Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets including 18/1 pick

• Katie Midwinter has selections from Ascot, Lingfield and Nottingham

• Two against the field in the Victoria Cup

• Sergio Parisse can prove better than his current mark in Lingfield contest

• Rock N Roll to Rocket home at Nottingham

Timeform Superboost

The Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat is a well fancied second favourite to land today's feature race at Ascot, the Victoria Cup at 14:40, and the 4yo has never finished outside of the top six in all nine career starts.

Today you can back Qirat to finish in the top six once again at the super-boosted price of 11/102.11 (from 4/61.67). To take advantage, just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

*Please Note: This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsters or writers.

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14:40 Ascot - Back No Retreat E/W @ 9/110.00

8 (4)

No Retreat (Ire)

• J: Callum Shepherd
• T: George Scott
• F:

A four-year-old son of Siyouni, No Retreat has been seen to great effect in the United Arab Emirates over the winter into the spring, performing well at Abu Dhabi and Meydan.

Formerly trained by Roger Varian, for whom he was narrowly beaten in both of his first two starts, No Retreat made the switch to Fawzi Abdulla Nass earlier this year, finishing second twice to Folk Festival before recording success when flashing plenty of speed to beat Warsong, then when a neck second to Silver Sword.

Although the handicapper hasn't missed his recent efforts in warmer climes, he is only 3lb higher than when narrowly beaten on his latest start and has been gelded since, which could allow him to show further improvement.

This is only his eighth career start and conditions should suit perfectly. A horse on an upward trajectory, No Retreat won't surrender and will be running on strongly late on, possessing enough speed to win over 7f, but able to see out a mile well, too.

At a price of 9/110.00, No Retreat can pose a threat back in Britain under Callum Shepherd.

14:40 Ascot - Back Silver Sword E/W @ 33/134.00

13 (17)

Silver Sword

• J: Kieran Shoemark
• T: Dylan Cunha
• F:

With a similar formline to No Retreat, Silver Sword is impossible to ignore at generous odds of 33/134.00, and has been dropped 1lb for two recent efforts in which he has been far from disgraced, finishing sixth at both Newbury and Newmarket.

He drops down in trip to 7f here, from a mark 3lb higher than when successful in Meydan, and, although he has proven to be most effective over a mile, he has enough speed to play a part in this contest. He is another contender who has shown a good level of form since the turn of the year, running consistently well during the winter months bar a disappointing effort when losing a shoe in February. 

The extremely likeable five-year-old, who represents Dylan Cunha, can outrun his odds under Kieran Shoemark and is no forlorn hope despite being available at a huge price.

16:10 Lingfield - Back Sergio Parisse E/W @ 13/27.50

4 (2)

Sergio Parisse

• J: Hector Crouch
• T: Clive Cox
• F:

Clive Cox-trained Sergio Parisse should prove better than his current rating of 77 suggests and remains unexposed, capable of showing further progression on only his sixth career start. 

A half-brother to three-time Listed-placed mare Tenaya Canyon, who achieved a career-high rating of 95, the son of Sergei Prokofiev, out of Clouds Rest, displayed some ability as a juvenile, most notably when winning a maiden at Windsor, whilst also finishing third and fourth, respectively in three starts during his debut campaign.

His sole success to date came over 6f in which he justified 11/82.38 favouritism despite showing greenness, drifting to his left late on but winning with plenty in hand. On that occasion, Sergio Parisse beat the likes of Gap Year in second, third-placed Lady With The Lamp, a three-time Listed winner since, now rated 102, and the promising Brian, a subsequent dual winner, including in a valuable Tattersalls Auction race, who placed in Group Three company and has achieved a mark of 101.

The three-year-old colt was given wind surgery and a 197-day break following his run at Salisbury last June, and was entitled to come on for his reappearance in January, despite being sent off as the 6/42.50 favourite. In his latest start, he finished a respectable third when equipped with a first-time tongue-tie at Kempton, although struggling to hold his position late on.

There should be further improvement to come from him and the step up in trip could prove worth trying with a colt who has shown strong form. At a price of 13/27.50 Sergio Parisse can return to form and make the frame under Hector Crouch.

16:10 Lingfield - Back Cradle Of Love E/W @ 9/110.00

5 (1)

Cradle Of Love (Ire)

• J: Richard Kingscote
• T: Ollie Sangster
• F:

Kodiac filly Cradle Of Love is another to consider in the 7f handicap at Lingfield, making her second start for Ollie Sangster in the hands of Richard Kingscote. She couldn't make much of an impression when fourth on debut for her new yard, but stayed on and should improve for the outing following a 142-day break.

Formerly trained by Joseph O'Brien, Cradle Of Love displayed some ability as a juvenile, including when third to subsequent Listed winner Usdi Atohi, who is now rated 95, and now 101-rated California Dreamer, subsequently placed in a Group Two and Group Three, on debut at Dundalk, then when beaten by Unexpected Issues in a Navan maiden, beaten only three-quarter-of-a-length by runner-up Heavens Gate, now rated 106 after a Group Three victory.

It's too early to give up on this filly although she is an 11-race maiden, as she has shown a good enough level of form to suggest she can progress beyond a rating of 77. There should be further improvement to come from Cradle Of Love, who makes each-way appeal at odds of 9/110.00.

16:45 Lingfield - Back Maharajas Express @ BSP

7 (3)

Maharajas Express

• J: Silvestre De Sousa
• T: Ian Williams
• F:

Flashy chestnut Maharajas Express was an eye-catcher when beaten only a length-and-a-half in fourth at Chelmsford on his latest outing, racing extremely wide early on when unable to get into a favourable position throughout the 5f trip. He stuck to the task well late on, despite his less than ideal route around, and he remains well treated at the weights from a rating of 68.

Since joining Ian Williams from the Patrick Morris yard, the son of Rajasinghe has recorded form figures of 24411224 on the all-weather, finishing within a length-and-a-half of the winner on each occasion.

The return to the Turf is of little concern as he has been competitive away from an all-weather surface previously, including when winning at Bath from a 1lb lower mark last year, albeit in contrasting conditions.

He has raced twice on good to firm ground in the past, including when left with plenty to do at Leicester last June, in which the quicker ground didn't appear to inconvenience him suggesting he's a versatile type who should cope with conditions.

The in-form gelding could prove worth keeping on side as he comes into the race in good order on the back of a promising run.

16:50 Nottingham - Rock N Roll Rocket E/W @ 18/119.00

5 (7)

Rock N Roll Rocket (Ire)

• J: Tom Eaves
• T: David Loughnane
• F:

A first-time hood should allow the enthusiastic Rock N Roll Rocket to settle better as he bids to bounce back following a recent outing at Catterick.

On his latest start, the gelding was extremely keen down to post, running his race before the off but was allowed to start and eventually finished last of the field, beaten 30-lengths. That is not his true running, but he has been known to act in similar fashion previously, too, notably when competing in the Listed Juvenile Sprint Stakes at the Curragh last summer.

His pre-race behaviour will be key to his chances in this contest, but he has shown he can perform professionally with two successes, including over the talented Powerful Nation on debut for Jessica Harrington, and since joining David Loughnane when defying odds of 18/119.00 at Southwell in December.

On a workable mark from 72 here, the same rating as when recording his previous success, Rock N Roll Rocket can bounce back to form as he steps back up to 6f, which should suit. At a price of 18/119.00 under Tom Eaves, the son of Far Above, who once fetched £125,000, warrants consideration.

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