ITV Racing Tips: Saturday 28th September Selections From Newmarket, Haydock and The Curragh
Another Saturday is upon us and as always, there's a packed card of action scheduled to be shown on ITV Racing. There is a Group 2 from the Curragh thrown in with the races at Newmarket and Haydock and Billy Grimshaw has picked out three worth backing...
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13:30 Haydock - Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap
I'm located up in the North West just a few miles from Haydock and it has been wet wet wet this week. The track is notorious for heavy ground and while as I type on Friday the sun is shining, there is more rain forecast before racing begins tomorrow and I'd be amazed if this race didn't begin on soft at best. With that in mind my eye is drawn to Irish raider EARLS for a trainer who is already having a wonderful week after Flooring Porter romped to the Kerry National, Gavin Cromwell.
This horse won a heavy ground handicap here earlier in the season and looks to be one of the most likely shorteners in the market. Back in April he went off 11/4 favourite having opened up at 4/1 and I'd not be surprised to see him head the market come race time. That run is the piece of form I'm honing in on as the way he sliced through the mud and the field that day screamed of a horse who adores sloppy ground, and since then he has been outpaced most of the time on good ground.
His biggest danger in my book is another mudlark in Rhoscolyn, who won on soft at Goodwood earlier this week. David O'Meara's runner would probably have been my tip truth be told as he has proven again and again how classy he is when soft is in the description, but the five pound penalty he has to burden here will not help and I think Earls can add to his fine Haydock record to continue Cromwell's cracker of a week.
14:25 Newmarket - Cheveley Park Stakes
Arguably the highlight of Newmarket's card for those who like the classier races is this Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes for fillies, and I'm fairly keen on French raider DAYLIGHT. Her form does not quite stack up on paper compared to favourite Babouche if we use Whistlejacket as a yard stick, given that Babouche beat that Coolmore star and Daylight could only manage third behind him last time out.
Races, as we know, are not run on paper however and watching back Daylight's run behind Whistlejacket over at Deauville it is clear she was badly positioned and was the clear second best horse in the race. She was held up before coming to the furlong pole full of running and failing to find a gap. Another feather in her cap is that she is proven on a soft surface, which is a rarity in this field. Lake Victoria is of course dangerous for Ballydoyle, but the pricing looks wrong here and the French raider is being disrespected.
His father Earthlight came over from France to scoop the Middle Park prize on this race day back in 2019 and this family love affair with the race can continue in 2024. providing Daylight does not once again hit traffic problems. That should not be an issue in here with the smaller field and likelihood a few will fade away given the soft ground at HQ. Of course she has to travel well which is a risk, but she's looked straightforward enough and this Group 3 winner can be competitive in this Group 1.
14:35 Curragh - Beresford Stakes
At this time of year one can look pretty foolish assuming that Ireland will avoid rain even if forecasters tell you it is going to stay dry, but hopefully the Curragh can keep the ground at the good it currently is for their Saturday card. The Beresford Stakes is the highlight and kudos to ITV for managing to sneak the race into their coverage on Saturday afternoon as it should be a smashing race.
Aidan O'Brien had this race in a chokehold until recently, winning six in a row before losing out in the last two despite having the favourites. Depending on where you look, at the time of writing, O'Brien's Trinity College is either favourite or second favourite but I'd prefer his stablemate Lambourn if forced into a match bet between the pair. Both Ballydoyle runners wear blinkers (first time for Lambourn) and I think they could bring out some more improvement in him to take him past the ability Trinity College has shown thus far.,Neither look as good as HOTAZHELL to me however and he'll be carrying my cash.
Hopefully when punters start to notice O'Brien's record in the race Jessica Harrington's charge will drift further but even if his price of 5/2 contracts to near the 2/1 mark, I think that's fair enough on all known form. His run behind Henri Matisse is the best form in here and that Ballydoyle runner is comfortably clear of his stablemates in the pecking order one suspects, so with Hotazhell not favourite in some places he is the no brainer pick.