We have a Flat racing bonanza in store this coming Saturday, as the ITV squad head to Haydock, Goodwood, York, and the Irish track of the Curragh. There’s something to suit all tastes, with five handicap events, five contests at Listed class or above, and race distances ranging from the minimum 5f to a stamina-sapping 2m.
The Group 2 double act of the Sandy Lane Stakes and Temple Stakes from Haydock provides the best of the British action. But the classiest contest comes in the closing race from The Curragh, as a field of beautifully bred colts line up for the Irish 2000 Guineas. Here we pick out our best bets in each of the 10 races on offer, in this week’s Saturday Racing Tips.
1:15 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Florida Handicap
Class 5, 1m4f
Auld Toon Loon heads the betting in the opener on the back of a solid runners-up finish at Wetherby last time out. He steps slightly down in class here but is up 2f in trip and, having been worn down close home in that Wetherby contest, may be vulnerable in the closing stages.
Second favourite In The Breeze boasts sound form claims but has posted most of his best efforts on softer ground, whilst Peripeteia looks the most interesting of those available at a double-figure price. However, the one for us is the mount of William Buick, C’Mon Kenny. Last sighted finishing 12th of 15 at Newbury, we are happy to forgive that display considering it was his first start in 401 days and came on unsuitably soft ground.
His most recent effort in this type of contest on a quick surface saw him get up late to score at Sandown off a mark of 69. Only 1lb higher here, and with the step up in trip likely to suit, he can go close.
1:30 William Hill Festival Stakes
Listed, 1m2f
We have a cracking Listed class contest up next, featuring a mixture of rising stars, runners stepping up in class, and those dropping down from a higher level. Roger Varian’s El Drama falls into the latter category and probably boasts the strongest form on paper, but hasn’t looked to be crying out for this step up in trip. Phantom Flight is a solid yardstick, having finished third in a similar contest at Kempton last time out, but he may be booked for a placed position once again in what looks a decent race for the grade.
It is to the rising star category to which we turn for our selection, and the one to be on is the unbeaten Francesco Clemente from the yard of John & Thady Gosden. A perfect three from three heading into this, he dispatched the now 110-rated Secret State with the minimum of fuss on debut and has been unextended in winning his two starts since – latterly by 9l at Newmarket. This is tougher, but this beautifully bred sort – by Dubawi and out of a Galileo mare – looks the part, both on paper and at the track, and is fancied to take the next step up the ladder.
1:50 Betfred TV Hell Nook Handicap
Class 2, 2m
The Frankie Dettori-ridden Carzola is out in front at the head of the market here, and it’s easy to see why, with the Lope De Vega filly having won her last three starts. Each of those wins came over this trip, but two were on the all-weather, with the other coming on very soft ground at Doncaster when winning in a canter. She’s hard to dismiss, but up 10lb in the handicap and switching to a quicker surface, we prefer to back one each way against her.
The overall profile of the Charlie Johnston-trained Themaxwecan makes for erratic reading. However, if we narrow it down to starts over 2m on good to firm ground, we find career form figures of a much more encouraging 11311 – the most recent of those wins coming off a mark of 92 back in August. Only 1lb higher here, and with conditions to suit, he can at least give the jolly something to think about.
2:05 William Hill Harroways Handicap
Class 2, 7f
The three-year-olds line up in this handicap affair over the specialist trip of 7f. William Haggas’s Tafreej, and Bresson from the Gosden operation currently dominate the betting, and both bring plenty of potential to the table. To our eyes Tafreej is looking particularly dangerous from towards the foot of the weights.
Whilst the top two in the market are feared, this looks to be an open affair, and we prefer to take a chance each way on the Richard Hannon runner, Classic. This one showed some smart form as a juvenile, winning well at Newmarket and finishing a close second to the now 113-rated The Foxes over this course and distance. Things didn’t go to plan on his recent comeback at Newbury, but he wasn’t given a hard time once it became clear he was hating the soft ground. Back on a sound surface, he looks a nice price to at least hit the frame.
2:25 Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap
Class 2, 1m
There are plenty of likeable lightly-raced sorts in here, including the Hughie Morrison-trained, Royal Cape, who hacked up by 10 lengths at Windsor last time out, and Bodorgan, who scored nicely on his final start last year and makes his seasonal return here.
Killybegs Warrior and Stormbuster are interesting each-way contenders, but overall, the one we like is Covey. Hailing from the yard of John & Thady Gosden, and ridden by Frankie Dettori, this son of the mighty Frankel was unraced as a juvenile but is already making up for lost time. An eye-catching second on debut, he delivered on that promise when showing a good change of gear to cruise clear at both Newmarket and Newcastle. Given his pedigree, connections, and performance, an opening mark of 90 may underestimate him.
