3 minute read
Newbury Racecourse stages Betfred Ladies Day this Saturday with a tremendous seven-race card followed by Will Young headlining the Party in the Paddock.
Last year's winner Adaay and the unbeaten Hit It A Bomb feature among 16 confirmations for the feature £150,000 G2 Betfred Hungerford Stakes (4.10pm).
Adaay (William Haggas) is bidding to become only the second two-time winner of the seven-furlong contest following on from Jimmy Reppin (1968 & 1969), while Hit It A Bomb (Aidan O'Brien) could have his first start since capturing the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland, USA, in October.
Exciting three-year-old Nemoralia is the one filly among the entries. Trained by Jeremy Noseda, she bolted up by six lengths in a Listed race at York in May before chasing home Qemah in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Connections of Convey (Sir Michael Stoute) are hoping the four-year-old can build on his comfortable victory last time out in the Listed Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract.
The four-year-old son of Dansili posted some good efforts earlier this season, including when going down by a head to Godolphin's Home Of The Brave (Hugo Palmer) in the G3 Timeform Jury Stakes at Haydock Park in May, but disappointed in both the Royal Hunt Cup and G2 Summer Mile at Ascot.
Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said today: "Convey had a couple of near misses at York and Haydock earlier in the season and won well in a little confidence booster at Pontefract the other day.
"He now has to step back up in class and take on the big boys again, but he is a talented horse and deserves to take his chance in a race like this.
"He has got plenty of speed so the drop back to seven should not be a problem."
Other notable acceptors for the Betfred Hungerford Stakes include 2014 scorer Breton Rock (David Simcock), who captured a G3 contest at Newmarket last time out, Bunbury Cup victor Golden Steps (Marco Botti) and Markaz (Owen Burrows), winner of the G3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on his penultimate start.
Betfred Hungerford Stakes, Betfred bet: 7/2 Home Of The Brave, Nemoralia; 6/1 Hit It A Bomb; 7/1 Air Vice Marshal, Convey; 9/1 Toormore; 10/1 Adaay, Breton Rock, Markaz; 12/1 Jallota; 16/1 Golden Steps; 20/1 Cougar Mountain, Richard Pankhurst; 33/1 Dark Emerald, Lord Of The Land; 50/1 The Happy Prince
Another highlight on Betfred Ladies Day is the £25,500 Listed Denford Stud Washington Stud Stakes (2.30pm) for two-year-olds over seven furlongs. The outstanding roll of honour for this contest includes future superstars such as Rodrigo De Triano, Lammtarra, Haafhd, Just The Judge and Belardo.
The 11 entries for the 2016 renewal include Escobar (Hugo Palmer) and Emmie (Harry Dunlop), who both won over seven furlongs at Newbury on their debuts.
Mr Scaramanga (Richard Hannon), third in the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, Listed-placed Frankuus (Mark Johnston) and progressive Bear Valley (Mark Johnston) are other eye-catching entries.
Also taking place on Betfred Ladies Day is the £60,000 G3 Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes (3.05pm) over a mile and five furlongs, which has reopened for entries until 11.00am tomorrow.
