2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tips
We had our first blank for a while last weekend. Unfortunately, we just missed a place in the Cambridgeshire with our NAP but most of the rest of our selections ran poorly. We have G1 action this weekend at HQ, Dave Stevos 2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday tips are below.
1.15 Ascot – October Stakes (Listed)
There’ll be cut in the ground at Ascot on Saturday. That will suit some of these fillies better than others. The current market leader Bright Thunder will relish softer conditions but so will last year’s winner Sunfall and it looks like she’s been aimed at the race again.
She ran a modest race in an Epsom Group 3 (8.5f, good) in June on her seasonal return, her first start for David O’Meara. After a 99 day break she made her return in a Doncaster G3 (7f, soft) and while she finished ninth, she was only 5l behind the winner (and Bright Thunder in second) and she was ridden with restraint.
When winning this last year she was ridden forward and I fully expect Charlie Bishop to be more positive on her than David Nolan was last time. She should strip fitter for that last run too and I can see her getting a whole lot closer to Bright Thunder now. At odds of 18/1, back Sunfall e/w.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Sunfall e/w @ 18/1 (4 places) NB
1.30 Newmarket – Premier Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2)
The ground eased to good from good to firm at Newmarket on Friday. There might be a bit of soft in it by the time of racing tomorrow but it is unlikely to be too testing. If there is no soft in the description, the former C&D winner Mrs Twig should go well but her form on good to soft or slower is poor.
I mentioned when tipping up Mustazeed two weeks ago that I was tempted by Our Golden One in that contest. Thankfully, we made the right decision and backed the correct horse but Our Golden One shaped well before tiring late on and given that it was her first run for 52 days, she could come on for it.
The handicapper dropped her another 3lb for that effort to 87 and while she is still 8lb above her last win, she has placed off 93 this season so she is capable of being competitive off this mark and the more the ground eases, the better. At odds of 20/1, Our Golden One is the each way selection.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Our Golden One e/w @ 20/1
1.50 Ascot – Rous Stakes (Listed)
I am going to take a punt on one at a huge price here and it is a filly we have backed before. With a rating of 84, Pearl Of Windsor has no chance on paper in this listed heat. However, I firmly believe she is capable of running to at least a stone better than that if she puts it all together, just like she did when running a cracker behind Town And Country in the Scurry at Sandown in June.
All five of her runs this season have come on good or quicker but she ran okay on good to soft on debut on the July course here over 6f and when she ran on soft at York last year she could never get involved after getting a bump soon after the start.
Her half-brother Raasel and her half-sister Lullaby Bay both won on soft so I am hoping that she will cope fine with the underfoot conditions. If Pearl Of Windsor can reproduce her Scurry form, she is capable of outrunning her monstrous odds of 80/1.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Pearl of Windsor e/w @ 80/1 (4 places)
2.05 Newmarket – October Auction Stakes (Class 2)
My record in these races is absolutely dire and I have finally come to the conclusion that I am simply not cut out for these big sales races. An easy one to swerve. No bet.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: No bet
2.40 Newmarket – Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1)
I fancied Atsila to run a massive race in the Irish 1000 Guineas after she beat Cercene on her previous start but she failed to fire. After two more below par runs in G1s here on the July course and at Deauville I had begun to lose faith in the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain but after a superb run in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, I’m a believer again.
She finished third that day, 1.25l behind Fallen Angel and with Cercene back in fifth. She renews rivalries with winner here and given the distance between them, I’m not sure Atsila should be 14s if Fallen Angel is a 9/4 shot, even if she is 2lb worse off.
However, Cathedral looks even more overpriced at 20s. We backed her in the Matron and she missed third by a whisker, running on strongly late in the day. Given that it was her first run since July, she might improve for it and she ran a cracker on her only previous run on the Rowley course last year. At odds of 20/1, she is narrowly preferred to Atsila.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Cathedral e/w @ 20/1
3.00 Ascot – Bengough Stakes (Group 3)
An ultra-competitive renewal. The interesting one at a big price here has to be Alfa Kellenic. This Havana Grey filly was highly progressive last year. Starting the season off a mark of 70 for Craig Lidster, she reeled off five wins in a row culminating in a smooth success in the Ayr Silver Cup off a mark of 93.
On her final start of 2024 she was sent off the 11/10 fav for a listed heat at Newmarket on soft ground and while she only finished fifth, she was poorly positioned and if ridden more prominently, she may have picked up some precious black type.
Now in the care of Ivan Furtado, she had her first run of this season in the Ayr Gold Cup two weeks ago and she never landed a blow after getting an early bump. One would have to think that run was badly needed and she ought to strip much fitter now as she bids to earn some black type.
Ivan Furtado proved he can train stakes level fillies with Just Beautiful a couple of seasons ago, hopefully Alfa Kellenic can sneak into the money for him here at odds of 25/1.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Alfa Kellenic e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
3.20 Redcar – Two Year Old Trophy (listed)
When you think of trainers that might train a 2yo listed winner on a Saturday, Grace Harris would not be the first name that springs to mind. She is represented by Exclamation here and this colt has plenty of ability.
Third in the Brocklesby on debut on good to soft and runner up in the Lily Agnes on his second start, he has come up short in two previous starts in stakes company, in the Norfolk at Ascot and last time in a Doncaster G2 when he wasn’t disgraced.
However, he didn’t get his favoured easy ground in either of those races and his three runs with soft in the description have resulted in form figures of 321. This horse has been overlooked because of who trains him and I think he is more than capable of going close here at odds of 22/1.
2025 Newmarket & Ascot Saturday Tip: Exclamation e/w @ 22/1 (4 places) NAP
3.35 Ascot – Challenge Cup Handicap (Heritage)
It is rare that I can’t find anything at a price in a race like this but unfortunately, that is the case. I was half tempted by Purosangue as he won’t mind the ground but it didn’t look as though he was crying out for this trip in the Ayr Gold Cup last time.
The trip is also a query for Hafeet Alain, who won well over 1m at Sandown last time and the ground is a worry for Jumby. Yanifer needs a career best off his revised mark after a big win at Chester last time and I am not one to put up a horse just for the sake of it. No bet.
