Newbury 7:00 Result

Lion Of Mali's form figures 215122 show relentless consistency and improvement - a winner and multiple placed efforts in his last six, with recent runs (25 days ago) keeping him fresh and progressive. He's clearly in-form and race-fit, with David Egan taking the ride for a yard (Fanshawe) that knows how to place three-year-olds well over 7f. His OR of 74 looks workable given he's evidently ahead of that mark on recent form - the pattern of 2-1-5-1-2-2 suggests a horse who's now nailing it down and just needs his rivals to not have too much in hand class-wise. Bold Shout's 441 figures are interesting but the concern is whether his solitary win came in weaker company, and his big weight drop to 125lbs suggests he's found his level rather than being underrated. Brisk Symphony's -22764 is moving the wrong way and the piece of headgear (blinkers) added suggests they're searching for más improvement rather than banking on proven ability. Artanis and Cool Molly both come from the same Ollie Sangster yard - a slight complication - and while Artanis's 23-15 figures look useful, a big layoff of 168 days is a concern fitness-wise, while Cool Molly's 130683 is more mixed with a couple of def flat efforts recently. Show Me Gold's figures are moderate. Overall, Lion Of Mali's sustained upward trajectory and fitness edge make him the standout at a fair coupon price relative to true chance - he looks the horse most likely to be superior to his current mark today.