Preview and tips for Newbury’s seven-race Premier card
A belting two days of racing at Newbury comes to a close on Saturday afternoon with its Premier Raceday card, a seven-race offering that includes the Greatwood Gold Cup.
The action kicks off at 1.20pm with an eight-runner veterans’ handicap chase at 1.20pm before the weekend of racing comes to an end at 4.50pm when six runners tackle the class two bumper - a Flat race ran over Jumps rules.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of the Newbury card on Saturday courtesy of Sporting Life.
The opening contest of Saturday’s meeting sees the old guard take centre stage as eight horses aged ten and over take on the three mile and a furlong veterans’ handicap chase (1.20).
Sam Brown could be the way to go in the opener, still capable of being a very smart runner and was a runner up in a veterans contest at Market Rasen in January.
He disappointed when fourth in the Denman Chase last time out but is back in handicaps here and is a big player.
Race two on the card (1.55) looks a good chance for Epinephrine to score for Venetia Williams for the second straight race, a winner of a handicap hurdle at Kempton last time out 22 days ago and has to be taken seriously once again.
Authentic Legacy, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, rates the main danger, hitting the frame on his first four starts and fared well despite a lowly finishing position last time out at Sandown.
Jasmin De Grugy looks very much the one to beat in race three (2.30) as she bids for stunning six-timer this weekend for the Anthony Honeyball team, having a bit in hand when landing a fifth straight when when scoring in a course and distance handicap 45 days ago so it’ll be a real turn-up if the six-year-old is turned over at Newbury.
An interesting class three handicap over the extended two miles marks race four on the day (3.05) and useful bumper scorer Jurancon, two wins from four starts since being sent hurdling, carries top weight but it may not be enough from landing a second win on the spin having seen off 12 rivals at this track back in January.
The main threat could come from Sorceleur for the Paul Nicholls team, runner up in testing conditions at both Taunton and Exeter in recent months and a winner of good-ground contests at Exeter and Wincanton in November.
The Greatwood Gold Cup is the feature of the day and is race five on the Newbury card (3.45) and a very nice £56,950 will be on its way to the winner. That could well be Billytherealbigred, who is going from strength to strength and can get back to winning ways off the back of a cracking second at Cheltenham in January.
Vincenzo could be the main danger for the Sam Thomas team, a winner of a handicap chase at Sandown last time out and this longer trip should suit, while course and distance scorer Saint Segal and the in-from Kotmask and Kandoo Kid cannot be discounted either.
A class three handicap hurdle over two and a half miles is the penultimate race of Saturday’s meeting (4.15) and the highly-progressive Loverdose is the selection here, a winner of four of his last five starts, while the finale of the weekend (4.50) can go the way of There Runs Mary for the Olly Murphy team, a winner of a bumper on debut at Wincanton last time out and appears to have plenty more in the tank to land a second straight bumper contest.
Newbury selections - Saturday (via horse racing odds)
1.20 - Sam Brown
1.55 - Epinephrine
2.30 - Jasmine De Grugy
3.05 - Jurancon
3.45 - Billytherealbigred
4.15 - Loverdose
4.50 - There Runs Mary
