A Fine Summer's Evening at Newbury — But Don't Let the Flat Fool You

Now look, I'll be straight with you — I'm a jumps man at heart. Give me Cheltenham in February over Newbury in July any day of the week. But even a hardened National Hunt devotee like myself can appreciate a well-constructed evening card on a warm summer's night, and Newbury delivered exactly that on Friday the 17th of July. Seven races, good to firm underfoot, and enough talking horses to keep the conversation going well past last orders. Pull up a stool.

The Newbury racecard was a decent spread — a pair of novice stakes for the unraced brigade, a couple of handicaps for the more seasoned sorts, and a feature fillies' handicap worth £25,000 that had genuine quality written all over it. Good to firm going, which on a July evening at Newbury is about as predictable as rain in Galway, and the ground was likely riding fast by the back end of the card. That matters, particularly over the longer trips.

The Feature Race: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Handicap (6f, Class 3)

Right, let's get to the meat of it. The 20:08 — the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Handicap over six furlongs — was the one that had the most intrigue, and I'd have been glued to it even if you'd had to drag me away from a Munster hurdle replay to watch. Twenty-five grand on the line, a field of eight fillies, and a fascinating puzzle of form and ratings.

Rose of Honour (Hector Crouch) was the top-rated in the field at 91, carrying that course and distance form — always a reassuring tick in the box at a track like Newbury where experience counts. She'd be the one the market would gravitate towards, and rightly so. Crouch is a jockey who's quietly been riding out of his skin this summer, and if Rose of Honour was anywhere near her best, she'd take a power of beating.

But the one that caught my eye — and this is where I'll stick my neck out — was Elara May (Pat Cosgrave, rated 88). No course and distance form flagged, but Cosgrave doesn't take rides like this without believing in the horse, and an 88-rated filly dropping into a six-furlong Class 3 on fast ground has every chance of exploiting the weights. Watch her closely wherever she goes next.

Lady Kodiac (Ray Dawson, rated 85) is another I'd keep an eye on. The Kodiac influence is tailor-made for fast ground and a sharp six furlongs, and if she's been trained with an evening like this in mind, she could easily outrun that rating. Dawson is underrated as a jockey — there, I've said it.

The Novice Stakes: Where the Future Begins

The card opened with the Discover Newmarket Fillies' Novice Stakes at 17:15 — seven furlongs, Class 3, and a field of unraced or lightly-raced fillies that's always a bit of a lottery but enormous fun to dissect. Somers Isles (David Probert) caught my attention purely on the basis that Probert rarely wastes his evenings on no-hopers, and a filly named after a stretch of Bermuda coastline sounds like she was bred to travel well.

Thuritha (Sean Dylan Bowen) is worth a mention too — and yes, that's Dylan Bowen, son of the legendary Peter, making his way on the flat. The jumping world knows the Bowen family well, and if the young lad has inherited even half his father's horsemanship, he'll be one to watch as the season develops.

The 17:48 Racing Welfare Novice Stakes over a mile was headlined by Cerro Blanco (Billy Loughnane, rated 104) — and that rating stands out like a sore thumb in a novice contest. Course and distance form already banked, Billy Loughnane in the saddle — if Cerro Blanco didn't win this, I'd want a very good explanation. Loughnane has been electric this summer and is the kind of jockey who makes even moderate horses look better than they are. A horse to follow, certainly, and one who'll step up in class before long.

Handicap Heat: The Racing TV and National Stud Contests

The 18:23 Racing TV Handicap over a mile and four furlongs was a small but competitive affair. Four runners, tightly bunched on ratings between 77 and 80, and the stamina test of the card. Level Look (David Probert, rated 80) and Cranachan (Hector Crouch, rated 79) were the two with course and distance form, and on good to firm over a mile and four at Newbury, that experience is gold dust. Don't underestimate Counter Intuitive (Billy Loughnane, rated 77) though — that man could make a donkey look like Frankel, and a horse with a name like Counter Intuitive was practically born to spring a surprise.

The National Stud Handicap at 18:58 — a mile and two, Class 3, £17,500 — was the one for the more seasoned handicapper. High Degree (Cieren Fallon, rated 91) was the top weight, and Fallon junior is a serious talent who doesn't need much of a horse to get the job done. Darn Hot Gallop (Hector Crouch, rated 86) had course form to call upon and at that rating, could easily be ahead of the handicapper. One for the notebook.

The Sprint and the Apprentice Race: Pure Entertainment

The Madness Handicap at 19:33 — five furlongs, Class 4 — was the crowd-pleaser. Eight runners, fast ground, and a field that included the brilliantly named Ecclefechan (Alice Bond, rated 69). I don't know where they find these names, but I love them. Rocking Ends (Cieren Fallon, rated 85) was the class act of the field with course, distance and win form already on the card — hard to oppose on paper, though five-furlong sprints have a habit of making fools of us all.

The closer — the Burwell Apprentice Handicap at 20:43 — is always a chaotic, wonderful mess, and this one was no different. Seven furlongs, Class 5, and a cast of young riders who are the future of the sport. Mister Mojito (Connor Planas, rated 69) and Born A Rebel (Arron D'Arcy, rated 67) both had course and distance form, which in an apprentice race is about as much of an edge as you're going to get. Keep an eye on D'Arcy — he's a name I suspect we'll be hearing a lot more of before long.

Ones to Follow and Looking Ahead

Right, here's my shortlist for the notebook — the horses from tonight's Newbury card that I'd be watching out for next time:

  • Cerro Blanco — A rated 104 winning a novice is a statement. He'll step up to Listed or Group company and deserve his chance.
  • Elara May — If she ran well in the fillies' handicap, she's one to follow wherever Cosgrave takes her next. A mile on softer ground could bring out even more.
  • Darn Hot Gallop — Course form, Hector Crouch in the saddle, and a rating that looks exploitable. A mid-summer handicap at Goodwood or Ascot beckons.
  • Rocking Ends — If Fallon had him right tonight, a five-furlong Listed race before the season's out wouldn't be beyond him.
  • Arron D'Arcy — Not a horse, but a jockey. Watch this young man. He's got something about him.

All told, a grand evening's racing at Newbury. It's not Leopardstown over Christmas, and it's not the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but on a warm July Friday with a pint in hand and a few quid on the fillies' handicap, there are worse ways to spend your evening. The flat might not be my natural home, but even I can admit — tonight was worth the detour. See you back over the jumps in the autumn. Sláinte.