ITV Racing Tips: Trio Of Saturday Selections

It was a decent Saturday on the tipping front for Billy Grimshaw last weekend with two decent priced places and a confident Nap winner, and he will look to maintain the form heading into Royal Ascot this Saturday. He has a trio of tips spread across Chester, Sandown and York to get stuck into...

13:50 York

This is a rough start for punters to the ITV Racing action but we do at least get extra places for our each-way bets with whichever bookmaker you choose to bet with, At least at York, there is not normally a draw bias for us to navigate so we can assess the whole field on their merits, although it is noteworthy that the majority of the pace seems to be drawn low to middle. In stall two you'll find my fancy PALMAR BAY and with William Buick on board I think there's a good chance he is an all the way winner on the Knavesmire to kick off a busy Saturday.

Last time out the money was spot on as he won with relative ease at Chelmsford and while a mark of 90 doesn't look particularly lenient, I am confident everything should suit here at York for Ralph Beckett's charge and expect to see him bang there in the mix come the final strides. He likes a battle and I think the team have discovered he is one of those goldilocks horses who is fussy at a mile (too far) or six furlongs (not far enough) but loves it at seven. 

The major danger I see in the field is not actually the favourite but course specialist Blue For You for David O'Meara, who seems to only really perform here these days and likes to come with a rattling late run to pick up the pieces, which could be doable here if the pacesetters go too hard. As I said earlier though, I like Palmar Bay in a battle so he'll do to kick us off as an each-way pick.

14:05 Sandown

I must be a glutton for punishment as my next pick is in another tricky looking race, but that's often where the value lies so let's press on with the first televised race to be shown from Sandown on Scurry Stakes day. It's fair to say THEORYOFEVERYTHING after his debut back in his days at the Gosden yard was expected to go on and dine at the very top tables in racing, but as is often the case with this type of horse that promise went unfulfilled in his races afterwards and it caused no great ripples across racing media when he was switched to David O'Meara.

I am hopeful Sandown gets a nice lashing of rain today (Friday) as it's currently good to firm which would put Theoryofeverything's participation in doubt looking at his record, but on the back of a luckless fourth at Haydock on reappearance I noted him down as one to back next time out and there's nothing in here to put me off. It is also his second run back after wind surgery and while there was nothing wrong with his Haydock outing as his first of the season, it's fair to say improvement is expected.

It's hardly original when backing the second favourite to say the market leader rates the main danger, but that is the way I see this race as Classic at 4/1 doesn't look awful value either. There'll be some who dutch the pair, and that's fair enough considering Richard Hannon's charge arguably should've won this race last year before meeting traffic and flying home for second, and I always up the chances of any horse ridden by the best in the world Ryan Moore. Nevertheless, it's Theoryofeverything for me to hopefully start Sandown off right.

15:20 Chester

There's yet another competitive affair set to be broadcast on ITV from Chester this Saturday as the sole representative race at the course, and although over seven furlongs the draw bias is not quite as brutal as over five and six I am still keen to be with a horse drawn low. My pick is the favourite JOUNCY with Hollie Doyle in the plate for Andrew Balding, who has an excellent record at Chester, as I think there's a lot to like about this one's profile stepping up in distance following a solid but unspectacular fifth in a listed race over six last time out. 

That day he was just done for a bit of speed but with an extra furlong here, admittedly at a tight track in Chester, I think he can be much more effective and I love the fact he is drawn next to the almost certain pace setter Tattie Bogle. That horse can only go one way. like the clappers, and so Jouncy's confirmed stamina will be brought into play.

The same could also be said for Star Anthem who is drawn in four on the other side of our pick Jouncy, but I favour Andrew Balding's Wootton Bassett gelding in that clash and think any 4/1 and 7/2 is decent value. He's one I could see going off nearer 5/2 on the day.