ITV Racing Tips: Three To Back On A Busy Saturday
If your idea of a dream Saturday is sitting on the sofa, watching high quality flat racing from around Britain and Ireland on television... You can't ask for much more than what this Saturday has to offer! There is action from a host of tracks and the ITV cameras are at Goodwood, Haydock, York and the Curragh over in Ireland. Billy Grimshaw has sifted through the multitude of runners and riders and provides us with his best bets...
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13:15 Haydock - Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap
There is little question the ground will be testing at Haydock come Saturday afternoon, the only question is how deep will it be. Judging the course on its past record, we can probably take an educated guess that you are going to want a mudlark onside in most races up in the North West.
With that in mind I've gone with one with soft ground form in the feature race after this the Temple Stakes - read my full race preview here - and will be sticking with a horse who is proven on heavy in this opening race, CANDONOMORE. He is a big brute of a horse for one running on the flat and it is no surprise he did not truly excel as a juvenile, despite running an okay race on each of his three starts.
This season promised much more and he kicked off in perfect fashion over this course a month ago on heavy ground, winning a mile maiden race. He did that with relative ease on heavy and with the ground perhaps at its worst earlier in the day - there are differing views on that depending on your forecaster of choice - he could well relish things again here. Tim Easterby's charge is certainly an attractive each-way price but I'll take him win only here in a field with only a few other soft ground performers. The big danger looks to be market mover Blue Lemons, who has been smashed up all week on account of his soft form.
14:05 Goodwood - William Hill Height Of Fashion Stakes
Down the country we go for Goodwood for the next tip and I'm sweet on the chances of FRANCOPHONE on the back of her excellent second in the Musidora Stakes last time out at York. None of the runners in here hold Oaks entries and it is a race where the also rans will be hunting easy prize money, but still on paper I'd say Francophone's York second is far and away the best piece of form on offer.
She was never really going to trouble the impressive winner Secret Satire that day, however she did well to hold off other challengers who were coming late for second place. Charlie Johnston's runners are known to come on as the season progresses and after she kicked things off in fine style to win at Southwell before her Musidora effort, I'm confident there is more to come from this daughter of Study Of Man.
In opposition there are claims to be made for both Gosden runners in Beeley and Regal Jubilee, particularly the latter named who was outclassed in the Guineas last time out but should find things easier back in calmer waters. Nevertheless, Francophone looks the standout bet to me and is probably my Nap of the day.
15:20 York - William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies' Stakes
Wrapping the coverage up on this side of the Irish Sea is the Group 3 Bronte Cup for fillies and while the claims of favourite River Of Stars are obvious, I was very taken with Cracksman filly SAFETY CATCH last season for William Haggas and am keen to keep her onside on her seasonal bow as a four year old here.
One of the most trotted out cliches in racing is that this trainer loves a winner at York, but it's so often repeated as it rings true, On pedigree this horse should kick on immensely kept in training as a four year old and she is very lightly raced, with her latest Lingfield win in November coming on just her fourth start. There are more experienced rivals in here and perhaps one will prove too streetwise for Safety Catch on her first run in a while, but the impression she made at Lingfield made me determined to back her next time out.
I expected her to have a softer introduction to racing this campaign but I'm taking her entry in here as a sign of confidence from the team in her ability and will back her each-way to complete a busy Saturday's staking plan. Be lucky and as always when the racing is as busy as this, gamble responsibly.
