15:10
Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes (Group 2)
Group 2, Class 1, 7f, Flat, 3yo+, £93,572, 9 runners
Winning time 1m 23.31s
- Going
- Good To Firm
- Surface
- Turf
Tip for this race
All today's tips ›Witness Stand No. 5, stall 7
Saffie Osborne · Dr Richard Newland
✓ Top rated ✓ Course & distance winner
Witness Stand heads the field on ratings, narrowly ahead of Never So Brave and Coppull who are level three pounds behind, with Symbol Of Honour a further three pounds back and representing the chief supporting danger if the principals disappoint; the good-to-firm ground at Newbury over seven furlongs should suit a horse of Witness Stand's profile, though the closeness of the pack and low confidence in this assessment mean the race is genuinely open. Never So Brave and Coppull must be respected at their shared rating, and Symbol Of Honour cannot be dismissed entirely, but on balance the edge in the ratings points one way. Witness Stand is our selection.
Result
Hector Crouch
Clive Cox
Handy early - moved across approaching 4f out - hit front 2f out and pushed along inside final furlong - edged left to the rail - kept going to win
Pat Dobbs
Marco Botti
Took strong hold in the pack early - moved across approaching 4f out - found room and made progress a furlong out to go into second while edging left - stayed on to finish runner-up beaten a length and a quarter
William Buick
Charlie Appleby
Settled in the pack - moved across to the wide part of the track 4f out - pushed along a furlong from home - stayed on same gear to finish third
Daniel Muscutt
James Fanshawe
Settled towards the back early - moved across to the outside approaching the 4f marker - pushed along and made headway inside the final furlong - kept on to finish fourth
David Probert
Andrew Balding
Settled at the back early - moved across to the inner 4f out - driven up with headway 2f out - edged left final furlong and unable to quicken finished 5th beaten 3.25 lengths
Saffie Osborne
Dr Richard Newland
Set the pace early - drifted to the far rail approaching 4f out - pressed for effort and lost the advantage 2f out - faded final furlong to finish sixth
Tom Marquand
William Haggas
Settled at the back of the field - moved left approaching 4f out - driven 2f out but made no impression - finished well beaten in 7th
Kieran Shoemark
Ed Walker
Held a forward spot early - moved across 4f out - driven and gave way over 2f out - soon well held
Rob Hornby
Jack Channon
Took a strong hold in the pack - moved left approaching 4f out - pressed for a run 2f out - faded into ninth
Racecard
Daniel Muscutt
James Fanshawe 5/19
Winless in his last five starts and ranked seventh of nine on our figures, Back In Black is hard to fancy despite a string of placed efforts two, three and four starts back; he has run over today's trip and going before, and 21 days between runs suggests he arrives fresh.
- Sire
- Dark Angel (IRE)
- Dam
- Sacred Dance (GB) by Sea The Stars
- Owner
- Noel Wilson
- Foaled
- 3 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 5 wins from 19 runs (26%)
- Trainer running to form
- 60%
- Ratings
- Perf 105, Speed 92
David Probert
Andrew Balding 10/52
Never So Brave shaped with promise when second two starts back and returns on fitness after just 17 days, with experience over today's trip and going in his favour at 134 lb from stall four; winless in his last five, the sixth last time out is the concern.
- Sire
- No Nay Never (USA)
- Dam
- Chica Whopa (IRE) by Oasis Dream
- Owner
- Saeed Suhail
- Foaled
- 26 May 2021
- Stable
- Kingsclere, Hants
- Trainer last 14 days
- 10 wins from 52 runs (19%)
- Trainer running to form
- 67%
- Ratings
- Perf 118, Speed 107
Pat Dobbs
Marco Botti 4/18
Prince Of India has experience over today's trip and going, and showed a second three starts back to hint at ability, yet he has been winless in his last five starts and a sixth last time out clouds his claims; he merits respect at a mark of 111 but must bounce back here.
- Sire
- Wootton Bassett (GB)
- Dam
- Bright Eyed (IRE) by Galileo
- Owner
- Walter Moraes Renato Bruni
- Foaled
- 19 Apr 2022
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 4 wins from 18 runs (22%)
- Trainer running to form
- 66%
- Ratings
- Perf 112, Speed 99
William Buick
Charlie Appleby 10/23
Symbol Of Honour catches the eye off a 28-day freshener, returning to trip and going conditions he has already encountered, and a winning run last time out underlines his current form; the main risk is that he must shoulder 134 lb from stall one.
- Sire
- Havana Grey (GB)
- Dam
- Arcamist (GB) by Arcano
- Owner
- Godolphin
- Foaled
- 9 Feb 2022
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 10 wins from 23 runs (43%)
- Trainer running to form
- 67%
- Ratings
- Perf 115, Speed 105
Saffie Osborne
Dr Richard Newland 0/0
Witness Stand arrives here in good nick — third last time out and a second three starts back — and has experience of today's trip and conditions. Yet to score in his last five, but as the top-rated runner carrying 134 lb from stall seven, he is the one they all have to beat.
- Sire
- Expert Eye (GB)
- Dam
- Respondez (GB) by Oasis Dream
- Owner
- Scott Turner Partner
- Foaled
- 24 Jan 2021
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 0 runs (None%)
- Ratings
- Perf 121, Speed 106
Hector Crouch
Clive Cox 3/17
Coppull won three starts back and, with experience of today's trip and going in his locker, he arrives here fresh after 35 days off carrying 128 lb from stall nine; the worry is that his two most recent efforts — a fourth and an eighth — suggest he may need to find more.
- Sire
- Bated Breath (GB)
- Dam
- Springwood Drive (GB) by Mayson
- Owner
- David W Armstrong
- Foaled
- 30 Mar 2023
- Stable
- Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 3 wins from 17 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 49%
- Ratings
- Perf 118, Speed 104
Tom Marquand
William Haggas 7/43
Ranked bottom of the field on our figures despite an official mark of 103, Extremely Zain faces a stiff ask, though his three wins in his last four starts — including back-to-back victories — show a colt in form, and he has experience over today's trip and going.
- Sire
- Hello Youmzain (FR)
- Dam
- Alone (IRE) by Galileo
- Owner
- Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum
- Foaled
- 19 Mar 2023
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 7 wins from 43 runs (16%)
- Trainer running to form
- 58%
- Ratings
- Perf 104, Speed 82
Kieran Shoemark
Ed Walker 8/44
Northern Champion won two starts back but has been unplaced in his most recent outing, and a ninth three starts back hints at inconsistency; he has run over today's trip and going, carries 128 lb from stall five, and his rating of 108 suggests he holds claims without being the standout.
- Sire
- Wootton Bassett (GB)
- Dam
- Zargos (AUS) by Shamardal
- Owner
- Tbt Racing
- Foaled
- 9 Mar 2023
- Stable
- Upper Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 8 wins from 44 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 54%
- Ratings
- Perf 108, Speed 97
Rob Hornby
Jack Channon 1/10
Ranked eighth of nine on our figures, Sukanya has been out of the frame in three of her last four starts, with back-to-back sixth-place finishes following an unplaced run, making her hard to fancy; she does carry experience over today's distance and going, and returns on a sound 21-day break.
- Sire
- Havana Grey (GB)
- Dam
- Shiba (FR) by Rail Link
- Owner
- Opulence Thoroughbreds Partner Iii
- Foaled
- 22 Feb 2023
- Stable
- West Ilsley, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 10 runs (10%)
- Trainer running to form
- 42%
- Ratings
- Perf 104, Speed 96
Draw in brackets. Headgear: b blinkers, v visor, h hood, t tongue strap, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield; ¹ first time. C course winner, D distance winner, CD course and distance winner. Form reads oldest to newest.