Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's three best bets from 10/3 to 8/1

• Mark Milligan has three bets for Saturday's racing on ITV

• Klondike the bet of the day at York

• Lord Melbourne to go well for new yard

13:50 York - Back Lord Melbourne @ 7/18.00

The opening handicap at York on Saturday is for female amateur riders and has a long history, having been part of this card certainly for as far back as my memory stretches!

It can often pay to side with the more experienced jockeys in this sphere and one who fits that bill is Serena Brotherton aboard Lord Melbourne.

Brotherton has won the race three times in the past, the latest of those coming in 2014, but she's gone close several times since and looks to have bagged a good ride on this Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old.

Lord Melbourne was a winner on seasonal return for Simon & Ed Crisford at Pontefract in April and was purchased for 16,000 guineas before making his debut for the Beckett stable at Epsom last time.

That came in a good quality handicap at Epsom, where he was unlucky not to finish closer than fifth, having been denied a run several times.

Despite the trouble he met, Lord Melbourne finished off to good effect and it will be a surprise if he isn't up to winning races for his new yard, hopefully starting with this one.

15:00 York - Back Klondike @ 10/34.33

This is an interesting 1m6f Listed contest and I'm particularly interested in the William Haggas-trained Klondike for several reasons.

A well-bred son of Galileo, Klondike made a winning debut in deep ground at Newbury last year before being pitched straight into Listed company for his next start, finishing a good second to subsequent St Leger fifth Gregory at Goodwood.

He didn't really go on in a couple of starts after that but was set a stiff task in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury on his final 2023 start.

Returning in handicap company over 1m4f at York last month, Klondike ran a race full of promise having had a breathing operation, staying on late having been a bit tapped for toe.

He's bred to do well as his stamina gets fully drawn out and it looks a big plus that Betfair ambassador Ryan Moore takes the ride for the first time.

Having ridden Real Dream for Sir Michael Stoute on his last three starts, Moore could probably have kept the ride on that one had he wanted for all that the Coolmore 'lads' have an involvement in Klondike.

15:20 Chester - Back Monfrid E/W @ 8/19.00

I'm hoping William Haggas can be on the scoreboard again a little over twenty minutes later at Chester with the lightly-raced Monfrid in this 7.5f handicap.

A £140K purchase, the son of Zoustar showed clear promise as a juvenile, finishing second in both starts and got off the mark at the third time of asking in a novice at Catterick last month.

On the face of it, an opening mark of 82 on handicap debut at Goodwood last time didn't look overly generous, but Monfrid improved on his novice form to finish fifth in a strong-looking contest there, still showing some signs of inexperience along the way.

This race represents a bit of a drop in grade, with only one runner rated higher than 90, and it's a positive that the selection has bagged an ideal draw in stall two.

He's been left on an unchanged mark following that Goodwood run and there's every chance he can improve even more, though it's probably worth taking the insurance of an each-way bet (four places on the Sportsbook) just in case a bit of that greenness is still lingering.

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