Weather could change the St Simon Stakes line-up at Newbury
The prospect of heavy rain in the week ahead has cast doubt over one of the headline acts for Saturday’s BetVictor St Simon Stakes at Newbury. Al Aasy, the nine-year-old who has enjoyed an exceptional campaign for William Haggas, may be withdrawn if the going becomes testing.
Al Aasy has produced some of his best form this year, notching a first-ever Group Two victory and adding further Group Three successes, most recently at Ascot. But his connections are wary after a poor showing on soft ground in last year’s renewal of the St Simon, in which he finished well beaten behind stablemate Hamish.
Angus Gold, the racing manager for Al Aasy’s owners Shadwell, said the team must weigh up the horse’s well‑being against the desire to run him again this season. He acknowledged there has been significant rainfall around Lambourn and that the condition of the turf will be a deciding factor.
“This year has been right up there with his best ever, he’s been fantastic,” said Gold. “We’ve got to just make sure it is the right thing to do, I know they’ve had a lot of rain around Lambourn so I don’t know yet whether he’ll be running or not. I know William thinks the horse is still in good form so he’s keen to run him again, but it’s a conversation we need to have. I’m sure he’d like a bit of easy ground but whether he wants to swim, I don’t know. We ran him last year in it and he hated the ground, and I don’t want him to go out on a note like that as he’s been that good to us. We’ll talk about his future after his last run, whether that is now or after the weekend.”
The potential withdrawal of a high-profile, in-form horse such as Al Aasy would alter the dynamics of the race and will be watched closely by owners, trainers, racegoers and bettors. When a marquee horse is absent from a Newbury Group race, chances increase for other contenders to take a prominent placing — and for local interest to shift accordingly.
Rivals and their response to softer ground
Not all trainers share the same concerns. Karl Burke, who will saddle Al Qareem in the St Simon, expects wetter conditions to suit his seven-year-old. Al Qareem has a rich record, including a Listed victory at Musselburgh earlier in the year, although his season has been inconsistent with a modest run in the Ormonde Stakes and a fourth-place finish in York’s Grand Cup in June.
“Al Qareem hasn’t had a great season, we haven’t been able to run him too much and it’s been a bit stop-start with him, but he seems in good form and he’ll love the ground. A mile and a half is as short as he wants, but he’s fine on soft ground and I’m looking forward to seeing him run again and getting him back on track.”
Burke’s comments suggest a softer surface could sharpen competition for the title and may boost the chances of horses that perform on yielding turf. Meanwhile, other entries on the card — including a juvenile stepping up in class for the BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes — may also be affected by the going.
| Horse | Age | Recent note |
|---|---|---|
| Al Aasy | 9 | In fine form this season; dislikes soft ground |
| Al Qareem | 7 | Listed winner at Musselburgh; handles soft ground |
Local impact and what to expect on Saturday
For Newbury residents the immediate effects are practical as well as sporting. A late withdrawal would change the racecard and could affect on-course attendances and local punters’ plans. Racegoers travelling from Lambourn, Wantage and surrounding areas will be monitoring reports from the course, and bookmakers are likely to adjust markets should Al Aasy be taken out of the line-up.
- Connections will wait for official going updates before confirming entries.
- A withdrawal would increase chances for softer-ground specialists, such as Al Qareem.
- Local racegoers and bookmakers will need to keep an eye on late declarations and course inspections.
Newbury’s course management typically publishes going reports and updates on declarations in the days immediately before a meeting. If the forecast rain materialises and the turf is judged to be testing, it is likely trainers of horses with proven aversion to soft ground will prefer to preserve their charges for more suitable opportunities.
Officials and connections are expected to make final calls closer to race time. Whatever the outcome, the situation underlines how much Newbury’s autumn fixtures can hinge on the weather and the tactical choices of trainers looking after valuable equine athletes.
