NEWBURY SATURDAY

2:25 JLT CUP (HANDICAP) 2M 110Y

Having missed last week’s John Smith’s Cup at York due to fast ground, Buzz is set to run in this newly-established handicap up in trip, and with rain forecast at Newbury, he should get conditions to suit, for all the big step up in trip is an unknown. I’m extremely sweet on this progressive sort, and have backed him to win the Ebor, for which he holds an entry, and the fact that he is being targeted at the York contest by the shrewd Hughie Morrison suggests that his trainer believes he has untapped stamina, and while his dam never ran, he is by a stamina influence in Motivator, and has progressed as he has been stepped up in trip, looking every inch a stayer in demeanour.

A close look at his form shows how well he has been progressing, and while his wins this year have come on Kempton’s polytrack, that would seem to be as a result of trying to avoid firm ground, and when he has run on turf, he has either improved on previous form or has had excuses (badly hampered on his handicap debut, and noted as being backward on his reappearance here in April).

He was too strong for Dash Of Spice on his penultimate start, and is entitled to have improved in the interim just as much as that horse has, so a mark of 93 does not look harsh. His superiority over his rivals at Kempton last time is disguised by the sedate pace of the race, and it was impressive how quickly he put things to bed in the straight given that fact.

3:00 BET365 HACKWOOD STAKES (GROUP 3) 6F

Given race favourite Equilateral has only won a class 5 maiden and a novice, and has run as many bad races as good ones in his short career, and market rival Projection hasn’t won a race of any description in almost three years, there could be some ammunition to fire here. Hey Jonesy is a thoroughly reliable sort who has the beating of Equilateral, Invincible Army and Enjazaat on Commonwealth Cup running, and unlike many of his opponents, never runs a bad race.

His only disappointment this year came when failing to stay seven furlongs in the Free Handicap, and he’s well drawn towards the middle. It makes little sense that he’s a bigger price than a pair who were in his wake at Ascot, and he’s never really got the credit he deserves for a series of solid efforts. He doesn’t need to dominate, but his forward-going nature should prove a positive, and his very best efforts last year came with some ease in the ground, so rain will not hurt his prospects.

3:35 WEATHERBYS SUPER SPRINT STAKES 5F 34Y

We can expect to see a strong bias against horses drawn high here if history is any guide, and yet the field will almost certainly come up the middle, which will confer no favour on those in the lowest stalls. That helps to whittle the field down somewhat in a tough betting heat. Kinks isn’t hard to find given he’s been showing off his bright speed in races like the National Stakes and the Norfolk Stakes on recent outings, or rather he’s not shown it off as patient tactics have counted against him both times.

He made all to score at Bath and Ripon in April, and showed enough both times to suggest that a big pot like this could come his way.

He’s certainly not been disgraced in stakes races on his last two starts, but they haven’t allowed him to shine as he can, and the return to calmer, if more heavily infested, waters will suit. Stall 10 looks perfect and a more prominent ride can see him back to winning ways, with his speed figures showing him to be the star of this particular bunch. Rain would also be welcome, as while he coped perfectly with fast ground in the Norfolk, he’s won both times he’s raced on easy ground, and it will clearly pose him less problems than it will a number of his main rivals.

MARKET RASEN

SATURDAY

2:05 188BET SUMMER HANDICAP HURDLE (LISTED) 2M 148Y

Mister Universum represents the same connections which won this race with Red Tornado a couple of years ago, and it would be dangerous to dismiss him as the yard’s second string given this race has probably been on his agenda for some time, and it should be remembered that Bridget Andrews and Dan Skelton teamed up to land the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March with Mohaayed despite him being dismissed as the stable’s ‘neglected’ at 33/1.

Mister Universum had Peruvien Bleu seven lengths behind when a fine second on his handicap debut at Ludlow in April, and impressed with his speed from the last when beating Mystic Sky at Warwick last time. Both runs make his current mark of 130 look reasonable, and he will have been trained to peak for this contest by his trainer, who has his eye on every valuable prize during the summer months, while other big trainers are content to slumber.

3:15 188BET SUMMER PLATE HANDICAP CHASE (LISTED) 2M 5F 89Y

Buying chasers from the Paul Nicholls yard and hoping to improve them isn’t a job any careers master would advise, but then Peter Bowen isn’t the kind of man to ask an establishment figure for advice, and he’s done very well for himself, thanks. Bowen has recently recruited the seemingly regressive More Buck’s from Nicholls for the knockdown price of £10,000, but as well as having an eye for a bargain, he also has the benefit of son Sean’s experience as a rider at Ditcheat, and there was clearly something to recommend the son of Presenting despite some ropey form figures.

That turned out to be the case when he won at the first time of asking at Perth, where beat subsequent winner Pickamix in a fast time and recouped every penny of his purchase price, and some petrol money on top. Such was the style of that win that More Buck’s looks fully revitalised, and he remains on a winning mark. He was often tried at three miles or further by his previous handler, but has looked to find that trip the limit of his stamina, so cutting back to this intermediate distance looks a wise move, and he looks capable of scoring again for the Bowens in a race which the yard has farmed in the past, winning three successive renewals from 2006 to 2008.