ITV Racing Tips: Expert Selections For Newmarket & York On Saturday

Although the jumps made a welcome return to ITV coverage on Friday, it's back to the flat on Saturday with a stacked Newmarket card and some soft ground York contests sprinkled in. Billy Grimshaw has sifted through the cards and has a trio of tips worth consideration...

13:15 Newmarket - Darley Stakes

This is a funny time of year with a lot of horses now over the top after long hard seasons on the flat, however I am willing to risk that LEAD ARTIST is still fit and firing because if he runs to form, I think he's the one to beat in here. He's long to me looked a horse who'd appreciate a step up in trip and that is exactly what he gets here after a fine effort in defeat when chasing home Kinross last time out at Doncaster.

That horse is as safe a yard stick as one could care to wish for and with no Kinross here or anything like his quality, Lead Artist should take plenty of whacking. He drops in grade and although Liberty Lane did look a group horse in a handicap last time out in the Cambridgeshire over this course and distance, it is always wise for those to wait for those horses who look Group class to actually prove they are in that standard of race.

Ancient Rome is a horse I've had plenty of time for this season and I'm more than willing to forgive him his Kentucky flop last time out. Jamie Spencer will no doubt ride him cold and hope to pick them all up late but for all I rate him the main danger, I can't see him getting past the favourite Lead Artist.

14:05 York - Coral "Daily Rewards Shaker" Handicap

City Streak and Paddy The Squire were both behind my pick STRESSFREE at Chester on the winner's penultimate start and while both have a weight swing with my pick and will tempt some at much bigger prices, I'm convinced Stressfree is much the best of that trio and deserves supporting to go in again here. His run style means you never get an easy time of things watching him when you're monies down, with the horse liable to take a bit of cajoling into the race. Nevertheless, once he realises he is in a contest he is a brilliant grinder and I think in time his defeat last time out at Leicester to Galyx, who got the lead early and wasn't for passing, will prove useful.

Behind both that day and well held was another horse I rate highly in Lord Melbourne and I certainly think that was a warm race for a track like Leicester. The ground is probably going to be still on the softer side up at York come Saturday despite a dry Friday, but that won't harm Stressfree's chances as his Chester win came with give underfoot.

There are chances aplenty in this race and the one I fear most is probably Bolster for Karl Burke, despite the burden of top weight. He is proven on both soft and heavy (in case York gets yet more rain) and got very close indeed to winning off this mark when the mud was flying a few weeks ago at Newbury.

14:25 Newmarket - Autumn Stakes

This six runner affair doesn't exactly set me alight truth be told, however I know I'll ruin my own Saturday if I don't keep the faith with WOLF OF BADENOCH after cursing him for his no-show last time out. To say he had an excuse would be an understatement as his latest outing was in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster when the favourite that day had an incident in the stalls and was subsequently withdrawn, causing long delays.

Wolf Of Badenoch seems a bit of a thinker and I'm willing - at the prices here - to forgive him that flop on the grounds that he probably lost all chance faffing about at the start line. His run before that when second at Glorious Goodwood was pretty impressive in my book and while the winner that day hasn't exactly franked the form in coming fourth in a Curragh Group 1 next time out, it was a solid enough effort considering the level of the race.

Wolf Of Badenoch has just one run on good to soft and that was his debut win so obviously he'll handle the bit of give in the surface and although there are sexier horses in here, namely Delacroix for O'Brien and Moore, I do still like Hugo Palmer's charge as a long term project and will have a small win only play on him.