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Byline: By, Chris Wright
HAPPY ROMANCE can win the BetVictor Hungerford Stakes 3.35pm at Newbury on Saturday afternoon.
Richard Hannon's four-year-old filly looks to have a big chance of landing the Group Two feature, under Hollie Doyle, at the Berkshire track.
Although the daughter of Dandy Man has yet to win over this seven furlongs, she has threathened to do so in the past. And on a track she thrives on may finally score over this distance.
Happy Romance has won several times over both five and six furlongs over the past couple of seasons and has run most of her best races at Newbury.
She took the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint over the minimum distance at the track as a juvenile and added a couple of more successes stepped up to six furlongs later that season.
Last year she found it tougher to get her head in front. But she did win again at Newbury over six furlongs in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes, while she was also a good fourth in the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.
She has run consistently this season without winning. She ran a fine race in Dubai to be third over seven furlongs back in February, which hinted she is capable at the distance. She was slightly unlucky in her bid for a second win in the Hackwood Stakes.
And in what appears a wide-open renewal of the Hungerford Stakes, with luck in running Happy Romance can triumph.
The Martyn Meade-trained ZECHARIAH can win the Group Three BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes 2.30pm.
The three-year-old has not won so far this season, despite ending last year with back-to-back juvenile successes at Sandown and Newbury over a mile.
He has been campaigned over middle distances this term with his best effort, when only just beaten a nose by Eldar Eldarov, in the Group Two Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. He disappointed at Newmarket last time in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes, but this doesn't look as tough a contest and the son of Nathaniel can get back on track with victory.
The Charlie Appleby-trained VICTORY DANCE -- under Liverpool FC fan William Buick -- can make it two wins from three starts in the Listed Denford Stakes 1.55pm.
The Dubawi colt was narrowly beaten in the Group Two bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket having won at the same track on his debut. Back down into Listed company he can get his head back in front.
The Charlie & Mark Johnston-trained HIGHLAND PREMIERE had been generally consistent without scoring this season, but may finally return to winning ways in the BetVictor Handicap 1.20pm.
Hannon may get a boost ahead of Happy Romance -- and Chindit's bid for glory -- in the Hungerford Stakes with victory in the BetVictor Handicap 3pm with GISBURN.
Others who may triumph at Newbury are the Ralph Beckett-trained RECHERCHER in the Mettal UK British EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes For horses In Bands B/C/D EBF Qual' GBB Race 4.10pm and Chris Gordon's hat-trick-seeking PSYCHE in the finale, the Rangers Riding Ranch Amateur Jockeys' Handicap 4.45pm.
At Ripon the consistent GOOD EARTH can win the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap 2.50pm.
Michael Herrington's five-year-old has won three times this season, including a similar big six-furlong sprint handicap at York in July. He has been runner-up and third since then back on the Knavesmire and at Haydock last weekend.
He may be 6lb higher than that last win but his trainer clearly feels there is another big pot in him and he may be able to get back to winning ways ahead of last year's scorer Justanotherbottle, the Ben Haslam-trained Fortamour and Snash, from the Tim Easterby stable.
Keith Dalgleish's once-raced PRINCE OF PILLO can make it two wins from two starts in the opener, the William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes GBB Race 1.40pm.
Michael Dods' newcomer BOY DOUGLAS may take the William Hill Play Responsibly EBF Restricted Novice Stakes Bands B/C/D EBF Race Qual' 2.15pm.
Others who can score at Ripon are David O'Meara's PISANELLO in the William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes GBB Race 3.25pm; the Wilf Storey-trained GOING UNDERGROUND in the William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap 4pm and PENELOPEBLUEYES in the finale, the Happy 70th Birthday duch*ess Dotty Cleevely Handicap 5.03pm.
At Newmarket Michael Appleby COME ON GIRL can land a quick-fire double in the Grey Horse Handicap 3.18pm.
The five-year-old mare scored for a second time in her last three starts at Lingfield and back on Turf and off bottom weight she may be able to go in again.
John & Thady Gosden's ATLANTIS got her head in front at the fourth attempt at Doncaster last time and may land another victory in the Discover Newmarket Fillies' Handicap 2.10pm.
Others who may win at Headquarters are the Johnstons' newcomer DOWNTOWN DUBAI in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes GBB Race 2.45pm; the Hannon-trained MEHME in the Home Of Racing Fillies' Nursery Handicap 3.53pm; and another from the Johnston stable, RED KITE -- to be ridden by Scouser Franny Norton -- in the Racing TV Handicap 5pm.
At Doncaster Robert Cowell's HAN SOLO BERGER can take the Racing League On Sky Sports Racing Handicap 2.41pm and the Tim Easterby-trained veteran GOLDEN APOLLO may strike in the finale, the Watch Sky Sports Racing 415 Handicap 4.23pm.
Wright Ones
NEWBURY
1.20pm Highland Premiere
1.55pm Victory Dance
2.30pm Zechariah
3pm Gisburn
3.35pm Happy Romance
4.10pm Rechercher
4.45pm Psyche
RIPON
1.40pm Prince Of Pillo
2.15pm Boy Douglas
2.50pm Good Earth NAP
3.25pm Pisanello
4pm Going Underground
4.33pm Penelopeblueyes
NEWMARKET
2.10pm Atlantis
2.45pm Downtown Dubai
3.18pm Come On Girl
3.53pm Mehme
4.28pm Ingra Tor
5pm Red Kite
5.36pm Queen Of Burgundy
DONCASTER
1pm Bellshill Beauty
1.30pm Hope You Can Run
2.06pm Honeymooner
2.41pm Han Solo Berger
3.13pm Saxon Village
3.48pm Air To Air
4.23pm Golden Apollo
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.46pm Mereside Angel
6.20pm Rock Girl
6.50pm Red Alert
7.20pm Newyorkstateofmind
7.50pm Lexington Knight
8.50pm Renegade Rose
8.50pm Sandy Paradise
SUNDAY'S NAP: Gale Force Maya Pontefract 3pm
CAPTION(S):
Sean Levey riding Happy Romance wins The bet365 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury Racecourse. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday July 17, 2021. See PA story RACING Newbury. Photo credit should read: Alan Crowhurst/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Victory Dance and William Buick (right, blue) finishing second to Isaac Shelby and Sean Levey (left) in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at the Darley July Cup Day of the Moet and Chandon July Festival at Newmarket racecourse on Saturday, July 9 2022 Picture by Tim Goode/PA
Good Earth (left), ridden by Andrea Atzeni, wins The John Smiths Sprint Stakes at York racecourse on Saturday, July 9 2022 Picture by Nigel French/PA
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