Saturday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for ITV Racing at Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon

Tips Summary

Please Note: Prices quoted in table below were correct at time of each writer/tipster's column being published on Betting.Betfair.

Saturday Horse Racing Tips and Insight

13:25, Newbury - Mark Milligan: Gamrai can cause minor upset

With the York Ebor meeting just around the corner, we warm up for that feast of racing with a classy card at Newbury and I'm looking for a minor upset in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer that opens proceedings.

Dubai Honour clearly sets a tall standard with his BHA rating of 118, but he isn't getting any younger at the age of eight and it's also a bit of a concern that we haven't seen him since he last ran in Australia back in April. If he returns on his 'A' game he'll take all the beating, but I think there's some mileage in taking him on with Gamrai, who has a bit to find on bare form but is still relatively unexposed in the context of this race.

This will be Gamrai's first start for George Scott having previously been with John & Thady Gosden, and the trainer switch doesn't come as a major surprise given Scott has had plenty of previous success for these owners.

The selection's form in classy handicaps has been solid this season and he won't need to take a massive step forward to be a genuine contender at this level, particularly if Dubai Honour is a tad rusty on his return.

13:55, Newbury - Katie Midwinter: Solid chance for River

Three-year-old gelding River Spey ran on well in a competitive 18-runner handicap at the Glorious Goodwood Festival recently, sticking to the task in the closing stages despite failing to pose a threat for the major honours, finishing in seventh behind winner Naana's Shadow.

He's currently only 2lb higher than his last winning mark when beating Comical Point at Windsor in June, and is partnered by 3lb claiming Ashley Lewis, putting him in with a solid each-way chance at the weights.

The Ed Walker-trained contender shaped with great promise as a juvenile last term, putting in a number of creditable efforts in competitive races which featured horses that have since significantly franked the form to earn high ratings. 

The son of Sergei Prokofiev finished third to Stellar Sunrise, now rated 100, in a Goodwood maiden last summer, before being just denied in fourth to Ruby's Angel at the Ebor Festival, and placing third to now 102-rated Simplify at Thirsk.

14:10, Newmarket - Alan Dudman: Consistent performer can go well

One of Newmarket's ITV races is the unique grey race, although with a couple of runners rated just 56 and 62, it is fortunate to hold a spot on the box.

Trainer Julie Camacho has two in the race and it's hard to fancy her outsider First Folio at 10s. With enough holes in the rivals, Havana Blue really ought to justify his position at the top of the market.

At 5/23.50, he is most consistent. In six runs this season his mark hasn't flown up, nor has it dipped and, from 80, he is well versed in Class 4 racing too, but unexposed this season at 6f.

For a sprinter, these days anyway, it was quite an unusual move to run him at Goodwood over 1m in bottomless going in June, all slow motion stuff in a performance that lacked any kind of glee.

He was far better in two subsequent runs on quicker going at Ascot - and both over 7f.

Denied by Lunario when going off from the front in one of the races, he subsequently put in a near identical shift in July. He led down the centre, under pressure 1f out, and was done late on.

With those two runs, and the finishing speeds of 100% and latterly 104%, making the running over 6f might do the trick to gain that elusive win. While the trainer doesn't have too many runners at HQ, she is 2-19 over five seasons here.

14:35, Newbury - Timeform: Positive signs for Scoville

Scoville won his first two starts last season, looking like he was going to develop into a high-class performer when winning a minor event at Newmarket by 14 lengths in a good time on his second start.

He didn't progress as expected afterwards, and was disappointing on his return to action when failing to beat a rival on his return at Thirsk earlier this year.

However, there has been more positive signs on his last two starts following a breathing operation, shaping much better than the bare result in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot, and also in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood last time.

Scoville was undone by the draw on that occasion, forced to work hard to get a good position in the early stages which left him short at the finish. He's a prominent racer who should be suited by this smaller field and this Horse In Focus can now confirm his mark a lenient one.

15:10, Newbury - Mark Milligan: Zain can get back to winning ways

The one I like is Extremely Zain, who looked something out of the ordinary when winning his first three starts, two of them in novice company before he made mincemeat of his rivals in what had looked a competitive handicap at York in June.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old looked every inch a pattern-class performer on the Knavesmire, so it was a tad disappointing that he couldn't win the International Handicap at Ascot last time, for all he didn't run badly in fourth.

He was probably just found out for a bit of experience there and I'm pretty sure he'll be winning Group races before long, and it would be no surprise were he to start with this one.

15:25, Ripon - Alan Dudman: Ideal trip for Khafiz

You have to include Kodiac Thriller in the top four here with a good draw in 14 to the stands' side and the fact he scored at York in the Jump Jockeys' Nunthorpe, a performance that showed a fair bit of speed early in a well-run 5f.

He will have no trouble as a previous Ripon 6f winner back up in distance.

Khafiz has been running over the wrong distance all season in my opinion. He wasn't too far behind in a strong piece of handicap form at Haydock in April behind Cosi Bello, Sarab Star, Great Acclaim and Cerulean Bay.

Those four were rated 95, 97, 98 and 103, and the fact Khafiz was well in toucb and travelling well before his stamina gave up on him was telling.

His final furlong was the slowest out of the top five and now with Roger Fell, he could well have his ideal trip.

Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews here