Saturday ITV Racing Tips: James Mackie has two picks from Newbury

• Two picks for James Mackie for Saturday's racing at Newbury

• Epic Poet can make experience show in Newbury opener

• King's Gamble can go close in the Hungerford Stakes

Listen to Racing Only Bettor Saturday preview show

13:50, Newbury - Back Epic Poet @ 11/43.75

The Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes kicks off proceedings at Newbury on Saturday and it looks very much like a battle of new versus old at the top of the betting.

I am favouring an older horse, the six-year-old Epic Poet, to get the job done. He is a highly consistent gelding that very rarely runs a bad race and stepping back up in trip for this contest will only strengthen his chances.

Having put up some strong performances at the start of the year over in the Middle East, he 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.

At 11/43.75 he looks the value bet in the opener.

15:35, Newbury - Back King's Gamble @ 4/15.00

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.

It looks a cracking race and I have huge respect to the likes of More Thunder, Spy Chief and Witness Stand. However, I can pick plenty of holes in all those named runners and there is a big chance King's Gamble is still improving at the age of 4.

At 4/15.00 it was a good enough price for me to find out just how good he can be.

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