Farage takes on Erdogan – it's the only way at Newbury

Newbury maidens are always worth watching and Saturday's is no exception.

The president of Turkey, the MEP for South East England and the cast of The Only Way is Essex are probably odds against to be tuning into the Betfred Proud To Work With Simpson Group EBF Maiden Stakes (4.05) – but the contest features Erdogan, Farage and Towie, with all three making their debuts.

And just for good measure they will be competing against an Otis Redding classic in Dock Of The Bay, and a legendary US comedy series in Seinfeld.

John Gosden saddles Erdogan, a fascinating unraced Frankel colt out of Dar Re Mi, in the 1m4f race for three-year-olds, which has drawn a field of 12.

The Al Shaqab Racing-owned runner, who made 750,000gns as a yearling, is a half-brother to talented stablemate So Mi Dar, so has plenty to live up to on his belated debut under Jimmy Fortune.

However, Harry Herbert, racing manager to Erdogan’s owner, offered a word of caution ahead of this long-awaited debut.

“John says he'll come on for the race,” Herbert reported. “Erdogan has had various little setbacks and it'll be good to get him going at Newbury.

“He’s a big, strapping, good-looking horse and we hope he’s one for the end of the year and next season too.”

Erdogan and the Hughie Morrison-trained Towie, out of a mare called Epping, must concede 5lb to the filly Farage, trained in County Kilkenny by Pat Shanahan and whose dam is Advertising Space.

Among those to have run, Godolphin’s Gold Star was an encouraging third at Newmarket on his debut last month.

Hey Gaman going concern in Singer

Drying ground is James Tate’s one fear ahead of Newbury’s Denford Stakes (1.50), a race that has been landed by subsequent Classic winners Rodrigo De Triano, Lammtarra and Haafhd in its more familiar guise as the Washington Singer.

The trainer pitches New Approach colt Hey Gaman, who sets a decent standard on form, into the Listed event hoping some of the forecast showers materialise.

“He needs the ground to be easier than good to put his best foot forward,” Tate explained. “We were always pretty confident he was a good horse based on his homework, but he's left us scratching our heads a couple of times.

“It’s become clear, though, he just can’t perform on fast ground. I know he won on officially good to firm at Yarmouth, but it poured down that day.

“He won nicely at Newmarket last time on good to soft and it'll take a good one to beat him if he gets his ground.”

Charlie Hills expects his Fillies’ Mile entry Ripley to take a step forward from her eyecatching debut at Goodwood this month.

The daughter of Declaration Of War got to within a neck of hot favourite Roulette, promising much for the future, and Hills believes she is a “nice filly in the making”.

He added: “She ran encouragingly at Goodwood in the most horrible conditions and I couldn’t be more pleased with how she's come out of it."

Bartley out to profit from Serena absence

Serena Brotherton has won the Betfred Ladies Derby Handicap (5.15) six times in the last ten years, including four of the last five.

But it's someone else's turn as Brotherton does not have a ride, and Carol Bartley, who partners the likely favourite Mam’Selle for trainer William Haggas and owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, is one of nine female amateurs hoping to take full advantage.

“We’ve got a chance now Serena isn’t there!” she quipped. “I’ve got a good ride in Mam’Selle. They say she’s an improving type who goes to Newbury in good form.

“I won the race for William ten years ago on Tifernati and have a good record for the stable. Let’s hope it continues on Saturday.”

Betfred Proud To Work With Simpson Group Maiden Stakes, cared form and betting

Denford Stakes, card, form and betting

Betfred Ladies Derby Handicap, card, form and betting

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