Newbury best bet: Godwinson looks well in to make strong Spring Cup bid

15:15 Newbury: OLBG Spring Cup Handicap (1 mile)

The fact that even the early market leader here is available at 7/1 should be a sign of just how wide open this renewal is likely to be, and  we could probably make a valid case for half of the field.

Things might change by the time they load the stalls, but at the time of writing Archie Watson’s Noble Order is the tentative early favourite after returning from a 15-month break to beat 11 rivals on Newcastle’s all-weather track.

Planet Sport Bet Daily Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Dancing Magic finishes in the first 4 places, get a £5 Free Bet

He should build on that under Hollie Doyle, but will face challenges from all quarters, not least Thunder Ball, who signed off last season with a cosy win at Goodwood and was far from disgraced when reappearing to finish a creditable seventh of 20 in last month’s Lincoln at Doncaster.

Second in that same race was the Julie Camacho-trained Lattam, who had won the Irish Lincoln the year before, and could well be in the mix again, especially if there’s still plenty of cut in the ground. A similar argument could also be applied to Look Back Smiling, who landed the Spring Mile at the same meeting and clearly relishes this type of race.

However, having weighed up the quality of the opposition, our final nod goes to Godwinson, a William Haggas-trained four-year-old, who appears to be well treated here as he makes his handicap bow.

Just three outings in 2023 saw this four-year-old gelding finish a decent third of 15 on debut at Nottingham before landing a nine-furlong maiden at Hamilton two weeks later.

He was less effective on Kempton’s all-weather track when last seen in August, but he is less exposed than many here, and having appeared to have escaped the beady eye of the handicapper, he should give Tom Marquand a good ride here. 

Suggested best bet: Godwinson in the 19:30 at Newbury

• Tip advised by Interesting Method on Tipstrr

With ten of the 21 runners available at 20/1 or more, there’s plenty for each-way punters to get excited about, especially with the extra places that are readily available (as many as seven in certain quarters).

Talis Evolvere won as a 33/1 outsider when tipped by this column at Newcastle three weeks ago, and while we’re tempted to go for a double lightning strike, there is more of a buzz in the Tipstrr camp for a return to form for Racebreaks Ryder, who was in the midst of compiling a four-timer this time last year.

Having finished his 2022 campaign with a maiden one-mile win at Brighton, Charles Hills’ four-year-old picked up where he left off last April, landing further successes at Nottingham, Haydock and Ascot in the space of little more than a month.

That level of performance faded as the season unfolded, but he is now back to close to his last winning mark and could well be primed to hit the ground running again this term as he teams up with Jamie Spencer for the first time.

Suggested best bet: Racebreaks Ryder in the 15:15 at Newbury

• Tip advised by The Profit Rocket on Tipstrr

READ MORE: Saturday ITV racing tips: Best bets for Ayr and Newbury for April 20