13:30 Newbury
HeavyBetVictor St Simon Stakes (Group 3)
- Prize money: £39697
- 1m 4f 0y
- Class 1
- 7 runners
Runners: 7 runners
Type: Flat Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Showers
Abandoned
Form: 5-0011 D
Last run: 21 days
W: 9st 9lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: 112
Often used to front-run but hasn't since last July; absent nearly six months before career-best form on last two starts, winning a Listed race at Chester (1m4f, good to soft) and Group 3 at Ascot (1m4f, good); best form last term was in France on officially very soft; today's opponents should be more demanding than those he faced last time.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 1 (6) |
3rd Nov 2023 Soft 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 9lb |
Often used to front-run but hasn't since last July; absent nearly six months before career-best form on last two starts, winning a Listed race at Chester (1m4f, good to soft) and Group 3 at Ascot (1m4f, good); best form last term was in France on officially very soft; probably needs to find a bit extra still but he needs plenty of respect. |
4/1 |
|
1st 3 (4) |
7th Oct 2023 Good 1m 3f 211y Class 1 |
9st 6lb |
Often used to front-run but hasn't since last July; best form in that progressive campaign came when winning French Group 2 over 1m7f one year ago; made a modest start to 2023 in Saudi Arabia and Dubai and was not seen again until three weeks ago but that Listed win at Chester (1m4f) was career-best form; firmly in the mix. |
5/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 12-111 D
Last run: 85 days
W: 9st 9lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 117
Pipped by Max Vega at level weights in this race last year on heavy; has now won six Group 3s following an unbeaten 2023 campaign at Chester (1m5f), York (1m6f) and Goodwood (1m4f) and he looks set for another bold show.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 2 (3) |
3rd Nov 2023 Soft 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 9lb |
Pipped by Max Vega at level weights in this race at Newbury (unraced at Newmarket) last year on heavy; six Group 3 wins in total now following three more in an unbeaten 2023 campaign at Chester (1m5f), York (1m6f) and Goodwood (1m4f) and he looks set for another bold show. |
10/11 |
|
1st 1 (3) |
4th Aug 2023 Heavy 1m 3f 218y Class 1 |
9st 6lb |
towards rear |
4/5 |
Abandoned
Form: -52993
Last run: 56 days
W: 9st 6lb
5 yo Colt
OR: 107
Went close in the 2021 Irish Derby; not so good since and soundly beaten in this race last year on his sole run on heavy going; second to Hamish at Chester (1m5f, soft) in May is clearly the best of his five runs for new yard this season; his next two runs were Group 1s but Chester Listed race last time gives him lots to find.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 4 (2) |
3rd Nov 2023 Soft 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 6lb |
Went close in the 2021 Irish Derby; not so good since and soundly beaten in this race last year on his sole run on heavy going; second to Hamish at Chester (1m5f, soft) in May is clearly the best of his five runs for new yard this season; his next two runs were admittedly Group 1s but Chester Listed race last time gives him lots to find. |
10/1 |
|
3rd 1 (6) |
2nd Sep 2023 Good To Soft 1m 6f 87y Class 1 |
9st 7lb |
Went close in the 2021 Irish Derby for previous yard; not so good since but second of six in the 1m5f Group 3 Ormonde here (soft) in May was clearly his best result this term; tried 2m4f in the Gold Cup at Ascot next time and 2m in the Goodwood Cup on latest; good form chance. |
3/1 |
Abandoned
Form: 1-3639 CD
Last run: 13 days
W: 9st 6lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 107
The latest of his three Group 3 wins was this race last year on heavy going by a head from Hamish at level weights; not quite at the same level this term but much the same could have been said going into last year's St Simon (he was 22-1) and he needs a second look.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 5 (1) |
3rd Nov 2023 Soft 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 6lb |
The latest of his three Group 3 wins was this race at Newbury last year on heavy going by a head from Hamish at level weights; not quite at the same level this term but much the same could have been said going into last year's St Simon (he started 22-1) and he needs a close look. |
12/1 |
|
3rd 5 (5) |
9th Sep 2023 Standard To Slow 1m 3f 219y Class 1 |
9st 7lb |
Won twice at Group 3 level over 1m4f at Newbury (good/heavy) last year; ran with credit on his return there in April, but a modest effort at Chester (1m5f, soft) 19 days later and not seen since; fifth of nine in only AW start here (1m2f) as a 3yo; others make more appeal. |
14/1 |
Abandoned
Form: -33824 C
Last run: 44 days
W: 9st 3lb
4 yo Filly
OR: 104
Hasn't added to her soft-ground 2yo win; ran very well in Group 3 Geoffrey Freer here (1m5f, good to soft) in August, coming from off the pace to finish a clear second behind the subsequent St Leger runner-up Arrest; 1m6f seemingly did not help on latest start but her form case rests solely on the Geoffrey Freer run and even that leaves her with work to do.
