Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for ITV Racing at Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon

• Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet for Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon

• Get our tipsters' best bets and ambassador insight

• Tips from Katie Midwinter, Sam Turner and more experts

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Saturday horse racing tips and insight

Newbury, 13:50 - James Mackie:  Back Poet to produce an Epic performance

"Having put up some strong performances at the start of the year over in the Middle East, Epic Poet returned to race in England in May.

"Running over 1m6f in the Group 2 Yorkshire Stakes he took the multiple Group 1 winning superstar Rebel's Romance all the way to the line to go down by just a head.

"Dropped to 1m4f when last seen in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, he ran no race whatsoever, never getting involved.

"That was the first time in close to two years he had put a bad performance in on the track and it was in hot company.

"I think you can disregard that run entirely and focus on the second to Rebel's Romance over a similar trip to what he will be racing over on Saturday.

"He has stamina in abundance, will love the rattling fast ground, and is officially the best rated horse in the field. His experience should be a vital tool against the favourite Pinhole in this event with him only having five starts."

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Newmarket, 14:05 - Timeform: Binhareer can carry on progressing

"The speedily-bred Binhareer showed plenty of pace before fading in a seven-furlong event on his handicap debut at Kempton in May and he duly proved well suited by the drop to six furlongs at Ayr last time.

"Binhareer travelled with enthusiasm and, despite his rider dropping his whip, ready drew clear inside the final furlong to win impressively by three and a quarter lengths, earning Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag to mark him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time. 

"He has an 8 lb rise in the weights and faster ground to cope with here, but he remains completely unexposed as a sprinter and looks likely to carry on improving for a while yet. He heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb, and is also the only runner in this line-up with the Timeform 'small p' for likely improver."

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Ripon, 14.45 - Sam Turner: Fortamour fancied with favourite jockey aboard

"At the age of nine, Fortamour has no secrets from the handicapper but he is in good heart at present and is worth backing with his favoured partner, Paul Mulrennan, back on board.

"The veteran sprinter acquitted himself well over course and distance last time when, after stumbling badly leaving the outside stall in one, he kept on manfully under Jo Mason to take fourth in a decent handicap for the grade.

"Mulrennan has a record of 413716132 aboard the selection who always appears to reach a peak in the months of August and September in which he boasts a fine record of five successes from just 16 starts, not a bad strike rate for a 79-rated sprinter.

"This race seems to present a solid chance of glory for Ben Haslam's veteran who appears better drawn here among the better horses and looks ready to deliver a big performance."

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Ripon, 15:20 - Katie Midwinter: Nostrum fancied to defy double figure odds

"In June, the five-year-old gelding made his debut for new connections and the David O'Meara yard, having changed hands for 120,000gns, finishing last of the field in a York Group Three. He hasn't been able to improve much for his return to action in two starts since, both at Group Two level, but drops significantly in class and could fare better on handicap debut. 

"A son of dual Listed winning mare Mirror Lake, relation of Group Three winner Vortex, Nostrum is a half-brother to Group Two handicap winner Imaging, who also placed at Group One level, as well as Listed handicap winner Super Titus, and has shown to possess plenty of class during his career so far.

"It remains to be seen how much ability Nostrum retains, however, at this level he should have the class to make his presence felt and shouldn't be discounted from a mark of 104 under David Nolan, who has a decent record for the yard this year."

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Newbury, 15:35 - James Mackie:  Take a Gamble on King

"The feature contest of the afternoon on Saturday at Newbury, and on ITV is the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes that has been won by some nice horses in the past.

"I think King's Gamble for Ralph Beckett can add his name to that list at the weekend, with the lightly-raced colt sure to come on for his smart reappearance run at Newbury over 6f.

"A smart horse at two when winning on his debut and then finishing third in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes to the talented Lake Forest, last year he never really kicked on.

"As a three-year-old he was seen three times, finishing second on debut at Doncaster in a Novice Stakes before going to Royal Ascot and finishing a good fifth in the highly competitive Britannia Stakes.

"He rounded off last year with a superb second behind Group 1 Lockinge winner Lead Artist at Glorious Goodwood in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.

"Having not been seen for almost a year, he returned in fine form on his only outing this season at Newbury over 6f when rattling home late in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes to finish second.

"Stepping back up in trip to 7f is a huge positive given the way he got going last time out and with this being his second run of the campaign he should strip much fitter for that seasonal debut."

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