Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Mark Milligan with three to back at up to 9/1

• Speedy sprinter to strike at York

• Mullins raider can claim Plate glory

• Ballydoyle runner can put Balding filly in a Whirl

Timeform Superboost

East India Dock is a very consistent horse and has now finished inside the top six on his last 10 starts with five wins coming in that sequence, including victory in the ultra competitive Chester Cup last month. 

Today's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle is another long-distance competitive handicap in which you can back East India Dock at the super-boosted price of 6/42.50 (from 8/111.73] to finish in the top six once again. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

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15:00 York - Back Democracy Dilemma E/W @ 9/1

There aren't many faster sprint handicappers in training than Democracy Dilemma and the quick 5f at York could well play to his strengths in a relatively small field for this class 2 contest.

Robert Cowell's speedster hasn't been quite at his best so far this season but there were clear signs that he's on the way back when eighth in the Dash at Epsom last time and it's worth noting he's now down to the same mark as when second in that contest last year.

The son of Cotai Glory won a handicap at Chester and a Listed race at Beverley last term and is extremely tough to catch when conditions play to his strengths, which should be the case here.

There are a few in-form sorts up against him, not least recent course winner Habooba and this year's Epsom Dash winner J M Jungle, but I'm hopeful that Democracy Dilemma can reverse the form with the latter this time around.

15:15 Newcastle - Back Pappano @ 6/1

Newcastle's big day of the flat season sees them stage the Northumberland Plate Handicap and Willie Mullins is always a man to be reckoned with when he sends one over for this sort of contest.

He's represented by Pappano, who was progressive on the flat for John & Thady Gosden last season and made only one start over hurdles for Mullins when pulled up in the Triumph at the Cheltenham Festival.

That clearly isn't the race to judge the selection on, and he's much better assessed on his useful flat form for the Gosdens last term, which saw him win a Southwell handicap having previously been highly tried in listed and Group company.

Pappano rounded off his flat campaign with a good third back in listed company at Ascot and shapes as though a stiff test of stamina will be right up his alley.

This will be his first attempt beyond 1m 6f and he looks sure to improve for the longer trip, while the booking of Jamie Spencer catches the eye at a track that tends to reward hold-up tactics over the longer distances.

15:30 Curragh - Back Whirl @ 15/8

The Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes is the highlight on the second day of the Curragh's Irish Derby meeting, and it features one of the first top-level clashes of the generations as Andrew Balding's Kalpana takes on Aidan O'Brien's Oaks runner-up Whirl.

Kalpana was most progressive as a three-year-old, making the step up from handicap company before taking the Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day. She showed she retains all that ability when third to Los Angeles and Anmaat on her comeback over this C&D in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and will clearly be a tough nut to crack.

However, she faces no easy task in trying to give the 12lb weight-for-age allowance away to Whirl, who confirmed all the improvement she showed when winning the Musidora at York by finishing a narrow second to stablemate Minnie Hauk at Epsom last time.

The feeling is there could still be plenty more to come from the daughter of Wootton Bassett and I'm expecting a positive ride from Ryan Moore as she drops back in trip here.

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