ITV Racing Tips on Saturday, July 16th
The cards at Newbury, Market Rasen and the Curragh make up the live ITV action, we have scoured through these to provide our ITV tips for all eight scheduled races. Check these out below, with our top tips providing extra selections on what promises to be an unmissable day of racing.
Cadillac (1.50 Newbury) 13/8
The bet365 Stakes, better known as the Steventon Stakes, kicks off the ITV action on Saturday and the contest appears to provide CADILLAC with an excellent chance to get back to winning ways.
This lad was a four-time winner for Jessica Harrington, including at Group 2 level as a juvenile. He improved for the addition of first-time blinkers when running out a ready winner of a Listed contest at Leopardstown last month.
Subsequently picked up for £500,000 at the Goffs London sales on the eve of Royal Ascot, Cadillac had his first run under the name of Kevin Philippart De Foy, albeit he wouldn’t have even seen the yard, when runner-up in the Listed Wolferton Stakes.
Blinkers are retained here, and although he has to concede weight all round the ground appears perfect (all wins recorded on good ground).
ITV Racing Tips. Jack Mitchell can claim Listed honours at Newbury aboard Cadillac.
Ask Paddington (2.06 Market Rasen) 4/1
The Rebecca Menzies-trained ASK PADDINGTON arrives here in top form and can bring up the four-timer in Saturday’s Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Hurdle.
This 8yo brought his form figures here at Market Rasen to 211 when taking an extended 2m4f handicap hurdle just under a fortnight ago. Ask Paddington steps up two and a half furlongs here, but he appeared to stay this trip fine earlier in his career and certainly wasn’t stopping when he hit the line last time out.
A 4lb rise puts Ask Paddington on a joint career-high mark, but he ran well enough off this rating last year in what looks a stronger race than the one he contests on Saturday.
Apache Creek has been freshened up since last seen and might provide the selection with most to think about.
Going Gone (2.21 Newbury) 7/2
Preference goes to GOING GONE in this year’s renewal of the Highclere Castle Gin Cup Stakes.
Jim Boyle’s charge justified favouritism to take an Epsom handicap on seasonal return, and whilst only a distant third at Newmarket subsequently, Going Gone might have gone off too hard on the front end that day and it’s worth noting that the form has worked out very well since with the winner now rated 12lb higher and the second 8lb higher.
Going Gone himself is on just a pound higher mark here, that despite finishing a fine 50/1 fourth in the Ascot Stakes (2m4f) last time out, a run which seemed to confirm his stamina for staying trips (stoutly bred).
That form’s obviously been boosted by the subsequent wide-margin victory of Coltrane, and although Going Gone was ridden to stay that day expect him to revert back to his favoured prominent tactics now that stamina has been confirmed.
ITV Racing Tips. Jim Boyle can send out Going Gone to score in front of the ITV cameras on Saturday.
Cirque Royal (2.41 Market Rasen) 10/3
Caramelised has been gelded since last seen over hurdles and that could see him settle better, whilst Castle Gandolfo has Paddy Brennan aboard and is well handicapped, for all that he doesn’t look the easiest horse to win with. The market for this Unibet 15 To Go Summer Handicap Hurdle appears to have got this right, therefore, with CIRQUE ROYAL and Galata Bridge heading affairs.
Dr Richard Newland’s charge must be respected having impressed when scoring at Huntingdon last time, but he’s up 12lb and might struggle to live with the Irish raider, who on more than once piece of form looks well handicapped off an opening mark of 123.
Once favourite (off a mark of 96) for a competitive 1m4f heritage handicap when trained by Charlie Appleby, Cirque Royal has evidently had his issues down the years but has done well since joining this stable, catching the eye when a close-up fifth in a competitive maiden hurdle at Cheltenham in October.
He’s justified favouritism to land both starts since returning from a break, running out a very cosy winner of a novice hurdle at Kelso last time when comfortably seeing off a subsequent winner in Ted Hastings.
This speed favouring track on the genuinely good ground looks just about this gelding’s optimum conditions, so he rates the strongest bet on Saturday.
