Newbury

3.15pm

Fire Brigade

Hopefully being drawn 24 of 27 will be the place to be, as Fire Brigade looks to be on a fair enough mark and 1m on soft ground are probably his optimum conditions. He hasn’t won for a while but a reproduction of his second at Ayr last September could see him in the shake-up.  He can be tricky, though, and this is obviously hugely competitive.

4.25pm

Verify

I have never ridden him but he is from a good family and is related to some smart sorts of Luca’s, including the Oaks third Volume. This trip looks on the sharp side on pedigree, but 1m on this ground is probably a good starting point for him.

5.00pm

State Of Affair

He obviously showed ability when placed at Wolverhampton last season, and he has been gelded since. He is a half-brother to a 1m4f winner, so the step up to 1m3f should suit.

5.35pm

New Show

This is the first time I have ridden him on the track but he clearly showed a fair bit last season when winning at Thirsk in the summer and he has been gelded since making his debut for Michael at Goodwood back in August, where he looked to have excuses. He won with a bit of dig on his racecourse bow, so hopefully conditions will be fine. I think they thought a fair bit of him when he was at Kevin’s, so fingers crossed a mark of 87 proves okay. I think he will go well.