ITV Racing Tips: Stick with Pogo in Newbury’s Hungerford feature
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The heatwave has impacted the strength of the racing programme this weekend when small fields will mean there will be little each-way betting on the TV races.
Only the Great St Wilfrid has commanded a decent number of horses, but not enough to meet the standard four places each way terms, with 15 declared and that was achieved after scrapping the consolation race as there were no takers,
The day’s highlight, the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, has at least produced something like a traditional line-up of ten runners, all rated 100 or more.
Pogo and Chindit are the headline horses in the feature race of the Newbury card, one of five races from the track to be shown by ITV.
There are two supporting races each from Newmarket and Ripon on a nine-race programme which will be shown by ITV from 12.55. We have previewed the three of the day’s significant races in our ITV Racing Tips.
This race has operated as a stepping stone to the St Leger in the past, but there is only one horse capable of taking that route as Zechariah is the only three-year-old in the five runner field.
However, he has the right profile for this race, having finished second in the Queen’s Vase and fourth in the Bahrain Trophy and being trained by Freddie and Martyn Meade, whose stable won this with future Group 1 winner Technician.
On weight-for-age Zechariah appears to have plenty in hand but he could be vulnerable to the classy Away He Goes who travelled strongly for a long way in the Goodwood Cup latest. That was only his second start after an injury layoff and another step forward is anticipated.
The biggest field of the day, but a disappointing turnout with this usually 20-runner sprint attracting just 15 runners. There are still plenty of familiar names, including last year’s winner Justanotherbottle.
He finished well down the field in the Stewards Cup last time, a race in which Summerghand was an eye-catcher.
A sprinter who has competed at the very highest level, he looks to be coming back to form. He ran on very late at Goodwood and another 2lb drop in his handicap mark can only bring him closer to the winning post.
Tiber Flow won a Listed prize over this course in May and then finished eighth in the Commonwealth Cup. He reverts to 7f for his return to Newbury and will be fancied to get back to winning ways with his weight pull from his older opponents.
He faces some seasoned performers in Chindit, who took on Baaeed last time when sixth in the Sussex Stakes.
This will be a more comfortable grade for Chindit but he has not tried 7f this year whereas Pogo is a confirmed specialist at the trip. He was only narrowly beaten in the Lennox Stakes following two G3 wins and a repeat of any of those efforts could be good enough to score.
ITV Racing Schedule, Saturday 13th August
13:20 Newbury – 1m2f Handicap
13:40 Ripon – Hornblower Stakes
13:55 Newbury – Denford Stakes
14:10 Newmarket – 1m6f Fillies’ Handicap
14:30 Newbury – Geoffrey Freer Stakes
14:50 Ripon – Great St Wilfrid Handicap
15:00 Newbury – 7f Handicap
15:18 Newmarket – Grey Horse Handicap
15:35 Newbury – Hungerford Stakes
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
