Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s Friday 5 to thrive at Newbury, Ayr & Kempton

Three winners for the Hickeymeister yesterday. Just saying.

Newbury 13.55 – Whenthedealinsdone

Marlay Park is going to be a strong favourite here off the back of his debut second behind Minzaal at Salisbury and his runner-up finish at HQ last time. But there might be a bit of value in  Whenthedealinsdone as a result. Whenthedealinsdone was a 65,000 guineas ‘breeze up’ purchase and that would be at the upper end of what Roger Teal would usually spend but we know he is well capable when he gets a good one, with July Cup winner Oxted a perfect example.

Whenthedealinsdone was well supported on debut at Windsor but was very slowly away and lost all chance. He did travel well though but didn’t get a clear run up the rail and ran on strongly to finish a never nearer third. There was so much promise in that run and I expect him to be far more clued in now for his second start.

Ayr 14.45 – Roman Encounter

The horses with experience don’t set a very high bar and it is likely that one of the once-raced maiden winners could improve past the ones with experience.

Bickerstaffe is very interesting and the form of her debut win at Hamilton has already been nicely franked, but I was really taken with how Roman Encounter won on debut at Beverley last month. Very slowly away, she cruised though the race and when asked to quicken, she put the race to bed in no time at all. Her closing sectional was very eye-catching to say the least. If she steps forward at all for that run, she has to go close here.

Ayr-Racing

Ayr 15.55 – Abstemious  

The 6f Ayr Bronze Cup will get the juices flowing for the big-field sprint handicaps that are to come this weekend and the draw could play a big part today. Music Society looks to be coming back into form at just the right time and has every chance of repeating his win in this race last season off a very similar mark.

The one I like is Abstemious for Nigel Tinkler.

He was a winner on soft ground last year for Kevin Ryan and while he hasn’t won for Tinkler yet, you get the feeling that one of these will come his way before the season is out. He was been placed at Doncaster, Haydock, Newmarket and York this season off marks of 82 & 83 and last time at York he was staying on well to only be beaten half a length. The runner-up Many A Star has won since and Abstemious finds himself 4lb better off with the winner, Alben Star.

A bit of easier ground will suit him and the application of cheek-pieces might just be what’s required to help him get the job done. He’s a decent price and that makes each way appeal, especially with Paddy paying to 6 places.

Newbury 16.45 – Lucid Dreamer

Only a three-runner race but we might get to see a real nice filly in Lucid Dreamer. She is well bred, with her dam being a half sister to Group 1 winner Logician and she showed plenty of ability on debut when getting off the mark at Kempton. Roger Charlton’s two-year-old’s generally tend to improve plenty for their first run, so there is every possibility that Lucid Dreamer is well above average.

She was withdrawn at the stalls last time at Yarmouth but interestingly, she was 15/8 favourite that day when conceding a penalty to Indigo Girl. Indigo Girl duly won that race and went on to win the Group 2 May Hills Stakes on her next start. Teodolina is the one Lucid Dreamer probably has most to fear, but she isn’t straightforward and may appreciate slower ground.

Add in that Roger Charlton has won this race for the last two years, including last year with subsequent Group 1 winner Quadrilateral and everything looks in place for Lucid Dreamer to give him the hat trick.

Kempton 17.10 – Bagara

Bagara caught the eye on two of his three runs in maidens and was prominent in the market for his nursery debut at Sandown a few weeks ago. That was off a mark of 64, but things didn’t go well for Bagara as he got interfered with at the start of the race and quickly found himself on the back foot at the tail of the field.

He was never able to get properly into contention but did stick on well for third, only beaten two lengths. This definitely looks an easier race and it is a drop in grade and I will be disappointed if Bagara can’t defy this revised mark of 67.

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