ITV Racing Tips: Hold judgement on Ruling Court

The ITV Racing team will be covering action from Sandown and Haydock on Saturday afternoon with seven races for terrestrial viewers to savour.

The highlight is the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown (3.35), while at Haydock the bet365 Lancashire Oaks is amongst the key contests. Our racing expert has picked out three runners worth following on Saturday's ITV Racing offering.

Tip 1: Blue Bolt (Sandown 3.00) @ 7/4

Colin Keane's association with Juddmonte as retained rider got off to the perfect start last month as BLUE BOLT defied a penalty to win a Newbury novice over a mile on good ground in clear-cut fashion.

The Andrew Balding-trained daughter of Blue Point is now 2-2 on turf and she was much the best on that afternoon, adding to her wide-margin Windsor win in May on fast ground.

She cost a chunky €400,000 and it is no shock that connections have now opted for a Listed target. There should be more to come and this progressive filly is fancied to maintain her perfect record on grass.

Tip 2: Paddy The Squire (Haydock 3.15) @ 10/1

The Old Newton Cup at Haydock will be one of the livelier betting heats of the afternoon. The in-form trio of Chillingham (Ed Bethell), Sir Lowry's Pass (Ed Walker) and City Of Delight (David Menuisier) are all solid contenders but PADDY THE SQUIRE fits the bill nicely for Iain Jardine as the Scottish handler ventures south.

The Golden Horn gelding is a two-time winner from 12 starts on grass and has made the frame on six more occasions, showing his reliability.

He enjoyed a winning seasonal return at Chester (1m2½f, good) in May, overcoming some trouble on the Roodee to get up and score.

He went to York last month for a valuable Class 2 event and finished third from a 4lb higher mark, catching the eye as he ran on strongly late in the piece.

He's off the same mark of 85 here and his only previous attempt at this trip saw him finishing second in the Silver Bell Handicap at Hamilton in 2023 off this rating. In his current mood he is well worth supporting at a trip over which he remains unexposed.

Tip 3: Ruling Court (Sandown 3.35) @ 9/1

Ombudsman, winner of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, is clear favourite for John & Thady Gosden heading into the Eclipse at Sandown but he will have plenty to think about.

He got a fast pace to aim at last time and won well despite meeting trouble. Now he has to give 10lb to some highly promising three-year-olds as the generations clash.

RULING COURT won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and was being primed for the Derby at Epsom before softening ground saw him ruled out at the 11th hour.

He went to Royal Ascot and got a bit warm before the St James's Palace Stakes, a contest in which he was niggled along by half way. Trained for a mile-and-a-half, he found the pace unsettling at a mile and met traffic off the final bend that ensured he had no chance of winning.

It's too soon to write him off and given that the last four Eclipse winners were aged three, and seven of the last 10, he looks a generous price to bounce back for Charlie Appleby and William Buick with the step up to 1m2f seemingly in his favour.