Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for York, Sandown and Chester

• Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet for York, Sandown and Chester

• Get our tipsters' best bets and ambassador insight

• Katie Midwinter's best bets for the ITV races plus Mark Milligan and Timeform

• Read Royal Ascot 2025 Ultimate Guide

Timeform Superboost

With form figures of 11132 in her last five starts, Star Of Mehmas looks a consistent type and is a deserving favourite to land Sandown's 14:40 contest today.

However, if  you want the insurance of her to finish first or second, as she has done in four of her last five starts, then you can back Star Of Mehmas at the super-boosted price of 6/52.20 (from 4/61.67) to finish in the top two. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

Please Note. This Superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our writers or tpsters.

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Saturday horse racing tips and insight

York, 13:50 - Mark Milligan:  Well-handicapped Blue the one for You

Mark Milligan:  "Blue For You is a three-time course winner and that can't be underestimated at a track that, for whatever reason, some horses just don't show their best form. This seven-year-old clearly relishes the Knavesmire and, while he hasn't shaped as if in top form on his last couple of outings, he's become well handicapped as a result.

"The selection actually started this season off solidly enough with a good third at Haydock before shaping as if amiss in a similar race back here at the Dante meeting. That effort is easy enough to forgive and I wouldn't judge him too harshly on his duff run at Haydock last time either, when his usual visor was swapped out for cheekpieces.

"The visor is back on here and the handicapper has cut Blue For You some slack, meaning he now gets to run off the same mark as for his most recent win at this track last July."

Sandown, 14:05 - Katie Midwinter: Chief can pose a threat

Katie Midwinter: "Four-year-old gelding Tribal Chief is bidding to return to form following a disappointing effort at Longchamp in which he didn't appear comfortable and failed to give his true running. He's much better than shown on that occasion and can prove worth keeping the faith in, capable of putting in a competitive effort from a career-high rating of 91.

"The son of Sioux Nation finished second from a near impossible position at Newmarket on his return to action, running on powerfully from the rear of the field having been slowly away from the stalls on his reappearance following a 166-day break. He proved he possesses a good attitude and can pose a threat from a similar mark."

York, 14:25: - Mark Milligan:  Andrews can rule in lady riders' race

Mark Milligan:  "This lady riders' handicap has been a staple of York#s June meeting stretching back for as long as I can remember and it often pays to focus on the more proficient riders, with varying levels of ability on display.

"The ones that immediately jump off the page this year are Jody Townend and Gina Andrews amongst others, and they just happen to be on the pair with the best form too, Maghlaak and Born Ruler.

"Townend teams up with trainer Adrian Keatley on board Maghlaak and this pair took the 2023 renewal of this contest Kihavah. Maghlaak has followed a similar route to that one having run well at this track last time and is respected, but I just prefer the claims of Gina Andrews' mount Born Ruler.

"He didn't really get chance to show what he could do when fourth in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar last time, essentially getting too far back and having little chance from his position. This step back up in trip by a couple furlongs should hit him right between the eyes.

"He's unexposed at this sort of distance and trainer Sir Mark Prescott is a past master at getting the best out of these types, while Born Ruler is now back in the cheekpieces that he wore for his previous win at Ayr last summer."

Chester, 14:45 - Katie Midwinter: Grey can brighten up your day

Katie Midwinter:  "Course-and-distance winner Grey Cuban couldn't get involved from a wide draw on his latest start at the track, going forward from the stalls but unable to find cover or settle, forced to adopt a wide trip throughout, giving him little chance late on. 

"Better than shown on that occasion, if he can break quickly from stall 1, the four-year-old should enjoy a favourable trip around.

"Jason Hart, who partnered Grey Cuban to victory here last summer, is back in the saddle for the local in-form Hugo Palmer yard, and there should be more to come from this gelding. Now back on his last winning mark of 95, Grey Cuban can return to form and holds leading claims with plenty of course experience in his favour."

York, 15:00 - Alan Dudman: It's Absurde to look beyond Mullins for Grand Cup

Alan Dudman: "Absurde is a fantastic horse. He's been at Cheltenham, a former festival winner over hurdles, a winner at Chester, an unlucky run in the Melbourne Cup and a scorer at Plumpton - the latter was to the tune of the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the usual Sussex jumps' trainers, as it's not often you'd see a horse of his ability running around there...

"He looks to have the tools for this despite this third last time at Chester. For all his jumping exploits, he does possess pace and travelled so smoothly to win at the Roodee last season that a tactical race won't hinder him, neither a staying one.

"Backers of Al Qareem I am sure will be rain-dancing while Alsakib is often held up and is similar as a stayer. Absurde should track the pace and might just have the race run to suit."

Sandown, 15:50 - Timeform:  Big improver Crown can reign at Sandown

Timeform:  "The mile-and-a-quarter maiden at Sandown promises to be a warm race as plenty have the Timeform 'small p' to signify they are likely to improve. However, the one arguably open to most progress, with the 'Large P' to show he's likely capable of much better, is Crown Imperial.

"Crown Imperial, a 450,000 guineas purchase, has an eye-catching pedigree as he's by Frankel and is a close relation to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist. He also looks the part as he has a Timeform description of 'good bodied, attractive colt', so he is expected to take a big step forward on what he showed when fifth at Newbury on debut last month.

"He displayed his inexperience on that occasion, needing to be shaken up half a mile out and running green, but there were definite signs of promise as he kept on to finish within two lengths of the winner, and he should improve appreciably."

Now read Royal Ascot 2025 Tips: Back or lay? We rate the eight Group 1 favourites