Odds and betting predictions for the 2024 Lockinge Stakes
This Group One takes place at Newbury on Saturday 18th May
We've backed Dear My Friend at 66/1
Expired
The Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. (Getty)
The first Group One for older horses staged during the British flat season is the historic Lockinge Stakes. This one-mile event has been won by legendary names since it's creation in the 1950s, including the likes of Brigadier Gerard, Selkirk and Frankel.
Here's our free guide to the 2024 Lockinge Stakes, including our best betting tips.
2024 Lockinge Stakes Odds
Name
Odds
Inspiral
9/4
Big Rock
9/4
Charyn
9/2
Poker Face
13/2
Royal Scotsman
16/1
Bar
20/1
2024 Lockinge Stakes Entries
The favourite for this year's Lockinge is Inspiral, who'll open her five-year-old campaign at Newbury. Victories in the Jacques Le Marois, the Sun Chariot and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf took Inspiral's Group One tally to six and the ground looks set to come up favourably good for the Gosden's top mare.
QEII Stakes winner, Big Rock will have his first start for new trainer Maurizio Guarnieri, and the second-favourite has a couple of lengths to find on Inspiral from their clash at Deauville last season. Roger Varian will step Charyn back into Group One company, following wins in the Doncaster and Bet365 Mile already this season.
Poker Face will attempt to reverse the Bet365 Mile form with Charyn at Newbury. Andre Fabre looks set to send the hat-trick-seeking Tribalist over from France. Royal Scotsman opened last season with a third-place finish in the 2000 Guineas and could make his four-year-old reappearance in the Lockinge.
Karl Burke's Park Stakes winner Flight Plan and a former runners up in this Group One, Real World also feature in the field. Audience, Witch Hunter, Hi Royal and Dear My Friend have also been confirmed.
2024 Lockinge Stakes Tips
Since the ground has eased to good-to-soft, Big Rock has jumped to the head of the market. Maurizio Guarnieri's recruit was magnificent when winning the QEII from the front and doesn't have much to find with Inspiral from their clash in the Jacques Le Marois.
The surprising switch to Guarnieri's yard does, however, raise question marks, especially when you see that Maurizio has had just five winners from 91 runners so far this year. Jockey Aurelien Lemaitre has something to prove too, after a number of questionable rides on British soil.
Kieran Shoemark hasn't enjoyed the best start to life as the Gosden's number on rider either. Inspiral boasts a strong record first time out, but softer ground is far from ideal and being drawn in stall one could cause some problems too.
Outside of the top two, the rest of the field is much of a muchness. Charyn seems to be on the upgrade and he'll love juice in the ground. Poker Face is a solid yardstick too, despite his lack of form at Group One level.
Dear My Friend (right) running in the 2022 Zetland Stakes. (Getty)
The rank outsider of the field is DEAR MY FRIEND (66/1), who was prolific on the all-weather at the start of the season. Charlie Johnston's four-year-old won well at Newcastle and Lingfield on his first couple of starts, before registering a superb RPR of 119 when bolting up in what looked to be a competitive one mile handicap.
Dear My Friend always seems to do his best work on the back of a break. Johnston's gelding beatn Flight Plan in the Burradon Stakes on his three-year-old reappearance, before taking his chance in the Derby. As a juvenile, Dear My Friend showed stacks of promise on his first couple of starts, before his form tailed off a little during the autumn.
Having tried his star over longer trips, Johnston has decided that a mile is Dear My Friend's most effective trip. Joe Fanning has made all to win on his four-year-old several times, but his best performance came when positioned behind the pace. Big Rock, Flight Plan, Audience and Hi Royal could all go forward early, which should ensure the fast pace that Dear My Friend craves.
Joe Fanning's mount has been freshened up since a poor effort on All-Weather Finals Day. If he can transition that form from the synthetic to the turf, then the rank outsider could challenge for the places.
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