trip earlier in the month.
He also performed strongly against a large field at York earlier this summer and should manage a five‑pound penalty against a group of talented rivals who still have something to prove. The likely favourite, Fast Track Harry, showed improvement when fitted with cheek‑pieces for the first time at Ascot, but I remain unconvinced that the track will suit him.
The class horse Aramram must overcome a low draw; he ran poorly from a similar position in this race two years ago. Magic Boy Can Spark a Surprise in the Silver Cup In the consolation race, the William Hill Supporting MND Silver Cup Handicap over two miles and fifty‑five furlongs, Nigel runs Magic Boy, a four‑year‑old who ticks many of the right boxes for a wide‑open, large‑field dash. He is less exposed than many of his rivals and demonstrated his potential with a hard‑fought victory against eighteen opponents at York last month, although a slow start hampered his chances three weeks later. Magic Boy benefits from an advantageous draw in stall 14 and possesses previous form at the Garden Racecourse, a factor that often proves decisive.
He has finished second on both his visits and appears ready to turn that effort into a win, provided he can achieve a personal best. Another noteworthy contender is Clive Cox’s Mythical Composer, who also enjoys a favorable draw in stall 15.
He must rebound from a disappointing run at Goodwood, his first start since being gelded, to be a serious threat. Hollie Doyle discussed these insights with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.