Newbury Racecourse stages the third of its Summer Evening Series this Thursday, July 12, with Newbury Night offering a seven-race card running from 5.50pm through to 9.05pm.

Newbury Night celebrates the town of Newbury and will include entertainment from a variety of local musicians after racing.

The feature race on Newbury Night is the £11,600 Team Archie Handicap (7.30pm) over 10 furlongs.

The weights are jointly-headed by Never Surrender (Charlie Hills/Gerald Mosse, 9st 12lb), a good fourth over the course and distance in April, and Flight Of Fantasy (Harry Dunlop/Kieran O’Neill, 9st 12lb), who makes his second start of the year back on turf after a productive spell on the All-Weather over the winter. The six runners also include Dark Crocodile (Seamus Durack/Martin Harley, 8st 11lb), who is having his first race on turf.

An interesting contender is Bodes Well (Warren Greatrex/Thomas Greatrex (7), 9st 4lb). The three-year-old son of Rock Of Gibraltar showed promise on his two starts as a juvenile and enjoyed a very impressive seasonal debut when taking a mile maiden by two and a quarter lengths at Haydock Park on June 23.

Upper Lambourn-based Greatrex may be primarily known as a Jump trainer, but is enjoying a great time with his Flat runners so far in 2018, with seven winners from 13 runners giving him an enviable strike rate of 54 per cent.

Greatrex said today: “Bodes Well’s win last time out was a bit unexpected as I thought the trip would be a bit on the sharp side for him.

“I don’t know how good that race was, but he did it very well and has hopefully come on for it. The 10 furlongs on Thursday should suit him much better and I think the track will be fine.

“Thomas is able to claim on him which is a help. I thought the handicap mark he was given after Haydock (82) was stiff enough myself – we will see on Thursday. The horse is well and fingers crossed.

“The plan is for him to go hurdling when he has had a bit more experience. We just want to see how far we can on the Flat before then. He is a nice horse.”

Completing the line-up are Sweet Charity (Denis Coakley/Shane Kelly, 9st), successful at Leicester in May, and Taurean Dancer (Roger Teal/Jack Mitchell, 8st 8lb), who steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time.

The gates open at 4.00pm and prior to the seven-race thoroughbred card, there is a contest for purebred Arabians at 5.50pm – the Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury, 29th July International Stakes over 10 furlongs.

Local FA Vase winners, Thatcham Town FC, will attend on Thursday armed with their winning trophy which will be on display at the racecourse before racing.

Racegoers will have the chance to meet the winning team too before racing and congratulate them after they stormed to victory beating rivals Stockton Town 1-0 at Wembley back in May.

Thatcham Town FC Manager, Danny Robinson, said: “To win a cup at Wembley, the home of football, was fantastic. It was a truly memorable afternoon.

“We are really looking forward to going racing at Newbury on Thursday evening and will most definitely be bringing along the trophy – we also hope to be cheering home some winners.”

Following on from Newbury Night on Thursday (July 12) racing returns to Newbury on Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21, when the feature contest is the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint.

The final fixture in Newbury’s Summer Evening Series takes place on Thursday, July 26.

The going at Newbury is currently Good to Firm. Watering is taking place to maintain conditions.