2:40 William Hill Epic Boost Handicap
Class 2, 5f
Speed is the name of the game as the action switches to York, with 14 set to line up in this 5f affair. Having finished second, third and fourth over this course and distance last time out, Korker, Bedford Flyer, and Modammej occupy the first three spots in the betting. With Korker having missed the break that day, he can be fancied to confirm those finishing positions but hasn’t been missed by the market.
At the prices, we prefer an each-way punt on Roger Teal’s Chipstead. The ground was way too soft for this one on seasonal return at Newmarket, but that effort should at least see him strip fitter ahead of this assignment under ideal conditions. In 5f contests on good or quicker ground, Chipstead boasts career form figures of a perfect 1111. With Frederick Larson taking off a handy 3lb in the saddle, he is fancied to go close to adding another 1 to that record.
3:00 Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes
Class 2, 5f
The first Group class contest of the day sees eight go to post in a quality sprint affair. Karl Burke took this with El Caballo 12 months ago and sends the bang in form Cold Case into battle this time around. An impressive winner of an Ascot Group 3 last time out, he looks ready for this slight step up in class and can go well. The 1000 Guineas third, Matilda Picotte is much the most interesting contender at a bigger price, but overall, we suspect this will fall to the jolly.
But for a laboured effort in the 2000 Guineas last time out, Little Big Bear would likely be an odds-on shot in this. It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he wasn’t seen to best effect in the 1m Classic run on soft ground, considering he is by strong speed influence, No Nay Never, and his two juvenile Group class wins came over 6f on a sound surface. We are happy to ignore that outing and side with a horse who looked something out of the ordinary when destroying the field in last season’s Phoenix Stakes.
3:15 William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes
Group 3, 1m6f
Mimikyu is out on her own at the head of the market in this staying contest for the fillies, and deserves that status if judged on her comfortable success in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster last term. However, she isn’t the most consistent sort, and we are reluctant to take so short a price about a filly beaten fully 18 lengths in her most recent outing.
River Of Stars also brings strong form from last season to the table but was well behind the jolly at Doncaster. Take a chance instead on the lightly raced Sea Flawless, who may well find the required improvement stepping up to a staying trip for the first time. By Sea The Stars, and hailing from the powerful William Haggas yard, she is two from three in her career to date, with the only defeat coming when outpaced by the useful Old Harrovian on the all-weather. Doing all her best work late when scoring over 1m2f at Beverley last time out, she looks the type to be suited by the additional distance and can be involved in the finish.
3:30 Betfred Temple Stakes
Group 2, 5f
A cracking sprint contest rounds out the British action. Twilight Calls looks like the pick of the older runners, with his second-placed effort to Nature Strip in the King’s Stand being amongst the best form on offer. However, he wasn’t anywhere near that level last time out at Newmarket and – even accounting for the softer-than-ideal ground that day – may struggle to concede weight to the two three-year-old fillies at the head of the betting.
Prix de l’Abbaye winner, The Platinum Queen, is hard to fault, but we just prefer the claims of Karl Burke’s Queen Mary winner, Dramatised. An out-and-out speedball, she found 6f a trip too far on her only previous visit to this track, but had The Platinum Queen well behind when an excellent second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Back to the minimum trip, and on quick ground, she is fancied to put this to bed with her devastating turn of foot.
3:40 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas
Group 1, 1m
Last but not least, the main event, and the opening Classic of the Irish season. English 2000 hero Chaldean gives the race a miss, but the Newmarket form is still strongly represented, with the second, third, fourth, and eighth all in the line-up over the Irish Sea. Royal Scotsman heads the betting having finished well into third that day, but runner-up Hi Royal may represent better value at the prices, having finished 1/2l clear of that rival despite wandering all over the track in the closing stages.
With many of the big guns disappointing at Newmarket, that may not have been the strongest edition of the English 2000, and we fancy this prize may well remain on home soil. As ever, 11-time winner of the race Aidan O’Brien is strongly represented, with three of the 11-runner field hailing from his Ballydoyle yard.
Age Of Kings and Cairo appeal on paper, but Ryan Moore has opted to side with the Siyouni colt, Paddington, and that may be a hint worth taking. Rounding off his juvenile campaign with an easy success in a 20-runner maiden at this track, he has been similarly impressive in winning at handicap and Listed level on his two starts so far this term. This demands more, but he is clearly heading in the right direction and can take the step up in class in his stride to bring yet more glory for the O’Brien and Moore pairing.