Saturday ITV Racing Tips From York and Ascot

We ended our winner-less spell on Saturday at York. Lahore scored for us under Rowan Scott, advised at 18/1 and returned at 12s. Kim Wexler was very unlucky in running and has a nice race in her. Walkinthesand stayed on well late but not well enough to land our e/w bets. Just Hubert and Ridenza were both disappointing, as were Stormy Girl and Bernardo O’Reilly. We have another busy day in prospect tomorrow. Check out Dave Stevos’ Saturday ITV Racing tips below…

ITV Live Selections: Ascot 1.50pm – Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed)

Like most of the Juvenile races this season this is a hard one to weigh up. This 7f Listed contest has attracted a field of 10 runners and with rain forecast the ground could be on the easy side. Of those at the head of the market only one has form on soft and that is Naval Crown. Saeed Bin Suroor’s son of Dubawi shaped well on debut at Newmarket (7f) and rain won’t worry his connections.

However, at a much bigger price it might pay to take an each way chance on Summa Peto. This twice raced son of Dialed In finished 2nd in those races, the first a 4-runner heat (6f gd/fm) and last time a 2-runner (6f sft) match vs Chesham Stakes runner up March Law. In the first race he went down by half a length to International Dream who subsequently ran a cracker in 3rd in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown.

That form suggests that Summa Peto more than warrants his place in this race. He was bought by connections in Keeneland and he has a nice American pedigree. Tom Marquand will ride and he has a win and 4 top 4 finishes from just 10 rides for Keith Dalgleish. The form of the yard is a slight worry but Dalgleish had a couple go close enough at Ayr a couple of days ago. He will be very keen to get some black type for this colt and at odds of 25/1 he is the e/w pick.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Summa Peto E/W @ 25/1

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Ascot 2.25pm – International Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

A devilishly difficult handicap with 20 due to go to post. The one I’ll be taking a chance on here at a price is Cold Stare for David O’Meara and Harry Bentley. This 5yo ran a blinder on his second start of the season when beat a head over 7f at Haydock off 91. The combination of good ground and first time cheekpieces are reason enough to put a line through his last effort.

This son of Intense Focus’ last two wins came on heavy and soft. The more rain that falls the better his chance will be. He ran a cracker in a hot handicap last season here over 7f, beat just over 4L off 98 behind Kynren. He is now 5lb lower and a repeat of that form would give him a serious place shout in this race. Hopefully the rain falls and gets into the ground and if it does, Cold Stare could go well at 33/1 for e/w players.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Cold Stare E/W @ 33/1 (6 Places)

ITV Live Selections: York 2.40pm – York Stakes (Group 2)

Disappointingly for each way thieves only 7 horses go to post in the Group 2 York Stake. The ground is likely to be on the softer side at York too and that won’t be ideal for some of these. Elarqam won’t mind a drop of rain and he looks a worthy favourite. Telecaster won on good to soft last time and he too shouldn’t be inconvenienced if conditions deteriorate. The likes of King of Comedy, Regal Reality and Aspetar would all prefer quick conditions. This is not a race I have a strong opinion on and I’ll be sitting it out. No bet.  

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: No Bet

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Ascot 3.00pm – Betfred Handicap (Class 2)

A relatively small field of just 9 are scheduled to go to post for this 8f handicap. The one I like at a half decent price is Tell Me All for Prescott and Morris. This son of Lope De Vega improved on his seasonal comeback (10f) when dropped back to 8f last time at Windsor. He was a length behind Overwrite off 89 and he is only 1lb higher now.

His form figures at a mile read 12 and he has form on good to soft so once conditions don’t turn too soft he should be fine. Sir Mark Prescott has his horses in serious form, sending out 6 winners from his last 16 runners. Luke Morris rode every one of those winners so his booking is obviously a big positive. Once there is good in the ground description Tell Me All is capable of going close at odds of 11/1.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Tell Me All E/W @ 11/1 NB

ITV Live Selections: York 3.15pm – Sky Bet Club Handicap (Class 2)

Another pretty small field for this 8f handicap with 9 due to line up in the stalls. The one that looks slightly overpriced here at 15/2 is Tadleel. Trained by Richard Fahey, this horse was beat 2L into 3rd by Orbaan here last time over C&D. He is 2lb higher for the rematch but he is 2lb better off with the winner of that race so he should be able to get even closer today.

This son of Dark Angel won’t mind if the rain arrives as that last run came on good to soft. He has also won on better ground so if it remains dry he won’t be too worried either. He is only 1lb above his highest winning mark on the all weather and just 3lb higher than the mark of which he won at Newcastle in June. Fahey’s horses are running very well and at odds of 15/2 Tadleel looks worth chancing each way.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Tadleel e/w @ 15/2

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Ascot 3.35pm – King George VI Stakes (Group 1)

A dire turn out of just four horses for the big race of the day, probably due to the massively cut prize money. Enable is the headline act here and she bids to regain the winning thread after successive second placings. She faces just 3 rivals, all trained by Aidan O’Brien. The Ballydoyle trio will do everything they can to try and get Enable beat, but it looks a tall order.

She gets a 3lb mares’ allowance and is the highest rated in the field by some distance. Sovereign will likely take them along and try to set it up for one of his stablemates. However, Enable won’t mind strongly run race either so perhaps the Irish challengers will set a muddling pace and try to turn it into a sprint in the final couple of furlongs. However, if Enable is at her brilliant best it is hard to see them toppling her. I won’t be having a bet but I hope she does the business.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: No Bet

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: York 3.50pm – Sky Bet Handicap (Class 4)

A field of 14 go to post for this 6f contest and you could make a case for plenty. If the ground eases I think Ugo Gregory looks feasibly handicapped for Tim Easterby and Tom Eaves. Easterby runs two here and stable jockey David Allan prefers Autumn Flight. He has a chance too on easy ground but he remains 8lb above his last winning mark.

Ugo Gregory, on the other hand, is just 2lb above the mark off which he won by 1.25L off at Nottingham last August. That win came on good to soft and his other career win came on soft. He ran respectably on both starts so far this season, finishing 3rd at Ripon and 4th at Hamilton. The handicapper dropped him to 66 after those two decent efforts. If the first time blinkers eke out a bit more improvement Ugo Gregory could reward e/w support at odds of 12/1.

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Ugo Gregory e/w @ 12/1 (4 Places)

ITV Tips: Ascot 4.10pm – Betfred Handicap (Class 3)

A field of a dozen horses will line up in the stalls for this 12f class 3 handicap. One with strong course and distance form who looks well overpriced is Western Duke. Trained by Ian Williams, this horse has struggled since winning here off 83 last season. A poor run at York was followed by two moderate runs over 16f at Kempton. His seasonal return was poor too at Wolves, this time over 14f.

The handicapper has now dropped him to 84, just 1lb higher than he was for his win last season. Western Duke has had two runs at Ascot over 12f, that win off 83 and a place off 91. He handles ground ranging from good to soft to good to firm so the weather won’t be a worry to him. Hopefully the return to 12f and Ascot sparks him back to form. At odds of 16/1 it is worth chancing that it does and Western Duke is the e/w NAP of the day.  

Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Western Duke e/w @ 16/1 NAP (4 places)