2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting Preview

The less said about York on Thursday, the better. To be fair, Sir Yoshi and Stanage ran crackers but just missed out on place money. Mister Rizz completely blew the start and I am at a loss as to how Tees Spirit ran that badly. One of those days. Hopefully things go better tomorrow, Dave Stevos’ 2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting preview is below.

12.50 Newbury – Aston Park Stakes (Group 3)

One of the most interesting things about this race is that the Gosdens, who are now using the ‘best jockey available’ have put Rab Havlin up on Courage Mon Ami. Kieran ‘The Scapegoat’ Shoemark rides Sunway for David Menuisier and in the famous words of Kevin Keegan, I would love it if he beat the Gosden horse in a photo and then did a Harvey Smith to the cameras.

As far as a bet goes, Eydon might represent a bit of e/w value at around 16/1. Trained by the red hot Andrew Balding, this son of Olden Times has been expensive to follow in recent starts (for fav backers). He has been beaten at 13/8 and evens on his last two starts but they were still good efforts and he’s been freshened up since his last run at Southwell in January.

Eydon returned from a 210 day break in September last season with a fine run in the listed Doonside Cup at Ayr. He dead heated for second, 0.5l behind the 112 rated Persica and arguably, he could have finished even closer on another day. He’s only rated 106 now but at his best, he is capable of running to 114 or so in my opinion. If he does that, it might be enough to get the place money at odds of 16/1.

2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting Tip: Eydon e/w @ 16/1

1.25 Newbury – Carnarvon Stakes (Listed)

Ides of March is a warm order for this listed heat and this ground will suit better than the soft he was beaten on at Navan last month. However, I am going to take a punt on the only unbeaten horse in the field, Strong Warrior.

By the top class Mehmas, he raced just once last year, winning a 5f Ayr maiden by 3l in July. All three of the rivals he beat have won since and the runner-up is now rated 100. He made his seasonal reappearance in a novice at Pontefract and held off the late challenge of Veblen Good to score by a head over 6f (good).

In that race he wasn’t allowed have it all his own way up front and I liked how he saw off one rival and then found enough to repel the even later challenge of the runner up. He should step forward from that and while there is going to be a lot of competition for the lead here, I wouldn’t mind seeing how he fares if he is ridden a lit bit more patiently, like he was on debut at Ayr. At odds of 14/1, Strong Warrior is the e/w selection.

2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting Tip: Strong Warrior e/w @ 14/1 NB

2.00 Newbury – London Gold Cup Handicap (Heritage)

Not a lot went right for Circus Of Rome on his turf and handicap debut at Sandown last month. The Wolverhampton novice winner blew the start and was immediately on the back foot at the rear of the field.

He was under pressure as they turned for home but he was making progress after being switched wide before he got squeezed for room and lost momentum. To his credit, he was regathered and once he got rolling again, he ran on quite takingly in the final furlong. In the end he was only beaten 4.75l for the win and the handicapper generously dropped him a pound.

I think he’ll have learnt an awful lot from that run and David Probert, who has hit the frame in two of his three rides for this owner, takes over in the plate. If he can chart a smoother passage, Circus Of Rome can go close here at odds of 12/1.

2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting Tip: Circus Of Rome e/w @ 12/1 NAP

2.35 Newbury – Lockinge Stakes (Group 1)

A cracking renewal. Crack miler Rosallion makes his seasonal reappearance and he will face seven rivals. He was beaten first time up last year by Notable Speech and he is back to try and repeat the trick.

Dancing Gemini has been brilliant in two starts this season, admittedly at a lower level than this, but it was a strong G2 in which he beat Tamfana last time and a 6lb swing may not be enough for the Menuisier horse to turn the tables.

Can anything get involved at a price? The one that looks most likely to get involved, if she is fit, is Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel. The much-maligned Kieran Shoemark picks up the ride and this 114 rated daughter of Too Darn Hot has already won two Group 1s, both at the Curragh.

Last year she was a beaten fav on her return in the Newmarket Guineas before going on to win the Irish version three weeks later. After a 111 day break she ran a blinder behind Porta Fortuna in the G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown (1m, good) before she signed off with a 1.75l fourth in a 10f G1 on unsuitably soft ground at Longchamp.

Given her Curragh form, she’ll probably head back there at some stage later in the season but as she showed at Leopardstown last September she can go well fresh, she likes quick ground and she seems to have come into this race somewhat under the radar. Hopefully she can defy her odds of 18/1 and run into the places.

2025 Newbury Lockinge Meeting Tip: Fallen Angel e/w @ 18/1

-DaveStevos