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 6 (4) |
3rd Nov 2023 Soft 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 3lb |
Hasn't added to her soft-ground 2yo win; ran very well in Group 3 at Newbury (1m5f, good to soft) in August, coming from off the pace to finish a clear second behind the subsequent St Leger runner-up Arrest; 1m6f seemingly did not help on latest start but her form case rests solely on the Geoffrey Freer run and even that leaves her with work to do. |
12/1 |
|
4th 1 (5) |
14th Sep 2023 Good To Soft 1m 6f 115y Class 1 |
9st 7lb |
Hasn't added to her soft-ground 2yo win but appeared to run well in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury (1m5f, good to soft) most recently, coming from off the pace to finish clear second behind Arrest who is a St Leger contender; possibilities if she backs up that form; unexposed beyond 1m4f. |
7/1 |
Abandoned
Form: -12384
Last run: 49 days
W: 9st 3lb
3 yo Colt
OR: 113
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 (1) |
9th Sep 2023 Good 1m 4f 0y |
9st 4lb |
midfield on inner, outpaced under 2f out, headway and went third over 1f out, kept on but lost third inside final 110yds |
4/1 |
|
8th 9 (8) |
2nd Jul 2023 Good 1m 4f 0y |
9st 2lb |
Dundalk maiden winner last October; looked progressive when finishing strongly to beat Up And Under on reappearance in the Ballysax Stakes and confirmed that profile when challenging late to take second behind The Foxes in the Dante at York; came from a long way back to finish third in the Derby; capable of making a race of it with Auguste Rodin at this track. |
11/2 |
Abandoned
Form: 13-742
Last run: 35 days
W: 9st 0lb
3 yo Colt
OR: 105
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 2 (2) |
23rd Sep 2023 Heavy 1m 5f 61y Class 2 |
9st 12lb |
in touch with leaders, headway against far rail over 2f out, soon challenging, ridden and went clear with winner over 1f out, no extra final 110yds |
5/1 |
|
4th 3 (3) |
21st Jul 2023 Good To Soft 1m 3f 15y Class 1 |
9st 7lb |
Created a positive impression when winning at Haydock on his debut last September (1m, good to soft) and he followed that with a close third in a Group 1 in France one month later (1m, heavy); not at the same level on faster ground on his reappearance (1m2f, good); forecast slower conditions should help and he remains capable of better. |
100/30 |
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Verdict
Last year’s runner-up Hamish looks sure to go well and last year’s narrow winner, Max Vega, might just raise his game again. However, they are opposed by two appealing 3yos who can emerge on top. Irish challenger White Birch has the higher profile, having been third in the Derby, and he won a good race on heavy ground early this season. Slight preference, though, is for SALT BAY whose two best runs, by a long chalk, were delivered on heavy going. The latest was at this track five weeks ago, in a handicap but against a smart winner, and he can now go one better.[Richard Austen]