Today's Racing Tips: Seven Saturday Bets

Both of yesterday’s selections at Ascot were placed (4/1 and 40/1).

There are seven bets for today’s racing at Ascot, Newmarket and Redcar.

Newmarket Tip

13:45 – 1m2f British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2)

William Buick gets on board ACHELOIS (NAP - 1 point win bet at 6/1) for the first time and can help secure her a fourth career success. This Andrew Balding-trained filly has enjoyed a fine season so far with three wins and two thirds from her six races. With rain forecast, any easing of the ground would be in her favour and she is already proven over the ten-furlong distance. Indeed, there is plenty of stamina in her pedigree and she should relish the uphill finish. She has previous experience of the Rowley Mile (second in a seven-furlong maiden) and in terms of draw/pace, she looks well positioned in stall 8. Evident Beauty and Princess Nadia complete the shortlist. 

Ascot Tips

15:15 – 6f John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (Group 3)

DILIGENT HARRY (1 point win bet at 11/1) only made his racecourse debut at the start of this year but has quickly developed in to a very smart sprinter. Having won three of his first five races (all on the All-Weather), he made his belated turf debut in a Group 3 at Newbury last time out. He lost out to Happy Romance by just a neck that day and looks more than capable of winning at this level. He has been freshened up since his last run and is 25/1 for the Group 1 Champions Sprint Stakes back here in a few weeks. The only concern is that he is unraced on soft ground.

One that won’t mind conditions if the forecast rain does fall is LULLABY MOON (0.5 point win bet at 22/1), who will be making her first start for Joseph Tuite having recently left Ralph Beckett. She was last seen running well to finish a close fourth in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood, where she benefitted from the drop in class. Her previous two runs this season had both been at the highest level. She won Redcar’s Two-Year-Old Trophy on this day last year and followed up to win a Group 3 on heavy ground in France. She looks overpriced for this with plenty in her favour.

15:50 – 7f Equine Productions “The Fall” Challenge Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)

ARATUS (1 point win bet at 11/1) arrives here in fantastic form having won four of his five starts to date with three of those coming this year. The form of his wins looks strong and he beat Escobar at Goodwood last time out. He is highly regarded by the Clive Cox team but may not be allowed to take his chance if the ground gets too soft. 

If he is withdrawn, the race looks a good opportunity for his stablemate RIVER NYMPH (1 point win bet at 5/1), who also appears to be the pick of jockey Adam Kirby. This improving four-year-old won the 27-runner Victoria Cup over this course and distance and now drops back into a handicap for the first time since. His last two runs have resulted in respectable defeats in Group 3 and Listed company.

If there is to be an upset, it could come from the well-named OO DE LALLY (0.5 point win bet at 25/1). Andrew Balding’s representative has run in four handicaps to date and recorded impressive figures of 1211. This will, of course, be tougher but he’ll have no problem with the underfoot conditions and was strong at the finish at Goodwood when last seen.

Redcar Tips

15:35 – 6f William Hill Two Year Old Trophy (Listed)

Chipotle has had an excellent juvenile campaign and should go close. However, slight preference is for ROMAN DRAGON (1 point win bet at 12/1), who is one of four runners in the race for trainer Tom Dascombe. Beaten by just a nose on his racecourse debut, which came over today’s course and distance, he has gone on to win two races at Chester since. They came on good to firm and soft ground, so he has shown plenty of versatility. He looks to be perfectly positioned in stall 2 and this does not look a very strong renewal of the race at all.