IT’S A BREEZE
Winston’s Librisa is ready to blow his rivals away in Newbury cracker
LIBRISA BREEZE (nap) can make up for a luckless run at Glorious Goodwood by storming home in the Betfred Hungerford Stakes (3.35, ITV4) at Newbury today.
The Form Book records that Dean Ivory’s grey returned ninth behind Breton Rock in the Lennox Stakes on the Sussex Downs – but everywhere he went, Robert Winston’s mount found a door slamming in his face until the jockey had no choice but to accept defeat and ease down.
Prior to Goodwood, Librisa Breeze had run a cracker on his belated return, taking fourth behind The Tin Man in the 6f Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Librisa Breeze has gained his last two victories over a furlong further, so conditions today look tailor-made.
WHEN evaluating today’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap (3.15) it is important to remember that Ripon experience can be vital.
This undulating course is racing’s equivalent of a motorcross track and the records prove that horses with prior knowledge on it have an advantage.
We can also reduce the field further on the trends, which are:
No bigger weight than 9st 1lb
Officially rated no higher than 99 Form in big fields Past winner over 6f In terms of the draw, the far side were dominant until the fluke year of 2015 when seven on-the-day withdrawals turned the race into a farce.
But high-drawn horses finishing up the middle held sway last year and the early pace today looks well spread.
The more fancied horses on the stands’ side shade those berthed low, so we are going to stick to prominent racers drawn on that side.
That leaves us with defending champ Nameitwhatyoulike plus Flying Pursuit, George Dryden and Muntadab.
GEORGE DRYDEN
has run well on three occasions here and is better drawn than when a closing fifth last year.
Ann Duffield’s sprinter is 7lb lower today yet is 20-1 in places.
Have 2pts ew on him and the same bet on
NAMEITWHATYOULIKE
(20-1 with various firms), who won’t be far away again.