ITV Racing Tips: Best Bets for Ayr and Newbury on Saturday

The cameras are split between Ayr and Newbury on Saturday afternoon, with a cracking mix of top-class sprints, tricky handicaps, and Group-race action to keep punters glued to their screens. From the cavalry charges of the Ayr Gold Cup to the juvenile promise of the Mill Reef Stakes, ITV brings viewers a slate stacked with intrigue and betting opportunities. Billy Grimshaw has scoured the televised races, weighing up the trends, form, and potential angles, and he has whittled the card down to two confident selections. His pair represent value in competitive company, and he makes a strong case for both.

14:25 Ayr - Ayr Silver Cup

The Silver Cup at Ayr is always a white-knuckle six furlongs and this year’s edition looks as deep as ever. I’m respecting the market with Binhareer, who shaped like a proper big-field sprinter last time and brings the right profile for this. Nariko is a serious player too after his Scottish Stewards’ Cup success, while Far Above Dream arrives thriving and looks the sort who’ll love a strong pace on easy ground. Old warriors like Aberama Gold and the relentlessly honest Silky Wilkie add grit and context to the form, and I can see a cluster of pace angles ensuring we get a genuine test.

I’ve gone back and watched Binhareer’s recent runs and the thing that keeps jumping out is how smoothly he travels before hitting top gear late. He’s still learning, but the engine is there, and these Ayr handicaps reward a horse who can quicken when the race compresses. Connections know the time of day with progressive three-year-olds, and I’d rather be with an improver than one who’s shown all his cards. Nariko is tough and uncomplicated, and Far Above Dream looked rampant when the mud flew, but I’m banking on a classier turn of foot if they bunch up.

Tactically, I want a runner with options: sit handy if they crawl, slot for cover if they blast. Binhareer gives me that shape, and on this ground I trust his balance and late punch to tell. The draw often gets blamed or blessed in this, but I’m more interested in where the pace sets up around him, and he’s got enough speed nearby to carry him into the right lane. With a clean passage, I think he puts this away in the final 100 yards. My selection is BINHAREER.

15:15 Newbury - Mill Reef Stakes

The Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury is a different examination altogether: precocious talent, raw speed, and the nerve to handle a rising final furlong. I make Into The Sky the one to beat back at the scene of his debut success; he looked street-wise for a newcomer and found gears when asked. Words Of Truth brings the blue-chip credentials and a likeable, professional way of going, while Rock On Thunder has the frame of a colt who will only get better with racing. Lurkers like Watcha Snoop, Rydale Frosty, and Sands Of Spain add depth and potential pace to a race that often throws up a proper horse.

What tilts me towards Into The Sky isn’t just the raw ability he showed first time; it’s the way he handled Newbury itself — travelled, changed legs, and lengthened without wandering. That tells me he’ll cope under pressure when they quicken from halfway. He’s entitled to improve for that run, he’s got natural speed, and the set-up here should be straightforward: break, get a lead, and use that finish when the others start to paddle. Words Of Truth is the obvious danger with his slick style and top-team polish, and Rock On Thunder brings substance, but I want the horse with course proof and upside.

I’m expecting a solid gallop and no hiding place, which suits my pick. If Into The Sky gets a clean tow to the two-pole, I trust his change of pace to separate him from rivals who may still be learning their trade. Juvenile Group 2s reward the colt who can execute, not just the one with the flashiest homework, and I love the way he does things. With track craft already in the bank and more to come, my vote goes to INTO THE SKY.