The Group 1 Lockinge Stakes is the weekend racing highlight from Newbury with trainer Richard Hannon pitting his stable stars Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin against each other.

Canford Cliffs (3.45) finished third in last year’s 2000 Guineas and progressed with each run rounding off with victory in the Sussex Stakes his third successive Gp 1 win at Goodwood at the end of July. That said the stablemates have met three times previously and the score is currently 2-1 to Dick Turpin. I take Canford Cliffs to level matters on Saturday.

Her Majesty the Queen was at the Berkshire track to see General Synod who runs in her colours finish runner up in a hot maiden last month and he ought to go one better in the 1.25 given the third horse home has subsequently franked the form at Chester. After a quiet start John Dunlop has his string in good form and Akmal (2.00) lost little in defeat behind Askar Tau (runs York Friday) last time over 2m and shouldn’t be too inconvenienced by dropping down over a quarter of a mile. Richard Hills is an excellent jockey from the front and the long Newbury straight should suit.

Dominant (3.10) was desperately unlucky at Sandown last time but it didn’t escape the handicapper who has raised him 6lbs for getting beat. The name Roger Varian may be new to many readers but it won’t be for long. Varian has taken over the Newmarket stable of Michael Jarvis and had a very good winner at York earlier in the week.

The nap of the weekend is the filly Hawaafez (2.50) stepped up to the Oaks distance of a mile-and-a half at Newmarket for the first time. She has been a beaten favourite on both starts this season and she was “expected” on both occasions. She still holds an entry in the Oaks at Epsom next month and whilst that is likely to be tilting at windmills she can go one better than at Pontefract last time when she didn’t do anything in a hurry. The Andrew Balding-trained Simenon (3.25) was backed as if defeat was out the question at Goodwood on his reappearance but he is entitled to come on for that run especially if there is significant rain at HQ. For all your weekend odds check out victorchandler.com Be lucky