3 group races at Newbury

some excellent racing today and Newbury stages the best card of the flat season so far, featuring 3 group races. The John Porter for older horses over 1 1/2 miles at 14.50 CET looks very open, and includes the second and third from last yeat´s desparate finish, Quiz Mistress (Hughie Morrison/ Tom Queally) and Noble Mission (Jane Cecil/ James Doyle). Of these we prefer the latter, a brother to the great Frankel, but two very lightly-raced 4yxo´s could well improve past him - Mutashaded (Roger Varian/ Paul Hanagan) - out of a Monsun mare who has also thrown Samum and other top German performers - and Astonishing (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore). Stoute is an expert at improving older horses and we give Astonishing a narrow vote.
The other two group races are classic trials over 7 furlongs, for fillies at 15.20 and for colts at 15.55. These early season classic trials are sometimes weak affairs, but certainly not today as both races are very well contested. At Thakhira (Marco Botti/ Frankie Dettori) is the form choice for the fillies´ race; she was a Breeders Cup flop but was clearly unsuited by the track there and today´s conditions are far more suitable.
The colts´ race is much hotter, and includes Astaire (Kevin Ryan/ Kieren Fallon), winner last year of the Gimcrack and Middle Park, Berkshire (Paul Cole/ Jim Crowley), winner of the Chesham and Royal Lodge, Supplicant (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan), winner of the Mill Reef, as well as the unbeaten Night of Thunder (Richard Hannon/ Ryan Moore), from the stable that has won this 4 times in the last 7 years. However the favourite is likely to be Kingman (John Gosden/ James Doyle), whose stable has been in sensational form (4 winners here yesterday!) and who is currently second favourite for the 2,000 Guineas. He won both his starts in 2013 in excellent style, and although he is not the top-rated here, expectations are high for Khaled Anbdullah´s colt on what could be a big day for his owner.
The maiden races for 3yo´s are also of great interest and feature hot favourites in Mutakayyef (William Haggas/ Hanagan) at 14.20 and Eagle Top (Gosden/ William Buick) at 17.05. Both could well win, but thetre is some serious oppositzion, including 3 German-bred Colts in the later race. We are especially interested in Norab (Botti/ Adam Kirby), who shaped well on his only start last season and is a half-brother by Galileo to German Champion Night Magic, and also to last week´s Cologne winner Night Wish.
The big betting race here is the Spring Cup, a handicap over the straight mile at 16.30 with 24 runners, several of whom ran in the Lincoln, including the winner Ocean Tempest (John Ryan/ Kirby). He possibly had a fitness advantage then and the result could well be different this time. Two horses that have not run since last summer have caught our eye: Foxtrot Romeo (Botti/ Dettori), totally out of form in Ireland last year but extremely well handicapped now, and Highland Duke (Clive Cox/ Ryan Tate) a very easy winner at Glorious Goodwood last time out.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Mutakayyef - Brown Diamond - Dursey Island
2. Race: Astonishing - Mutashaded - Noble Mission
3. Race: Al Thakhira - Coral Mist - Joyeuse
4. Race: Kingman - Night Of Thunder - Lat Hawill
5. Race: So Beloved - Brownsea Brink - Enobled
6. Race: Eagle Top - Sternrubin - Limousine
7. Race: Gone Dutch - Noble Gift - Top Diktat