Newbury hosts a great days racing on Saturday with no fewer than three Group races and the very valuable Dubai Duty Free Handicap amongst their action. It is the latter race which we will focus on here which is to be run over one mile and two furlongs with twenty top class handicappers (some potential Group horses) heading to post.

For the winner we need look no further than the trainer Luca Cumani, who has won this very race on four occasions in the past seven renewals. This year Cumani saddles two, Kirthill (Fallon) and Naqshabban (Buick), with Fallon (who is stable jockey to Cumani) having chosen Kirthill, it is the three year old son of Danehill Dancer that gets the vote. Kirthill has only had six career starts with one win along with three runner up efforts, his last run was at Newmarket where he was a fine second to Dare To Dance beaten just over two lengths, with Kirsty Milczarek doing the steering. The assistance of Fallon back in the saddle will help at Newbury and with predicted softer ground another positive this could be the start of bigger and better things for Kirthill, who it is worth noting is an intended runner in the Cambridgeshire in October. Ladbrokes are currently an attractive 8/1 on the selection and that could well be a lot shorter come post time.

Another one to note at a big price is the Jim Goldie trained Merchant Of Dubai who is 20/1 with Boylesports. He has been a little out of sorts this term but has shown plenty of ability in the past and his shrewd trainer wouldn’t make the long trip down from Scotland just to make the numbers up.