Waterlogging has forced the abandonment of Ayr’s big Gold Cup card, but it’s good ground at Newbury where there are three Group races to get stuck into.
The sprint at 16:00 looks a good betting race with plenty of known quantities.
Muthmir is one of them and has to saddle a penalty for winning a Group Two in France in June, but it was his previous start to that when fourth in the Group One King’s Stand at Royal Ascot that reads best, with a half-length defeat by subsequent Nunthorpe winner Marsha looking strong form.
Unfortunately he blotted his copybook last time out at Sandown when he was thrashed by Bataash, with today’s opponent Mirza well ahead.
Mirza has done that form no favours since meaning it’s hard to fancy either.
Third in the Nunthorpe was COTAI GLORY, winner of this race last year, whose form on flat tracks like Doncaster, Newbury and York reads really well.
He ticks all sorts of boxes so it’s no real surprise to see him a very backable 13/2 favourite.
I’m not sure what his draw in stall one will mean given the speedy Take Cover is over the other side of the track, but I’m willing to pay to find out, particularly as there is plenty of pace drawn low too.
That pace comes in the shape of the out-of-form JUST GLAMOROUS, who beat Marsha and Goldream in a Group Three last season but has come flat last on each of his five starts since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuwAntF70rw
That win as a three-year-old proved this is a talented horse, and at 80/1 I’m willing to chance that, a year on, he can once again show his best form.
1pt win Cotai Glory @13/2, 16:00 Newbury, Saturday
0.5pt win Just Glamorous @80/1, 16:00 Newbury, Saturday