ITV Racing Tips: Selections For Saturday 30th May

After the chaos at Haydock last weekend, racing there this Saturday was pre-emptively cancelled and as such ITV Racing have had to look elsewhere for their Saturday offering. The cameras will be broadcasting from Carlisle, Beverley and Chester instead and Billy Grimshaw is on hand with his best bets across the cards...

14:33 Carlisle - Achilles Stakes

The price has been well and truly hammered in already, but I can see the current 3/1 available as I pen this piece looking juicy compared to SP about REDORANGE on his first foray into Listed company. Clive Cox's charge was backed like defeat was out of the question at Windsor last time out, returning 11/8 and never giving his backers a moment's worry off a mark of 100. This looks a sprinter going places and this rearranged Listed contest up in the north east looks tailormade for him. The draw in five is perfect for one who likes to track the pace as William Buick can take his time and decide where he wants his charge to be on the track depending on how quickly some of his rivals go early, so with the most likely pacesetters being Ten Pounds in three and Luna A Inbhir Nis in eight he will be in control.

Starlust's fourth in last year's King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot is the best form on offer here, but that was the last time we saw Ralph Beckett's runner and one suspects this will very much be a cobweb blower to focus on going a few places better back at the Royal Meeting in 2026. Were he cherry ripe for this he'd be the chief threat, but I actually think the aforementioned Ten Pounds is the one to worry about for our pick with first time cheekpieces applied and a return to shorter trips. He is not short of pace and if he gets a bit of a lead could be tough to peg back.

Nevertheless, I trust Buick to do the right thing on board the horse in red hot form and hopefully he is in the prime position for a late thrust to win this Listed contest on his path to bigger and better things in the sprinting world.

15:30 Chester - Virgin Bet Handicap

Just one race from Chester is set to be broadcast by ITV and it is this 7f handicap which has attracted a decent field. With that being said, I am struggling to get away from the claims of favourite SUPIDO for Ian Williams and Billy Loughnane. The young jockey had a whale of a time here recently at the May Meeting, including winning onboard this lad and can continue that winning thread onboard this last time out course and distance winner. 

He has four pounds more to carry this time around but was value for further than the winning distance of half a length to my eye, with Loughnane waiting in behind the leading pack for the gap to appear at the cutaway. The gap actually appeared a fraction sooner than I'd wager the jockey anticipated but he had to take it when it was there, and once his mount got through and into the lead he was always doing enough to hold off the closers thrusting on the outside.

There is of course danger in that some would say Supido did not look too straightforward, idling in front and nearly throwing the race away. He could also meet traffic if employing the same tactics as I assume he will use again. However, he had some fantastic form last season and although the rise in the weights could make things tougher, he is still well handicapped on his peak 2025 form and could come on markedly for that reappearance win here just a few weeks ago. He is my Saturday NAP.