ITV Racing Tips: Three Expert Selections on Saturday 5th October 2024

As ever Saturday looks busy on ITV Racing with Ascot, Newmarket and Redcar hosting action will be broadcast live on terrestrial television. Billy Grimshaw has scoured the cards and has three he thinks are worth chancing for a hopefully profitable afternoon...

13:50 Ascot - BetMGM Rous Stakes

Kicking off Ascot's ITV Racing showing is this five furlong dash, although at Ascot we know sometimes these sprints can be more of a war of attrition given the stiff finish and that will be even more apparent on Saturday with the ground likely to be soft at worst. It could yet remain heavy although I am going to give the forecasters the benefit of the doubt and assume Saturday's card will be run on soft, which will certainly be a massive hindrance for plenty in this field who are markedly better horses with good in the going description.

Relief Rally is not one of those who will be discouraged by the mud as she ran well enough last time out on heavy at Newbury, but that loss meant she is now three runs zero wins as a three year old and William Haggas' downbeat reports about her even when she was a juvenile star still ring in the ears. I couldn't have her on my mind at the prices and think there must be potential she drifts out from the 11/8 widely available. Beautiful Diamond is a filly I've been with a few times this season and she also won't mind a bit of soft in the going description. She was certainly on the shortlist for man in form Karl Burke after her gutsy placed effort in the Flying Five (G1) last time out dropping into G3 company, but I'm going to chance Robert Cowell's DEMOCRACY DILEMMA to give them all weight and a beating.

Eyebrows may well be raised at this as on the face of things he weakened out of the race at Newbury last time out where Relief Rally was second, however if given the chance I'm confident Rossa Ryan would like that ride again as he attempted to blast off too hard with his Beverley Bullet winning partner and paid the price late on. Cowell's charge enjoys front running but if his rider can keep a lid on him a while longer here before reaching for the turbo, he should be seen to better effect and I'm not worried about soft in the going description. Beverley was a stiff finish and he held on there so hopefully he does the same at Ascot!

15:00 Ascot - John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes

Perhaps the theme of this week's article is forgiveness considering I'm rowing in behind Democracy Dilemma once again after him breaking my heart on more than one occasion. He's not in the league of ENGLISH OAK for disappointing me and my bank balance, however, but I can't resist jumping off the cliff just once more backa t the scene of Ed Walker's charge's greatest day thus far.

Whatever has happened next is of course a concern, but his Buckingham Palace Stakes win at the Royal Meeting here was fiendishly impressive and while it would be disingenuous to blame James Doyle for any of his three losses since with that pilot - who was on board at Royal Ascot also - I do love the booking of Jamie Spencer for what is clearly a talented but tricky customer.

I do actually think my selection will take a drift in the market because I see hat trick hunting Jarraaf being piled into for Owen Burrows and Saffie Osborne. The three year old colt is clearly thriving and receiving weight in here will do him no harm, and with two C&D wins to his name it is an obvious one for punters to support here. He rates the main danger, unsurprisingly looking at the market, although William Haggas's Wiltshire is another I think could make a splash in here considering his lightly raced profile and the way he enjoyed soft at Haydock last time out.

15:20 Redcar - William Hill Two Year Old Trophy

A moment in the sun for Redcar on Saturday as their listed two year old trophy is broadcast live on ITV. It looks fiendishly difficult to solve as the ground is almost certainly going to be testing and there could be any number in here who either excel or regress due to the going and we are none the wiser as they are so inexperienced. With that in mind I went hunting for one with proven form on soft at a price and while there is a potential pace rival in Candy - who also has soft form and could be overpriced at 40s - I am siding with Archie Watson's GLITTERATI to do the business.

Watson is renowned for his phenomenal work with his juveniles and I'm curious to see what improvement he can get out of this Windsor winner with the first time cheekpieces. He ran just over a fortnight ago and probably put in a career best for second behind what looked a smart winner, so he is clearly in rude health and if the cheekpieces are a hint they are going to try and really blitz this field he has to be a good each-way poke.

There are dangers aplenty and we have no clue which side of the draw will be favoured, although Redcar is usually a fair enough track. Candy and Glitterati are in 4 & 5 respectively so perhaps low will be the way to go and something will be able to run them down, but I'm happy enough with Watson's raider at 16/1 with extra places available and he'll do to hopefully wrap up the column in the best way.