Dick Turpin Can Steal The
Lockinge Stakes At Newbury
The Group One Lockinge Stakes over one mile at Newbury is the feature of this weekend’s racing in the UK and will see two top class stable mates from the Richard Hannon yard, Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin battle it out for a fourth time.
Despite finishing behind Dick Turpin
twice last season, in the Greenham Stakes and the 2000
Dick Turpin will come into the race with a possible advantage having already been a winner this season. He showed by winning the Group Two, Bet365 Mile, at Sandown in April that he was in great form and that he has progressed over the winter and the 4/1 on offer with Paddypower on him winning on Saturday is excellent value, considering that extra fitness against Canford Cliffs who is making his seasonal debut.
Reports from the stable suggest that the two are both in outstanding form and that Richard Hughes had a hard job to decide which one of the two he wanted to ride, particularly after Dick Turpin’s impressive win at Sandown. In the event he has remained loyal to Canford Cliffs while Ryan Moore will be re-united with Dick Turpin.
Interestingly, Henry Cecil has entered Twice Over in the race, which will be his first run over one mile since he ran in this race two years ago, when he finished third. Twice Over has only ever won twice over a mile; once in his first race as a two year old and in the Group Three, Craven Stakes as a three year old. Nonetheless, he is a top class horse, who has had a couple of outings already this year at the Dubai Carnival, where he won the Group Two, Al Maktoum Challenge. He has twice won the Group One Champion Stakes over ten furlongs and also won the Group One Coral Eclipse last year over the same distance. Bookmakers have reported money for Twice Over, who is now a best price of 8/1 to win the race.
Red Jazz is a Group Two winner and a very consistent four year old from the Barry Hills stable who has also had the benefit of an early season outing at Meydan in Dubai. Although unlikely to win, he would certainly be the pick for each way punters, particularly with current odds of 20/1.
Although not quite a two horse race, the winner is almost certainly going to be one of the market principles. The Bookmakers seem quite insistent that Canford Cliffs will win and on his best form he should. His case is strengthened by Richard Hughes preferring him to Dick Turpin, but based on the form shown in the Bet365 Mile, Dick Turpin can upset the odds and I definitely the better value at odds of 4/1!