Antepost Racing Tips: Lockinge best bet plus a 20/1 HQ outsider

Newbury's Lockinge Stakes this weekend's feature

Dry weather is expected ahead of Newbury's Lockinge meeting, save for some rain on Thursday, but for Charlie Appleby the forecast is gloomy.

The Godolphin head honcho trainer is 0-17 in the last two weeks and his last winner was Opera Ballo on 24 April.

Now, when they bounce back you expect Appleby to be ticking along at 30%, but his two big Lockinge Stakes guns are Notable Speech at 7/24.50 and the aforementioned Opera Ballo at 10/111.00, but could you back either at the moment with the yard lean spell?

Saturday, Newbury, 14:35, Lockinge Stakes - Back Zeus Olympios @ 3/14.00

Karl Burke is the de facto Sheikh Obaid trainer these days with some startling firepower, and Zeus Olympios enjoyed a breakout season last term - winning all three starts culminating in an impressive Group 2 Joel Stakes victory at Newmarket last September - a race in which he thumped Opera Ballo by over 2L.

He struts around with his white socks majestically, and the manner of the Joel Stakes victory was as striking as his looks. He was tucked in behind and had to wait, and then when he had to switch (and could have lost some ground) rattled in a final furlong of 12.05 seconds - way faster than anything else.

A turn of foot and fast ground is what the likeable four-year-old has and requires, and he was even quicker at the final furlong stage at Haydock with a furlong timed at 11.78.

Opera Ballo gained his revenge at Sandown in the Bet 365 Mile in April, but that was Zeus Olympios' first run of the season and the pizazz we are used to seeing with the change of pace wasn't there. I came away thinking it was a nice little prep for something bigger - especially with the Queen Anne just around the corner.

I love his low-skimming action, and he'll settle better with that Sandown run under his belt. He is my number one bet this weekend.

Saturday, Newbury, 15:45, London Gold Cup Handicap - Back Al Azd @ 5/16.00

This really does look a red-hot handicap and it will be interesting to see who decides to go elsewhere for some easier pickings.

Al Azd at 5/16.00 very much appeals for Roger Varian, and is another who will love good to firm anywhere he goes.

He scored in impressive fashion last time at Doncaster - a race that saw him go up in distance from 1m3f and 1m2f previously to 1m4f but certainly wasn't short of pace.

Ridden out the back, he won by nearly 4L and was eased down to score from 85, and off 92 for Saturday looks still fairly treated.

Blinkers have seemingly made the difference but he does possess a fine turn of foot based on his performance at Doncaster. At the 11th furlong, he was the only one to clock under 12 seconds, and he had to come from further back too.

Varian has a fine record at Newbury too - at 12% win but a massive 40% placed from 262 runners, which is some tally, and it's 44% placed over the 1m.

I don't see the drop back down to 1m2f a negative at all with his speed and going left-handed with a nice long straight can hopefully yield a win in a good handicap.

Saturday, Newmarket, 14:50 - Back Darkness EW three places @ 20/121.00

We've come up short recently with the big prices antepost, as either not running or scuppered by draws. Ascot and the Victoria Cup summed up the last few weeks.

Newmarket's card has two handicaps priced up on the Sportsbook as of Tuesday, and I am pleased to see Darkness at such a big price, and I cannot resist taking some of the 20s here each-way.

He was sixth last time at Haydock in a very good 7f Handicap won by Cosi Bello.

I wonder if the jockey made a bit of an error in that race with Darkness finishing in sixth and just over 2L behind Cosi Bello. Ben Robinson was tracking the winner on the inside but then came off the rail more towards the centre and perhaps it would have been best to stick to the inside on the fence.

Nonetheless, it was a good effort and quick ground showed him a better light after his seasonal return prior at Thirsk.

His victory at Goodwood last year came from 88 and he beat Great Acclaim on that occasion, and he finished second in the Victoria Cup on Saturday, with the hold up tactics and waiting suiting Darkness better that day.

The 20/121.00 looks far too big.

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