11 Confirmed Entries For The Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes

Eleven horses have been confirmed for the £165,000 Group 2 Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes, the feature race of Newbury Racecourse’s seven-race card on Saturday 15 August. The seven-furlong contest, open to horses aged three and older, is worth an increase prize fund of £165,000.

Leading the older contingent is Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave, who finished runner-up in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York in June, beaten a length and a half by Qirat after making his challenge from the rear. Last seen finishing sixth behind Bow Echo in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, he would face a drop back in trip here.

Symbol Of Honour also arrives in excellent form for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby. The four-year-old was a Group 2 winner at Haydock last season and returned to winning ways when landing the Group 3 Hallgarten And Novum Wines Hackwood Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury on 18 July.

Wathnan Racing’s Holguin brings plenty of high-class form over this trip for trainer Hamad Al Jehani. The six-year-old finished third in the Listed City Plate at Chester last month, just behind the progressive Northern Champion, before contesting the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Second in last year’s Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes, Witness Stand returned from a spell in Dubai to finish second in the Group 3 Tattenham Corner Stakes at Epsom behind subsequent Royal Ascot winner, Ten Bob Tony. The son of Expert Eye will be looking to go one better for trainer Dr Richard Newland.

Meanwhile, the three-year-old challenge is headed by Coppull. Trained by Clive Cox for Mr David W. Armstrong, the three-year-old won the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and finished third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes last season. He returned to action with victory in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes at Ascot in May and now steps up to seven furlongs for the first time.

A second representative of Godolphin, John and Thady Gosden’s Morris Dancer was Group performer as a juvenile, finishing second in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood before winning a Listed race at Salisbury. He was third in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on return this season and receives the three-year-old weight allowance on Saturday.

The aforementioned Northern Champion, trained by Ed Walker for TBT Racing, had a very encouraging campaign in Dubai, including two wins at Meydan, prior to his run in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and victory at Chester.

A winner of three of his four career starts, Extremely Zain would be taking a step up in class here. The William Haggas-trained colt won at Newcastle on debut before taking the Trade Nation Novice Stakes at Newbury in May and a handicap at York the following month. Last seen finishing a close fourth in the valuable International Handicap at Ascot at the end of last month, he will be looking to land the Somerville Lodge team a third consecutive, and fifth overall, win in the race.

Another with course form is Sukanya. The Jack Channon-trained filly produced a career best when coming from last to first to win the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury in April. She subsequently contested the Irish 1,000 Guineas before finishing sixth in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Prince Of India (Marco Botti), and Back In Black (James Fanshawe) complete the field at this confirmations stage.

Final declarations will be made by 10am on Thursday 13 August.

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