Saturday Racing Tips: Kevin Blake is taking a Bite and a Ruby at Newbury

• Two selections at Newbury from Kevin Blake

• Ticks in right boxes for The Big Bite

• Ruby Island looks well-handicapped

ITV Racing will showcase an eclectic mix of action on Saturday with middle-of-the-road jumps action from Kelso and Newbury being somewhat outshone by some of the most valuable races on the planet on the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan.

We went through the pick of the Meydan action in some detail on the Racing Only Bettor Podcast, but in this space I will confine myself to the action at Newbury.

Oliver can make a Big Bite in Newbury handicap chase

14:05 Newbury - The Big Bite E/W @ 8/1

The Run For Your Money At BetVictor Handicap Chase (14:05) is a very competitive contest, but Henry Oliver might have the answer in the shape of The Big Bite.

The 10-year-old made a slow start to this season, but the handicapper was quick to drop him in the ratings and he bounced back to winning ways in a valuable handicap chase over this course and distance in first-time cheekpieces last time.

While the margin of victory was just a head on that occasion, he gave the strong impression that his superiority was masked by his tendency to idle in the closing stages.

The handicapper has only raised him 4lb for that win, which still leaves him 11lb lower than his career-high mark.

Incidentally, as well as his win over this course and distance on his latest start, he produced what was arguably his career-best effort on his only other run over this course and distance when a close third in the Greatwood Gold Cup back in March 2021.

He will face much more testing ground on this occasion than he did when gaining that latest success, but there is plenty of evidence in his older form that confirms his liking for testing ground. His trainer seems to be in good form and a bold bid seems likely to be forthcoming from him.

Ruby looks a gem of a bet

14:40 Newbury - Ruby Island @ 7/1

The other race of interest is the British EBF BetVictor 'National Hunt' Mares' Novices' Hurdle (14:40) and the one that makes the most appeal is the Mark Walford-trained Ruby Island.

The six-year-old has looked a work in progress despite winning two of her three starts over hurdles. She was arguably unlucky not to win the latest of those starts in a mares' novice hurdle at Ayr, making mistakes at the final two flights and edging right under pressure on her way to being beaten just a neck by Windtothelightning.

Lack of concentrations seemed to be the issue on that occasion, so it is interesting and potentially significant that her connections now reach for first-time cheekpieces for what is her handicap debut.

Considering that her connections were considering running her in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle after her second win over hurdles, there is a clear case to be made that she is well handicapped off a mark of 118.

The cheekpieces may well be the means that allow her to show that sort of improvement on the track. This will most likely be the softest ground she has encountered, but she seems to be the type to handle such conditions. She looks to have a big chance.

Racing... Only Bettor. Watch below.