Bet of the day: Friday’s racing

Start the weekend in style

The beginning of another action-packed weekend of sport, with the Hackwood Stakes headlining a decent card at Newbury on Saturday. Before getting into that, we look ahead to an exciting round on Friday, including eight races from the Berkshire track.

Get your weekend off to a flyer with a winning bet. Click here to pick out your favourites, or why not mark the day with a big price multiple? We aim to lend a helping hand, as always, with our popular race-by-race selections, found further down this page, while a NAP of the day is lined up.

Cadeaux Boxer taken to land a blow

Newbury is the focus and we should have a decent day for it, with the early going described as good to soft. Perfect racing conditions. We get underway with a competitive novice stakes at 1.40pm, and a very strong case can be made for Dubhe coming out on top there. For the ace, we’re on the sidelines until the penultimate test.

A seven furlongs handicap, Cadeaux Boxer looks the pick of a 10-runner field. The Martin Smith trained four-year-old gelding is yet to get his head in front, despite eight previous starts, but he has been edging closer, and now looks the time for him to finally strike. Runner-up on two occasions, he was never nearer than last time out.

NAP’s quickfire return a positive

Second behind Madeleine Bond at this very track last week, he was beaten a head, despite starting at a jaw-dropping 50/1. Backers who took a chance on him that day were left gutted, but connections can take plenty of encouragement from the effort, and he’s backed to go one better here. Unfortunately, we won’t get the same kind of price.

Cadeaux Boxer led going into the final furlong last week, before being picked up on the line. Smith has him out again quickly in an attempt to capitalise on that form, and John Fahey is back in the saddle. Another plus. The handicapper appears to have given him another crack at it and although there’s others more than capable of winning this, we jab at Cadeaux Boxer.

Newbury selections

1.40 – Dubhe

2.10 – Stage Magic

2.40 – It’s Not Unusual

3.15 – Fire Jet

3.50 – Natural

4.25 – Pumblechook

4.55 – Cadeaux Boxer

5.25 – Field Of Vision

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