Run To Freedom (2.56 Newbury) 12/1
Happy Romance took the bet365 Hackwood Stakes 12 months ago and must be respected back at this level, but it might instead pay to take a chance on the Henry Candy-trained RUN TO FREEDOM.
This colt has progressed, as many from the stable do, out of handicaps to become a pattern-class performer this season, building on a respectable Newmarket reappearance when claiming Listed honours at Windsor in May, keeping on well for pressure to score a shade cosily.
Run To Freedom wasn’t disgraced upped to Group 1 level in the Platinum Jubilee next time out, finishing tenth having raced prominently under Dane O’Neill. Run To Freedom travelled through that contest like a horse with more to give, and the form obviously received a boost in last weekend’s July Cup.
Run To Freedom was only just over a length off Happy Romance there, yet finds himself three times the price of that rival and arguably holds a greater scope for improvement, so rates the one to be with.
Great Ambassador and Method are big-priced alternatives that might sneak into a place.
ITV Racing Tips. Henry Candy’s Run To Freedom looks a little overpriced in the Hackwood Stakes.
Manofthemountain (3.14 Market Rasen) 8/1
The Grade 3 Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase is the feature race at Market Rasen on Saturday and of the runners for this year’s renewal it is MANOFTHEMOUNTAIN who catches the eye for trainer Emma Lavelle.
This 9yo hasn’t managed to get his head in front since running out an impressive winner of a Cheltenham Grade 2 back in April 2021, but he caught the eye when runner-up at Uttoxeter last time out.
That was Manofthemountain’s first start since receiving wind surgery, and it was worth upgrading considering that he was found post-race to have lost a shoe.
The second start after wind surgery can often be the time to catch horses, and the strong travelling Manofthemountain now finds himself just a pound higher than his last winning mark. Market Rasen is a track that suits strong travellers, and this intermediate distance looks just about his optimum trip, so he rates a confident selection.
Land Of Summer (3.30 Newbury) 20/1
Maria Branwell is a worthy favourite for this year’s Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes on the back of her Royal Ascot third, but the Hannon stable has been the go-to in this event down the years and can land yet another renewal with LAND OF SUMMER.
This filly appears on paper at least to be one of the lesser fancied of the Hannon quintet, but she sneaks in here off a featherweight of 8st 4lb and has looked all speed in her brief career on the track.
A cosy Brighton maiden debut success (weak in the betting), was followed by an unfortunate Kempton novice second, losing out in a head-bob to a horse she was conceding 7lb to.
An ambitious (sent off 150/1) tilt at the Albany Stakes last time out unsurprisingly resulted in Land Of Summer finishing down the field, but it’s worth noting that she’d shown up well for a long way in that event and its form that has worked out well since.
Dropping back in both trip and class looks a huge positive for Land Of Summer, and although jockey bookings would suggest that she’s not the stable first string, the likes of Sean Levey and Pat Dobbs would have struggled to make this weight and connections have snapped up Hayley Turner for the ride.
ITV Racing Tips. Richard Hannon can land the Super Sprint at Newbury on Saturday with Land Of Summer.
Emily Dickinson (3.45 Curragh) 13/2
The absence of Emily Upjohn has blown apart this year’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks, but Magical Lagoon can be opposed given she was perhaps a fortuitous winner of the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot last time out.
Although Ryan Moore has seemed to choose Toy, EMILY DICKINSON appears to be the strongest of the Ballydoyle trio here and can be backed to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with a seventh Irish Oaks.
This filly is certainly bred for the job being out of 2013 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita, and although she comes into this race with just a Naas maiden win to her name, she looked unfortunate not to land the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown a little over a week ago.
Emily Dickinson was checked on more than one occasion when beginning a run that day, and by the time she’d got a clear run the winner, Rosscarbery, had stolen a lead. Emily Dickinson was in front merely yards after the line, and given the front two pulled just short of 4l clear of the remainder that looks a strong piece of form.
Hopefully Cairde Go Deo will set a decent pace here at the head of affairs, and if she does, this could set up for Emily Dickinson, who certainly won’t be failing for stamina.