ITV Racing Saturday – Eight Selections From Newcastle, Newmarket & The Curragh

ITV Racing Tips on Saturday, June 25th

ITV are broadcasting eight live races on Saturday afternoon from Newcastle, Newmarket and the Curragh, including the Group 1 Irish Derby. Racing Tips have provided insight into all eight scheduled races, with a selection to follow in each. Check those out below, alongside today’s best bets – which are free to view on-site now.

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Strike Red (1:50 Newcastle)

STRIKE RED managed to get his head in front on three occasions last season for Richard Fahey and although winless in his opening four outings this term, there were definite signs last time out at Hamilton that the four-year-old was on the cusp of returning to winning ways. 

Well found in the market beforehand, Richard Fahey’s charge was one of the last runners off the bridle approaching the final two furlongs. Switched towards the outside of the field, Strike Red quickened up well inside the closing stages and was only narrowly denied on the run to the line – beaten three-quarters of a length in fourth place behind seven-time winner Snazzy Jazzy. 

With the form of that contest working out particularly well (fifth and sixth have subsequently won), Strike Red will be expected to go close from his unchanged mark of 91 this weekend. 

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Minnetonka (2:05 Newmarket)

Whilst it was difficult to know what she beat on her debut, it was certainly difficult not to have been impressed by MINNETONKA when powering clear of her seven rivals at Salisbury earlier this month over six furlongs. 

Sent off 17/2 on that occasion, Richard Hannon’s Kingman filly broke well and quickly established a lead under Pat Dobbs. Entering the final furlong, Minnetonka displayed an electric turn of foot to readily leave her rivals toiling in behind and coasted home to record a seventh length success. 

Richard Hannon won this Listed prize with System last season and it seems fairly significant that connections have decided to enter Minnetonka here. Although she does face some interesting rivals in the form of Lezoo, Malrescia and Absolutelyflawless, Minnetonka is clearly a very smart filly in the making and It would be no surprise to see her keep her unbeaten record intact on Saturday afternoon. 

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Sense Of Duty (2:25 Newcastle)

Trainer William Haggas continues in sensational form at the moment and it appears as if the Newmarket handler has another progressive three-year-old on his hands in the form of SENSE OF DUTY, who has now won three of her four starts for connections. 

Narrowly defeated on her debut at Newmarket last August, the daughter of Showcasing has not looked back since, comfortably landing maiden and novice contests at Newbury and Redcar before displaying a willing attitude to defeat a smart field at Haydock on her first start in Listed company just last month. 

The form of her latest Haydock success has also been well advertised since with the second running a mighty race to reach the frame in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the third landing a Listed prize at Salisbury recently. 

Connections may ultimately decide to step Sense Of Duty up in trip at some stage, however, she is clearly a filly heading in the right direction and is clearly improving with each start. The stiff six-furlongs at Newcastle should really play to her strengths on Saturday and William Haggas’ filly should take plenty of beating. 

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Stowell (2:40 Newmarket)

Of the five runners in here, STOWELL appeals as the most likely winner of the Listed Fred Archer Stakes. John & Thady Gosden’s four-year-old remains lightly-raced after just seven career starts and whilst the Zoffany colt has only managed to register one win so far, he certainly hinted that his turn may not be far away when producing an eye-catching effort in the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Travelling well towards the rear of the field on that occasion, Stowell came with a strong challenge towards the outside of the field approaching the final furlong and despite looking like the most likeliest winner, the four-year-old surprisingly found very little and faded out of contention over the 1m6f trip to cross the line in sixth. 

Connections have wasted little time in reverting back to twelve furlongs with him this weekend and while he is clearly a difficult horse to catch right, his recent Royal Ascot sixth was still full of promise and he’s taken to return to winning ways and get the better of Charlie Appleby’s Kemari and Rebel’s Romance. 

