3.00 Newbury Tips: Three to get the each-way juices flowing

There is some excellent racing set to take place on Saturday afternoon. One of the venues with some of the best action will be Newbury Racecourse, located in Greenham, Berkshire.

Arguably the best race on the card, at least in terms of prestige, is the bet365 Hackwood Stakes, which is a Group 3 contest run over six furlongs. As renewals of this race go, it hugely competitive, so there’s plenty to get stuck into.

Our Betting Tips and Predictions for the 3.00 at Newbury

Ahead of this Group 3 contest, here are our top tips and predictions:

Our Best Prediction: Annaf (each-way) @ 10/1

Kevin Stott was the man of the moment last weekend and he may just have the best ride here too. Dropped back to five furlong in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, this runner finished third behind Bradsell, running on well at the death. That effort was encouraging, as was his fourth at Sandown last a fortnight ago. He was only beaten just over two lengths on that occasion, again doing his best work late on.

If we look at each of those recent efforts, the four-year-old us hard to criticize and it must be said that this step back up to six furlongs rates as a positive move. Michael Appleby has his horses running well at present, so it would be little surprise to see Annaf feature prominently here. He’s got plenty in his favour as far as I’m concerned and is easy to back all the time 10/1 is available.

Our Each Way Prediction: Ehraz (each-way) @ 12/1

At not dissimilar odds, Ehraz makes plenty of appeal from an each-way point of view. Richard Hannon’s runner has vital course and distance experience in the bank having run a close second to Tiber Flow here last May. What’s more, he won’t mind any rain softened ground should the clouds open as they are forecast too.

After signing off with a pleasing and ultimately simple victory over this trip at Newmarket at the back end of last season, the gelding returned in April to run in Listed company on heavy ground at Doncaster. He ran respectably to finish third and has possibly been kept with this race in mind since. Just a small step forward and he could get involved for a trainer who won this race in 2021 and 2018. Interestingly, jockey Jim Crowley has won this race in four of the last eight years.

Our Dark Horse Prediction: Shartash (each-way) @ 14/1

If you want something at slightly bigger price still, then why not take a chance on Shartash, who runs for Johnny Murtagh. The three-year-old has been lightly raced this season, last running in a Group 3 at Naas. He ran well enough and may now step forward. If the colt does move forward and re-find some of her form from last season, then 14/1 would quickly start to look too generous.

After winning on just his second start last season, this horse got his head in front in Group 2 company over this trip at the Curragh, beating a horse that has since gone on to be a little bit better than this level. I wouldn’t discount him on that form.