The Group 2 Hungerford Stakes takes centre stage on Saturday with the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes kicking off the action at the Berkshire venue.
Plenty of trainers will be on weather watch on Saturday morning with the majority of Hungerford Stakes contenders wanting quickish conditions. Eve Johnson Houghton's Jumbywill bid for back-to-back successes in the 7f Group 2 BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (3.35), and his trainer reports him to be "in fine form at home" ahead of the challenge. The five-year-old arrives in good fettle having backed up a comfortable success in the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock with a solid second-place finish in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket and it's easy to see why he's well-fancied to retain his crown. That said, he faces some interesting rivals with the likes of Pogo, who finished third behind Jumby at Newmarket last time, likely to give a bold sight off the front and Chindit, who drops back to seven furlongs for the first time since disappointing in this last year.
It's Richard Hannon's charge that gets the vote to come out on top with the Herridge Racing-based suggesting his five-year-old is arriving in "very good form". The likeable bay has been a regular visitor to Newbury throughout his nineteen-racecareer and the 2021 Greenham winner probably produced a career-best when chasing home, the recently retired Modern Games in the Lockinge Stakes earlier this year. He did little wrong when sixth in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last-time-out and assuming conditions remain on the decent side, the dual Group 2 winner can make a winning start for new connections.
There has been plenty of early money about for Arrest in the 1m 5 ½ f Group 3 BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1.50).John and Thady Gosden's charge was sent off the 4-1 favourite to land the Epson Derby in June, but failed to land a blow and is on something of a revival mission following his disappointing effort in the in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. He steps up in trip for the first time and could have more to offer but the son of Frankel looks like a risky proposition at the prices with his best piece of form coming when landing the Chester Vase on extremely testing conditions.
It's the William Haggas-trained Klondike that makes the most appeal. A winner of a soft ground maiden on debut here in April, he went on to run well in decent company on his next two outings including when runner-up to Royal Ascot winner Gregory in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.
The race wasn't run to suit when he finished fourth in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last-time-out and Haggas is confident the return to Newbury will see him in a better light. The Somerville Lodge handler said: "He will be better on this track and will hopefully run a nice race." There should be plenty more to come from this son of Galileo on just his fourth career outing and he's preferred to the honourable five-year-old Kemari, who was scoring for the first time since Royal Ascot 2021 when landing the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket forty-nine days ago.
Elsewhere on the card, Richard Hannon could enjoy further success with Classic looking to follow up his last-start Sandown victory in the 7f Class 2 Heart Bingo Summer Sizzler Handicap at 3.00. The 7f Class 2 Chapel Down British EBF Maiden Stakes (4.05) looks like a maiden worth watching. Ralph Beckett continues to fire in the winners and his well-bred Dubawi colt catches the eye on paper, although Navy Jack put in some nice late work when second to subsequent Listed winner Arabian Crown at Sandown recently and Clive Cox's contender may take some stopping with further improvement certainly possible. Market support behind Dubai Welcome in the 1m 4f Class 4 Brian Rycraft Memorial Handicap (4.40) would be interesting for a stable that does well with horses returning from a lengthy absence, while the recently gelded Imperial Emperor looks a fascinating contender now making his handicap debut off 97 in the concluding Class 3 1m 2f Benchmark Handicap at 5.15.
