ITV Racing Tips: Mark Milligan with Good Friday's Best Bets

14:25 Newcastle - Back Stateira @ 13/82.63

As is now tradition, all-weather racing takes centre stage on Good Friday and ITV are showing a packed day of racing from both Lingfield and Newcastle.

It's up at Gosforth Park where the best opportunities lie and probably the bet of the day is Stateira in this 7f Fillies' and Mares' Championship Handicap.

Andrew Balding has his team in flying form right now and this four-year-old daughter of Persian King was most impressive when bolting up over this C&D last time. That was her first try back at this trip since winning at Southwell on debut in early-2025 and she seemed to relish it, sent to the front by Oisin Murphy and coming home four lengths clear of Nikki Swango.

The selection has been hiked up 10lb by the handicapper for that success, but she still looks fairly treated on the back of that win and Stateira can go in again.

16:10 Newcastle - Back Regal Ulixes @ 9/43.25

Balding has enjoyed plenty of success on this card in recent years and he can bring up a double with Regal Ulixes in the Easter Classic Handicap.

This race has lost some of its lustre since being switched to handicap status in 2024, but that means it's become more competitive as a result and this year's field has once again held up well.

Willie Mullins' Gaucher heads the weights and he's been a revelation since dropping in trip and switching to the all-weather at Dundalk. However, he faces no easy task under top weight in this contest bearing in mind he'll need a clear career best if he's to complete the hat-trick.

I'm much more tempted by Regal Ulixes, who stamped himself a genuine contender for this race by winning at Lingfield in February.

He wasn't seen to best effect when sixth back over a mile in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton last time, ending up further back than ideal but still shaping as if in top form.

The return to 1m 2f here will be right up his alley and he'll take plenty of stopping.

16:42 Newcastle - Back Dramatic Star E/W @ 11/26.50

The Marathon Handicap closes out the Newcastle card and the obvious starting point is Cesarewitch winner Beylerbeyi, who simply doesn't know how to run a bad race nowadays. He's finished second over shorter trips than this on each of his last three starts and will appreciate getting back over 2m but he may have to give best to one who is unexposed at this trip.

Dramatic Star has only had one try over 2m and shaped like the best horse at the weights when fourth at Kempton in October.

The selection probably needed his recent comeback when sixth over 1m 4f there last month and it's also worth noting his stable was fairly quiet at that time.

The Haggas team are starting to kick into gear now with the full meat of the turf season almost upon us and Dramatic Star makes plenty of appeal form an each-way perspective, particularly as there are enhanced place terms on the Sportsbook (four places available in this 12-runner contest).

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