2.55pm Newbury Tips & Betting Preview 15/05/2015

Race Time: 2.55pm Meeting: Newbury
Distance: 6f 8y
Full Race Name: Luck Greayer Bloodstock Handicap (Class 2)

Free Tip: Clear Spring at 13/2 EW with Bet365

This Class Two handicap looks sure to be run at a ridiculous pace from the off with a long list of potential front runners sure to go hell for leather from the moment the stalls open. Starting with the course and distance winners (which is always a positive), and Clive Cox sends Jimmy Styles (12/1) here and has already booked Adam Kirby to do the steering. Amazingly, his course and distance win was back in 2007 though, yet he still keeps his form remarkably well for an eleven year old, though to be realistic he needs to drop a bit more down the handicap to get involved in races these days.

Accession (9/2) may be a more sensible option with his CD win in 2011 but he won here since over further and has had two runs already this season to put him straight. Whether he is good enough is a moot point but he arrives race fit unlike plenty of his rivals here and seems likely to finish with more horses in front of him than behind by race end.

If you are looking for solid recent form then you could do a lot worse than the two carrying penalties starting with Clear Spring (13/2). He won his last attempt at Haydock on soft ground beating Intibaah by just over two lengths, and if he runs here with his six-pound penalty, that would presumably be because they think the handicapper will put him up more than that.  The booking of Richard Hughes is a positive (he has a 100% win record on the horse after an Epsom victory in 2013), and all looks god for a big run at the very least – as long as the ground doesn’t dry up too much by race time. Chilworth Icon (16/1) may seem a strange one to mention when you look at his form but he isn’t too bad at his best and has slowly slipped down the handicap to a winning weight.  Now a five year old there is every possibility that his chances have gone, but he did win off this rating at Sandown, which was his last career victory in August last season but again that was on soft going which he seems unlikely to get this afternoon. Trainer Mick Channon is not exactly firing in winners left right and centre but he has had plenty of places and as that is all we might expect here, that seems reasonable enough.

Lastly, we give you Englishman (12/1) who keeps coming back to the front of our minds for reasons unknown. Trained by David Barrons, he isn’t exactly over raced for a five year old with just the ten races on the clock, including wins at Newbury and Haydock, and although they were both on turf with plenty of give, his breeding suggests the forecast good ground should not be an issue.  Still potentially improving with racing, he has been dropped two pounds for his last run when only eighth at Doncaster and comes her at a biggish price and in with a chance of making it in to the first three past the post.