Newbury, Saturday 16 May 2026: Tips and Selections

Newbury, Saturday 16 May 2026: Tips and Selections

A quality Saturday card at Newbury with three Pattern or Listed races to get stuck into. Good ground is ideal for the majority of these runners, and the Lockinge shapes up as one of the races of the season so far on the Flat. Three races featured below, three genuine selections.

1:25 — Sky Sports Racing Aston Park Stakes (Group 3, 1m4f)

Selection: West Wind Blows (4/1, Boyle Sports)

Seven years old and running like a horse who has never been away. William Buick takes the ride, which matters in a five-runner field, and the form he showed at Meydan when second to the formidable Calandagan in a Group 1 over today’s trip is significantly better than anything else on show here. That run was on good ground. Today is good. The concern is his most recent spin at Longchamp on soft, where he disappointed at odds-on, but you can comfortably draw a line through that. Simon and Ed Crisford are running at a modest 1/13 clip over the last fortnight, but in a race this small the trainer stats carry less weight than individual horse form, and this horse’s best form is a cut above.

Kalpana starts favourite at evens and deserves respect after finally getting her head in front last time, but West Wind Blows at 4/1 in a five-runner Group 3 represents clear overlay on known quality. The market may have overreacted to one soft-ground blip.

2:00 — Childwickbury Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes (Listed, 1m2f)

Selection: Sacred Ground (9/4, Boyle Sports)

By Kingman out of Oaks winner Anapurna, trained by John and Thady Gosden who are operating at 9/34 in the last 14 days and are very much in form, and partnered by William Buick. The pedigree screams 1m2f, which is exactly what she gets today. Her two placed efforts since winning on debut have both come in Listed company at Newmarket, and her effort 13 days ago behind a runaway winner, with Esna some way back in fourth, puts her at the head of the market on pure form.

Golden Orbit is interesting on debut form alone but that was over 7f at Newmarket last September, and this is a substantial step up on what we know. Lady Roisia won nicely at Nottingham on good to soft and has the right pedigree, but Sacred Ground has already tested herself in this grade and come out with credit. At 9/4 in a six-runner field she is not an each-way proposition, but she is the most logical winner and the Gosden yard backs up horses quickly when they are in form.

2:35 — BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes (Group 1, 1m)

Selection: More Thunder Each-Way (7/1, Boyle Sports)

The headline act of the day, and the two horses who dominate the market both carry legitimate questions. Notable Speech is the standout on paper, with a 2,000 Guineas, a Sussex Stakes, and a Breeders’ Cup Mile to his name, and William Buick keeps faith. But Charlie Appleby’s yard is running at just 2/20 over the last 14 days, which is a yard that is firmly not firing, and Notable Speech was beaten at Keeneland on his return with no luck cited. Last year he was only fourth in this very race when lacking match practice. Sound familiar? He is a 4/1 chance for a stable that is not in form. That is a problem.

Damysus at 10/3 is a serious rival. The Gosden yard has won this five times, including the last two renewals, and he put away a Group 3 field at Newmarket with authority on his return, defying a penalty. He is progressing and deserves full respect. If you want a safe bet, Damysus is your horse.

For value, though, More Thunder at 7/1 with Boyle Sports catches the eye. William Haggas runs at 13/50 in the last fortnight, a yard in strong form. More Thunder recorded a Group 2 win at Newbury last season on good to firm, and today’s good ground is right in his wheelhouse. He has been tested over further for his previous stable, so stamina is not a concern returning to a flat mile. He was a respectable fourth in the Group 1 Foret at Longchamp on very soft ground in the autumn, which flatters his rivals for that run rather than showing weakness. A horse with a Group 2 win at this track, in a Haggas yard that is firing, at 7/1 in a 10-runner Group 1 where the two market leaders both carry doubts. That is a genuine each-way angle, with three places paid at 1/5 the odds.

Sahlan is the most interesting of the outsiders at 8/1. The Moulin form is solid and his Breeders’ Cup effort backs it up. He is unexposed in Britain. If the price drifts further, he becomes a small interest each-way.

Today’s NAP