Newbury’s popular series of summer evening fixtures concludes this Thursday, July 26, with a seven-race card starting at 5.35pm plus the course’s first summer cider festival.

One of the highlights on the track is the £10,400 Relyon Cleaning Newbury Handicap (7.15pm, seven runners) over 10 furlongs for three-year-olds. Scarlet Dragon won this race in 2016 before going on to valuable handicap successes at York and Newmarket later in the season.

Several leading yards are represented including John Gosden’s. The Newmarket trainer runs top-weight Dive For Gold (Robert Havlin, 9st 7lb), a son of Dubawi who finished second in a novice race at Chelmsford City on June 13.

Tahreek (Sir Michael Stoute/Jim Crowley, 9st 3lb) is one of two last time out winners in the field after shedding his maiden tag in a handicap at Nottingham on June 28.

Sergio Leone (Richard Hannon/James Doyle, 9st 2lb) has a 100 per cent record at Newbury, following a neck victory in an amateur riders’ handicap over a mile at the track on July 12. The son of Acclamation has yet to race beyond a mile.

Local trainer Denis Coakley is responsible for the only filly, Sweet Charity (Oisin Murphy, 9st), who got off the mark at the fourth attempt in a 10-furlong handicap at Leicester in May and last time out finished second to Flight Of Fantasy in a course and distance handicap on July 12.

Coakley, who is based at West Ilsley, said today: “Sweet Charity seems fine and has come out of her last race in good form.

“She ran well last time, but the other horse was better than her on the day.

“She has a good attitude and hopefully there is more improvement to come because she has not had that much racing.

“I think she will run well on Thursday and hopefully she runs right up to her best form.”

The seven runners also include Godolphin’s Asoof (Saeed bin Suroor/Jason Watson (5), 9st 6lb)), Silver Crescent (Ralph Beckett/Harry Bentley, 8st 12lb), who was a good second on his comeback at Wolverhampton in May, and Royal Household (Alan King/George Wood, 8st 7lb).

Elsewhere on the card, highly-regarded juvenile Legends Of War (John Gosden/Oisin Murphy) drops in class for the Compton Beauchamp Estates Ltd EBF Novice Race (6.10pm, five runners) over six furlongs. An impressive debut winner at Yarmouth in May, the son of Scat Daddy disappointed when sixth in the G2 July Stakes at Newmarket on July 12.

The seven-race programme starts at 5.35pm and ends at 8.50pm, with the gates opening at 4pm.

The going at Newbury is Good to Firm (watering as necessary to maintain).

Newbury is partnering with Tutts Clump Cider, Ciderniks and Meon Valley Cider for the cider festival.

IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFO

Due to electrification work on the line between Reading and Newbury, buses will replace trains to Newbury and Newbury Racecourse on all racedays in July. Additional buses will run before and after race meetings but please allow plenty of time to get to/from the racecourse. To plan your journey visit GWR.com/Newbury2018