Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's best bets include a 16/1 shot at Newcastle

Newcastle, 13:40 - Back Supido @ 3/14.00

3 (7)

Supido (Fr)

• J: William Buick
• T: Ian Williams
• F: 570858-13

• SBK 7/2
• EXC 5.5

It's Newcastle's big day of the summer on Saturday, with the Northumberland Plate taking centre stage, and while I don't have a fancy in the main race itself, I will be having a couple of bets in a pair of the supporting races.

William Buick is an eye-catching jockey booking for Supido in the opener and I suspect Ian Williams' four-year-old is yet to reach his ceiling.

His form did have a rather regressive look to it towards the end of last season, but he has bounced back in fine style this term, winning on his return at Chester before finishing third there last time.

Supido is probably best with the emphasis on stamina at this 7f trip and he should get that in this contest, with Newcastle's stiff finish allied to a tapeta track that has been riding quite slowly in the current hot temperatures sure to play to his strengths.

York, 13:55 - Back Zennor Storm @ 9/25.50

12 (12)

Zennor Storm

• J: Tom Marquand
• T: William Haggas
• F: 11-90

• SBK 4/1
• EXC 5.1

While Newcastle is the main feature on ITV, there is a good supporting card at York and I fancy the William Haggas-trained Zennor Storm to get back on track following a pair of abject efforts so far this season.

The son of Mohaather looked a young horse of some potential when winning his first two starts on the all-weather as a juvenile, but the wheels have rather fallen off since then, with him failing to beat a rival in both starts in handicaps this term.

Granted, it's hard to fancy him based on either of those two abject runs, but he has been gelded since and I'm hopeful that he can get back on track with that in mind.

There's nothing wrong with the form of his success on his final two-year-old start and there is still plenty of time for him to get his career back on the rails given he's in the hands of one of the best trainers around.

Newcastle, 14:40 - Back Hermetic E/W, five places, @ 16/117.00

11 (5)

Hermetic

• J: Luke Morris
• T: Ian Williams
• F: 5114-46

• SBK 16/1
• EXC 17

I find it hard to believe that Hermetic was 100% when beaten miles at Goodwood last time and I'm prepared to judge him on the promise he'd shown before then rather than that abject run in isolation. He did get rather upset in the stalls before that run and, while that probably wasn't the only reason for such a poor effort, it certainly wouldn't have been any help.

Prior to that, the ex-French gelding had made a good impression when third on his debut for the Ian Williams stable behind Master Builder at York, looking very much the type who would win good handicaps for his new yard.

A fine, big sort, there is still plenty of time for Hermetic to fulfill the potential he showed when wining twice in four starts for the Christophe Ferland stable over the Channel and he could be a well-handicapped horse from a mark of just 81.

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