Today's Racing Tips: Zain looks sure to go Extremely well in Saturday's Hungerford Stakes

Geoffrey Freer Stakes, Newbury, 13:25 - Back Gamrai @ 13/27.50

3 (1)

Gamrai

• J: William Buick
• T: George Scott
• F: 3/124-122

• SBK 13/2
• EXC 7

With the York Ebor meeting just around the corner, we warm up for that feast of racing with a classy card at Newbury and I'm looking for a minor upset in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer that opens proceedings.

Dubai Honour clearly sets a tall standard with his BHA rating of 118, but he isn't getting any younger at the age of eight and it's also a bit of a concern that we haven't seen him since he last ran in Australia back in April. If he returns on his 'A' game he'll take all the beating, but I think there's some mileage in taking him with Gamrai, who has a bit to find on bare form but is still relatively unexposed in the context of this race.

This will be Gamrai's first start for George Scott having previously been with John & Thady Gosden, and the trainer switch doesn't come as a major surprise given Scott has had plenty of previous success for these owners.

The selection's form in classy handicaps has been solid this season and he won't need to take a massive step forward to be a genuine contender at this level, particularly if Dubai Honour is a tad rusty on his return.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Pure Passion @ 9/2
Galen @ 4/1
Edward Sexton @ 7/2
Free World @ 3/1
Archers Bay @ 3/1
Influencer Man @ 11/4
Quest For Stars @ 5/2

Newbury, 14:35 - Back Scoville @ 7/42.75

2 (6)

Scoville

• J: Tom Marquand
• T: William Haggas
• F: 1104-870

• SBK 7/4
• EXC 3.3

Scoville is rapidly becoming a cliff horse for me, but I simply have to stick with him in this handicap having been on his side the last twice, when he wasn't seen to best effect on either occasion.

The William Haggas charge looked like he was going to take high rank when bolting up on his first two starts last year, but things rather derailed after that when he was tried in Group company.

Gelded ahead of his return this season, Scoville prove far too headstrong to see things out in a Thirsk Handicap but has fared much better in two starts since then, presumably benefiting from a wind op that took place after that disappointing return.

Scoville fared best of those ridden close up in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot two starts back and then shaped much better than the result when down the field in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last time, forced to work hard to get the early lead from a poor draw.

An enthusiastic sort, the drop from 1m to 7f for this race looks a shrewd move and I'm confident we'll finally see the best of Scoville once again.

Mark's Bet of the Day: Hungerford Stakes, Newbury, 15:10 - Back Extremely Zain @ 9/25.50

7 (6)

Extremely Zain (Fr)

• J: Tom Marquand
• T: William Haggas
• F: 1-114

• SBK 9/2
• EXC 6

Never So Brave is favourite for the Hungerford on the Betfair Sportsbook and is clearly the one to beat on his best form. However, he hasn't really lived up to his name of late and there's a feeling that he doesn't really fancy a battle nowadays.

He hasn't won since the City of York Stakes around this time last year and it could be that temperament is just beginning to get the better of him.

A few of these also have stamina to prove at 7f, not least Coppull, who ran really well in the July Cup but wouldn't be guaranteed to get this extra furlong.

The one I like is Extremely Zain, who looked something out of the ordinary when winning his first 3 starts, two of them in novice company before he made mincemeat of his rivals in what had looked a competitive handicap at York in June.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old looked every inch a pattern-class performer on the Knavesmire, so it was a tad disappointing that he couldn't win the International Handicap at Ascot last time, for all he didn't run badly in fourth.

He was probably just found out for a bit of experience there and I'm pretty sure he'll be winning Group races before long, and it would be no surprise were he to start with this one.

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