ITV Racing Tips: Flat Fancies On Saturday

It's a stacked ITV Racing card on Saturday with the Cheltenham races covered as well as a few from Newbury and Doncaster. After covering Cheltenham in its own piece, Billy Grimshaw has a couple he likes on the flat on the terrestrial card...

14:05 Doncaster - Join Century Racing Club Today Handicap

It's safe to say VINTAGE CLARETS is in the form of his life right now for Richard Fahey and after finishing third in last year's renewal of this contest when nowhere near as hot, I'm chancing him to go a couple of places better in 2024. In that race last season it was Aberama Gold who took the prize, however that horse - who reopposes today - is winless since whereas Vintage Clarets has bagged Curagh and Catterick five furlong handicaps in the mud as well as a smashing second at Ascot when the ground was also soft. He's off the same mark as he was in 2023 and a bold bid looks likely from Oisin Orr's mount.

Favourite Blue Storm deserves respect, with his season already littered with highlights including the three year old dash at Epsom as well as a heavy ground win at Haydock last time out. The ground that day was properly bottomless so any soft in the description here will be no issue for him, but what could be an issue is a five pound rise in the weights. If he wins this off this mark the hats off to him, but at 5/1 I can leave him for Vintage Clarets with such obvious claims. 

15:10 Newbury - BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes

There are plenty in here with proven form on soft and heavy, with Yaroogh arguably the standout for William Haggas following his Longchamp success on heavy just a fortniht ago. That's probably the standout bit of seven furlong form in this contest, however a horse who is yet to try this trip is the one I'm siding with in BOB MALI. Ollie Sangster's charge is three from three so far in his career after scooping a six furlong event at Salisbury last time out and on his win before that he dotted up in heavy conditions.

Obviously we are taking a risk with the horse now asked to go a further furlong than he has before, however he is one who always looks to hit the line hard and I'd be surprised if it was stamina that put paid to his chances here considering breeding and what we've seen on the track from him. I'd have him in second favourite so any quotes around 7/1 which is all around the marketplace at the time of writing should be snaffled.