ITV Racing Tips: Three To Back On Terrestrial Card
Another busy Saturday awaits in the racing world and while some eyes will already be on next week's Ebor Festival at York, another northern track in Ripon has its day in the sun on Great St Wilfrid's Stakes Day. There are also ITV Racing cameras at Newbury and Newmarket and Billy Grimshaw has three worth your consideration...
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13:50 Newbury - Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Although he has in the past failed to back up big runs, it is hard to oppose AL AASY on the back of his smooth Goodwood win last time out, when he looked as good as ever, I was actually against him and sided with Relentless Voyager, who finished a length back in second but was well held by the worthy winner.
With the ground set to be in his favour I'm confident he can reverse placings with second favourite Al Qareem who he was defeated by at the end of last season on soft at Ascot. There are worries in backing Al Aasy at odds on but he could easily make this race look like a procession once more if on his A Game. It is a bit of a lukewarm tip to kick things off but I do think his true price should be something nearer 4/7 considering that performance last time out, so 4/5 will certainly do.
It'd be a surprise to see one of the two horses already mentioned not scooping this prize, but in a five runner race which could turn tactical perhaps Roberto Escobarr could attempt to steal the race from the front as he has in the past.
14:45 Ripon - William Hill Silver Trophy Handicap
In my preview of the Great St Wilfrid Stakes, which should be available to read somewhere on this page thanks to the wonders of technology, I dismissed backing Summerghand each-way at around the 6/1 mark as I could not really make a case for him winning. This piece of logic is why I am much more keen to back the favourite and course specialist FORTAMOUR here in the Silver Trophy. I think he has a right chance of glory and is almost a certainty to be in the extended places BetMGM are kindly offering.
He has tasted success at this track a grand total of six times in his career thus far and at the age of eight is showing no signs of slowing down, scooping the sixth win just twelve days ago. Ben Haslam's charge won that race with aplomb and I was pleasantly surprised to see just a 3lb rise. Obviously this is where Fortamour is happiest and so he rates a confident each-way play and I could put no one off backing him win only. I really like his chances and make him the Nap of the day.
15:00 Newbury - TPT Fire Handicap
I wasn't going to fire out a selection for this race when looking at the odds on Thursday evening, however as DOCUMENTING is now a general 50/1 and can obviously be backed at even bigger odds using BetMGM's odds boosts, I will be having a very small each-way play on the 2022 champion bouncing back and causing a turn up for the books in a race where I didn't see anything to be particularly scared of.
We have to forgive his complete bombing out at Chester last time out, when the jockey reported he lost his action, if we are to make a case for Kevin Frost's elder statesman in here. That is not an easy thing to do given that race came just twelve days ago, but we are compensated in the price and I am given further hope in the fact he reappeared earlier this season off a decent sixed break, ran a nothing race before coming out to score at Chelmsford.
This race is far tougher than that outing was but it does prove at his ripe old age he does now clearly need his first outing after a break. I'd be surprised if he were good enough to win but a place return at 50/1 would be a lovely Saturday treat and you never know, he clearly acts around here and if back to near his 2022 form off a lower mark he could wrap things up in phenomenal style for this column.