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    ITV Racing Tips – Our Tips For All Eight ITV Races On Saturday

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    Robert Plumbridge
    September 23, 2022

    We’re in for a cracking day of racing on Saturday, and the ITV cameras are on hand to show the pick of the action. They’re showing a total of eight races from Newmarket, the Curragh and Haydock, including four Group races across the cards.

    We talk you through our selections for each race in the afternoon, including our tips for the two Group 1’s at Newmarket – the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. Check those out below, alongside today’s best bets – which are free to view on-site now.

    *Odds Correct at time of posting – 12:40pm Friday 23rd September*

    Adelaide River (1.35 Curragh) – 7/2

    The Beresford Stakes has been dominated by A P O’Brien, with him winning a whopping 21 of the last 26 renewals, including the most recent 11 in a row! He has two in here but it’s hard to get away from ADELAIDE RIVER. 

    Having won comfortably on debut at Dundalk, he was pitched into a Group 3 at Longchamp and only went down by a neck to the more experienced Kubrick. He was clear of the third-placed Pivotal Trigger (who is also in here) and there’s no reason for that form to reverse, especially considering the trainer’s fantastic record in this race. 

    Favourites have won eight of the last ten renewals, and the fact he’s an A P O’Brien horse, we can’t see anything but a win for Adelaide River.

    Flying Honours (1.50 Newmarket) – 1/2

    It’s safe to say that Flying Honours could be absolutely anything judging on his last two performances winning by 9 1/2 lengths and 5 1/2 lengths. The most recent race saw it’s form boosted when the runner-up Stormbuster bolted up at Newbury last weekend.

    None of the other three runners who stood their ground here have anywhere near the type of form that FLYING HONOURS has, and he should be winning this with minimal fuss.

    It’s almost impossible to ignore juveniles from Charlie Appleby right now, with the top trainer operating at an impressive 41% strike rate with his 2YO’s on turf.

    This race was run by the ill-fated stablemate Coroebus last year, and he should honour his legacy by winning in the same colours. He should get the job done before setting his sights on Group 1 company down the line.

    Akhu Najla (2.05 Haydock) – 5/1

    Younger horses have a superb recent record in this, with three and four year olds winning each of the last nine renewals. That narrows this field down to seven runners, and of those we’re keen to side with Roger Varian’s AKHU NAJLA. His low draw (2) is another benefit, with six of the last nine winners coming from stall 7 or lower. 

    Having narrowly been touched off over 7f on debut last year, he stepped up to a mile for his seasonal reappearance and bolted up at Yarmouth, winning by over six lengths in an impressive display.

    That performance was enough to convince connections to test him in Listed company, but he was no match for My Prospero (Group 2 winner since) or Reach For The Moon (second in a Group 3 since) as he could only finish third in the Heron Stakes.  

    He still had Harrow and Encourageable well back that day, and he’s been off since so comes here fresh. Montassib looks to be the biggest danger, but he’s failed to even place in his last three, so we’d sooner take our chance that Akhu Najla is fully fit following his break and he can land this.

    Trillium (2.25 Newmarket) – 5/2

    TRILLIUM has been a revelation since finishing runner-up on debut and the step up in trip shouldn’t stop her landing Group 1 honours at the first attempt. 

    She bolted up on her last race over this trip, finishing four lengths ahead of the rest and almost six lengths clear of Swingalong (4th), who has since landed the G2 Lowther Stakes at York. 

    Although not winning either of her two races over the minimum trip by the same kind of distance, both were still equally as impressive, winning the G3 Molecomb Stakes and G2 Flying Childers Stakes. She pulled clear with The Platinum Queen in the latter, but her strong finish has become a regular feature of hers and she can use it again to good effect here. 

    Meditate will be the big danger, but she was comfortably dispatched by Tahiyra in the Moyglare Stud Stakes a couple of weeks ago, and although the drop back in trip will probably see her to better effect we would sooner be with Richard Hannon’s star filly.

    Count D’orsay (2.40 Haydock) – 15/2

    This is wide open, but COUNT D’ORSAY has run well on all three visits here, including when runner-up in the race in 2020 and his close third at Doncaster earlier this month suggests he’s getting back to his best. That was a solid effort, and the vet confirmed afterwards that he lost one of his shoes, which wouldn’t have helped his chances! 

    He ran off a mark of 96 when runner-up in 2020, but races off just 88 this year, which is his lowest mark for almost three years. Another boost to his chances is the fact David Allan is on board – His record with him on board reads 1212191250207376382603 (4-22), opposed to winning just one of his 28 races without him.

    Although it’s an open handicap, there hasn’t been a winner bigger than 10/1 in the last nine renewals, and it might pay to side with those towards the head of the betting. Equality was just touched off earlier this month and steps up in class here – he could be the biggest danger, but with proven course form we’re happy to take him on with Count D’orsay.

    Blackbeard (3.00 Newmarket) – 11/4

    Favourites have won three of the last four renewals of the Beresford Stakes, and at the time of writing the joint market leader is BLACKBEARD. A P O’Brien looks to have another star on his hands after he won the Prix Morny and he has an excellent chance of following up in this. 

    Interestingly, five of the last twelve winners of this had their last run in the Prix Morny, which bodes well for the selections chances. Although, two other horses in here also ran in that race – Persian Force and The Antarctic. But, Blackbeard got the better of both of those in France and we see no reason why that form should reverse here. 

    Of the other two previously mentioned, Persian Force looks the biggest danger having already won a Group 2 here this year, but he’s going to have to improve to get the better of Blackbeard, and we’d sooner side with the A P O’Brien runner to land a third victory in the race in the past six years.

    Hellsing (3.20 Curragh) – 3/1

    This is the most valuable race for Juveniles, with a whopping €611,000 up for grabs to the winner. This means plenty of British raiders have come over to try and win it, but we’re siding with one of the Irish with HELLSING. 

    He was a game winner on debut here over 6f back in May, before stepping up to Group company in the G3 Tyros Stakes, where he only found Proud And Regal too good that day. That one has since finished second in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, which is a nice boost to our selections form. 

    He resumed winning ways after dropping back to Listed company last month, where he stayed on strongly at the finish to run out a decisive winner. With Ger Lyon’s excellent record with his 2YO’s at the Curragh this year (26% strike-rate), his runner Hellsing looks the one to beat and he can land the bumper prize money.

    Brilliant Light (3.40 Newmarket) – 25/1

    Saeed Bin Suroor won the race last year with Bedouin’s Story, and of his four runners this year the one we’re most keen on is BRILLIANT LIGHT. After going close in the Chesterfield Cup off a similar mark he looks ready to strike in this, with plenty of trends supporting his chances. 

    Seven of the last eight winners have won at double-figure odds, and all of the last six winners have come from stalls 21 or higher. Brilliant Light (23) is the only one of Saeed Bin Suroor’s runners drawn higher than 21, and the top two last year came from stalls 21 and 22, so he’s drawn perfectly in here. 

    He would’ve surely won the Chesterfield Cup with a clearer run, after being blocked in from over 2f and running on well in the final stages. He failed to handle top weight last time out at Yarmouth, but still ran well and the winner (Marching Army) has since followed up in a similar race to boost the form. 

    Dougie Costello has been riding incredibly well lately (5 winners from his last 13 rides), and he has a 25% strike-rate when riding at Newmarket this year. He can steer Brilliant Light to a victory, giving Saeed Bin Suroor back-to-back winners in the Cambridgeshire Handicap.