The horse racing broadcaster picks out his best bets for Saturday’s racing, including selections from Ripon, Newbury and Newmarket.
With the Ebor meeting just around the corner – there will be blogs on the TV races each day – the seven-race ITV coverage is an eclectic mix split between Newbury, Newmarket, and Ripon where it is Great St. Wilfrid day.
The Yorkshire track is a personal favourite, and it is great to see it in the limelight. The feature sprint and the consolation race, the Silver Trophy, are always competitive, and last year’s renewal could provide clues as to the winner of both races this time around.
First up ROUNDHAY PARK
8/1
(14:45 Ripon) who lines up off a 3lb lower mark than when successful 12 months ago. His best run since has been his only subsequent visit to Ripon when finishing 2nd here off a higher mark in May, and it is likely this race has been on his radar all season.
In the Great St. Wilfrid itself, SUMMERGHAND
11/2
(15:20 Ripon) has to be worth one more try as he attempts to win a race he has been really unlucky in three previous runs. A narrow runner-up both last year and back in 2019 (off a mark of 100), he also won the race on his side in a breakaway group of 4 in 2022, but there were three who had a better trail in on the stands side. He went off the boil a bit after some promising efforts at Newcastle and Newmarket early in the season, but that has seen his mark drop still further to just 89. He is drawn in stall 18 so committed to the stands side, so hopefully Radio Goo Goo, who is the likely pace from gate 7, will head right from the stalls and tow the stands side group along at a decent pace to set it up for the old boy.
At Newbury, there is a fascinating tactical clash in prospect in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes where Al Aasy looks to add to his excellent track record. He is very talented but can lack heart in a finish and got the perfect smuggle into the race at Goodwood last time using his sharp turn of foot for a stayer to settle the race almost before he realized he was in front. The likely strong pace should suit, but in AL QAREEM
3/1
(13:50 Newbury), he faces a real battler who beat him at Ascot earlier in the season. If the race does break apart off a decent pace, the tenacity of Al Qareem could well be the more reliable option and is a bigger price.
LETHAL LEVI
7/1
(15:00 Newbury) lost his Stewards Cup chance before the start where he got loose but is worth another chance to confirm his excellent Bunbury Cup run where he was close to a very strong pace. As long as he handles the preliminaries, he can dictate more easily here back up at 7f, and given his last run is a complete forgive, he may go off over the odds.
Away from the ITV races, CABRERA
/
(15:45 Newmarket) looks a progressive young stayer who appears to have been allocated a very fair mark starting out in handicaps. Weight for age historically favors the younger horses over staying trips at this time of year, and she is open to significantly more improvement than her rivals.
JOCKEYS FOR COURSES
Oisin Murphy’s four-timer at Newmarket last week was the highlight, and only two today who stand out as heading for tracks where they historically have a very good record in relation to the number of winners ridden compared to market expectations.
Market Rasen: Lee Edwards (14/100, A/E 1.89) has just one ride in the 19:50 with Captain Attridge, who placed at the track last time.
Newbury: Hayley Turner (23/208, A/E 1.72) has three rides, including Spanish Blaze in the 15:00 for in-form trainer Marcu Tregoning.
STABLE TRACKER UPDATE
A very quiet week with just the one runner in Wisper (second, 5/2) who found the drop in trip coupled with the steady pace against him at Lingfield. He ran on well and still looks competitive, especially given a greater test of stamina. He was only added recently, so still has two runs left.
There is one addition in INDIAN CREAK who ran well in trying to repeat last year’s success in the Fitzdares Sprint Final at Windsor on Monday. This was a much more competitive renewal, and he looked as if he had been set for the race, only to be pressed hard on the lead and fading to finish 4th. He is well treated, and the yard is going well, so is one to look out for in the short term.
Additions: Indian Creak
A full list of stable tracker horses can be found here.
COLUMN PERFORMANCE 2024
Selections: 43/42.71, A/E 1.01
Stable Tracker: 22/23.85, A/E 0.92
Jockeys For Courses: 46/46.52, A/E 0.99
Total: 111/113.14, A/E 0.98
Visit Betway’s horse racing betting page.