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Haveyoumissedme (2:55 Newcastle)

The Northumberland Vase looks fiercely competitive with several holding a chance in some shape or form. Evaluation won one of his ten starts when in the care of Sir Michael Stoute, but since switching this season to Keith Dalgleish, the Dubawi gelding is a perfect 4 from 4. Evaluation currently heads the betting but shouldering top weight in this staying handicap won’t be an easy task, and at the prices, it could pay to take him on with Ian Jardine’s HAVEYOUMISSEDME. 

The four-year-old progressed markedly last season for connections and whilst he hasn’t been able to get his head in front so far this year, Haveyoumissedme has produced some noticeable efforts in defeat this term.

After shaping very much in need of the run on his return at Wolverhampton back in April, connections decided to pitch the four-year-old into Class 2 company for the first time when contesting the Chester Plate on his penultimate start. Fifth on that occasion, Haveyoumissedme certainly caught the eye in defeat and was only three lengths behind the eventual well-backed winner Bellatrixsa over the extended 2m2f trip.

Beaten just under two lengths at Haydock when last seen over two miles, Ian Jardine’s charge certainly is capable of landing a decent staying contest from his mark of 84 and considering the four-year-old has course form figures of 5-2-4-1, it would be no surprise to see Haveyoumissedme outrun his odds and return to winning ways at Newcastle. 

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Laneqash (3:15 Newmarket)

Although he clearly runs some of his best races when fresh, connections will expect LANEQASH to take a sizeable step forward following his recent second in the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes following a 246-day layoff. Roger Varian’s charge finished ahead of Sunray Major on that occasion but ultimately failed to reel in Charlie Hills’ Pogo and was denied by just a nose at the line. 

Prior to his seasonal comeback, Roger Varian’s charge had performed well during his 3yo campaign despite failing to get his head in front in either of his three starts. Second to William Haggas’ progressive filly Sacred in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes on last year’s reappearance, Laneqash went on to finish a respectable third at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting in the Park Stakes before rounding the season off again in Group 2 company with a fourth-place finish behind Benbatl at Newmarket. 

It seems significant that connections have decided to keep Laneqash in training this season as a 4yo and after just seven career starts, he remains open to plenty of improvement this term and will be expected to return to the winner’s enclosure this weekend. 

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Onesmoothoperator (3:30 Newcastle)

ONESMOOTHOPERATOR bids to provide North Yorkshire handler Brian Ellison with his first victory in the Northumberland Plate on Saturday afternoon. The four-year-old has proven to be a model of consistency on the all-weather since joining connections and has likely been targeted at Newcastle’s staying handicap for quite some time. 

Narrowly denied by a short head over course and distance three starts back, Brian Ellison’s charge returned to Newcastle on his penultimate start in April and ran a tremendous race when contesting a valuable conditions event. Ultimately beaten just under two lengths in third, he only found market rivals Marshall Plan and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ progressive dual-purpose performer Earlofthecotswolds too strong on that occasion. 

Far from disgraced on his first turf start in Listed company at York when last seen earlier this month, Onesmoothoperator should find this weekend’s contest much more suitable as he reverts back to handicap company. With course form figures of 1-3-2-2-2-3, Brian Ellison’s charge deserves his place towards the top of the betting and he ought to be going close in this contest now returning to the all-weather surface. 

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Lionel (3:45 Curragh)

Retired Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight provided trainer David Menuisier with several memorable moments last season including when taking the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The trainer will be confident another stable star can shine this weekend as LIONEL tackles his biggest test to date in the Group 1 Irish Derby. 

The son of Lope De Vega has progressed with each of his three starts so far and after catching the eye in defeat on his first two outings at Newbury in competitive novice and maiden contests, Lionel got off the mark at the third time of asking with a strong staying performance on soft ground in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes over eleven furlongs at Goodwood last month. 

With plenty of stamina influences in his pedigree, Lionel should relish the step up in trip this weekend and with the forecast rain very much in his favour, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lionel go close in this Group 1 contest on just his fourth racecourse outing.