Jockey Hector Crouch has two busy days coming up ahead of the Newbury Gp 1 Lockinge Stakes, and gives kwiff his exclusive thoughts ahead two days on Lambourn.
Hector Crouch: Big Newbury Preview, May 15th 2026
Hector Crouch: Friday at Newbury
Friday starts with Michael Bell’s Parole D’Oro (2.40) making his seasonal debut in the mile and a quarter handicap, after a cracking 3yo campaign last year. He signed off with a good second in a competitive York handicap, and providing he’s fully wound-up after a long break he looks handicapped to run well.
Clive Cox’s Asgar (3.18) looks a nicely-bred 2yo son of Supremacy who should enjoy his first at school. The colt cost 65,000 guineas at school and should come on for the run.
Ralph Beckett’s Glory Road (4.25) is probably my best chance of a winner on Friday in the Maiden Stakes over a mile and a quarter. The Too Darn Hot colt made a really pleasing debut at Nottingham towards the backend of last season, with the winner going on to be rated 100+ and going well in his first couple of starts in the spring.
The form of that maiden run has worked out well and I think he should go well – he’s got plenty of size about him and wouldn’t mind a drop of rain. His most obvious danger looks to be the odds-on favourite Point of Law who will be very hard to beat if running to the level of his Yarmouth second on debut that has worked out extremely well.
William Knight’s Brighton View (5.00) makes his handicap debut from an opening mark of 69 and could go well at a price. He wasn’t beaten far when I rode him last time out at Southwell, and should be open to further improvement now upped in trip and sent handicapping.
Hector Crouch: Saturday at Newbury
Saturday starts with the beautifully-bred Lady Roisia (2.00) in the Fillies’ Listed Stakes over a mile and a quarter. She built on her promising maiden when scoring despite still being a bit green at Nottingham over a mile, but was always going to come into her element stepping up in trip as a 3yo. Her pedigree suggests she is likely to get a mile and a half in time but it’s a nice start for her, and will hopefully help us learn a bit more about her.
I don’t have a ride in the Gp 1 Lockinge Stakes where I think Notable Speech (2.35) is probably something of the forgotten horse in the race. Godolphin’s superstar globetrotter got no run when last seen finishing 4th a few weeks ago at Keeneland but will have at least blown the cobwebs off and should improve for the run.
The markets have already nibbled at Song of the Clyde (3.10) and I can see why after a good return last month at Newmarket. He bagged a few quid when landing the big sales race at York’s Ebor Meeting last season, and continued to improve in runs at Doncaster and York thereafter. He’s got a few pounds to find on the market principles but is 100% worth chanced at this grade.
The London Gold Cup looks a cracker with a few potential group horses potentially lurking in the line-up. I wouldn’t be able to do the weight on Lost Boys but I was extremely impressed with the manner of his success when winning aboard him at Sandown and wouldn’t be surprised to see him continue to improve.
I’m looking forward to riding Tierra Del Torro (3.45) who was second here was last seen chasing home Godolphin’s Look to the Stars in last year’s Haynes, Hanson and Clark. The winner hasn’t exactly franked the form thus far but the third and fourth are both now rated 100+ so fingers crossed our opening mark of 95 proves to be on the soft side.
Blue RC (5.00) has been somewhat unlucky to finish runner-up on his last two starts after excellent efforts on All Weather Finals Day, and then just a few weeks later in the Thirsk Hunt Cup. I think he could prove something of a Royal Ascot horse and the 2lb rise for those efforts seems fair. He continues to keep going the right way and I think he has a fantastic chance at Newbury on Saturday.
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