Nick Luck’s Blog: Hughes could Jet into the lead like a Dream

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck looks over a super Saturday of racing action from Newbury, Market Rasen and the Curragh, offering up several value selections on all three cards.

Newbury, Saturday

DANCING MAGIC might spring a surprise at 17/2 in the opening TV race at Newbury (1.50pm). The principals are a motley crew: it’s impossible to know what Al Aasy can do now while Highland Avenue seems to have forgotten how to win. Epic Poet has moved stables, while Phantom Flight can’t seem to find his trip. As such, I’m taking a chance that the selection can build on what was a much better effort at Ascot with the tongue tie/hood and I don’t think he’ll mind if the heavens open.

NOVEL LEGEND can take the staying handicap (2.25pm) at 7/1. A course winner on softish ground, he ran pretty well at Ascot without a lot of luck in the run. This will suit better, and he still has a little improvement in him. William Buick is booked for the ride into the bargain.

EHRAZ is an infuriating horse, but he has a bucketload of talent and is too big a price to resist at 11/1 in the Hackwood Stakes (3.00pm). He ran one of his best ever races at this track when an unlucky second to Tiber Flow last year, and seemed not to mind a bit of cut when bolting up at Newmarket last back end. If ever there were a horse for whom blinkers might do the trick, it is him.

LA GUARIDA is another at a price (16/1) that could cause an upset in the Super Sprint (3.35pm). Clearly, the standard set at the top of the market is a high one, but weather could throw a spanner in the works and make this more of a test. My feeling is that the selection ran in the wrong race at Ascot – the speed she showed over the sharp six at Goodwood was impressive in a race that worked out and a relative test over five should be fine. She has a powerful physique and she could well cope with easy ground.

Market Rasen, Saturday

DREAM JET looks the interesting one at 12/1 in a race punching above its weight on network TV at Market Rasen (2.05pm). Glimmers of form in Ireland – particularly on deep ground – suggest that handicapper has not been unkind, and a switch to Brian Ellison with Brian Hughes aboard catches the eye.

TOO FRIENDLY gets the vote in the valuable handicap hurdle (2.40pm) at 9/1. He has found his form again for James Owen, and he looks to have a little class edge on some of the prolific winners who have been climbing up the weights for winning summer races of limited consequence. Rain wouldn’t be a disaster for him, either, where it would for a few.

GLOIRE D’ATHON can continue his relentless rise in the Summer Plate (3.15pm) at 8/1. Sarah Humphrey has a very sure touch placing her horses and, somehow, this prolific winner has escaped with just a five pound rise for winning a decent race at Uttoxeter very comfortably. He’s a smooth traveller who is reasonably versatile ground-wise.

Curragh, Saturday

AZAZAT may be a fair each-way bet in the Irish Oaks (3.45pm) at 12/1 if all eight stand their ground. She has the pedigree – her dam is a sister to Azamour – and she has a proven liking for soft ground. Added to that, she has shown she can cut it against a really smart older mare in Rosscarbery and was slightly unlucky not to beat her. Savethelastdance will clearly be a tough nut if the soft ground enables another Chester-like effort, but the selection has loads of room for improvement.