Saturday Racing Tips: Kevin Blake's backing Bridge and Stream on Betfair Sprint Cup day

• Top class action across Europe this weekend

• Kevin Blake fancied Bay Bridge in Kempton's opener

• Mill Stream fancied to go well in Betfair Sprint Cup

The top-class Flat action comes thick and fast at this time of year and this weekend is right up there with the best of them.

The Irish Champions Festival takes centre stage in Ireland, with the Betfair Sprint Cup card at Haydock and a wonderful card of action at Longchamp in France rounding off a feast of top-class fare over the next two days.

Kempton - 13:35: Back Bay Bridge

The action at Kempton on Saturday kicks off with a cracker in the shape of the Unibet September Stakes (13:35).

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge wouldn't have looked at all out of place in the Irish Champion Stakes had he run there, but his connections have opted to drop him in class and they look to have found him an excellent opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Before he was famous, Bay Bridge broke his maiden on the Tapeta at Newcastle back in April 2021 and for a horse that likes a little ease in the ground, the way the surface is likely to play at Kempton should be to his liking.

Bay Bridge is a top-class performer at his best, winning the British Champion Stakes last year and finishing in the frame in three other Group 1 contests. This is a big drop in class for him and while Israr is a progressive and likeable performer, he faces a very tough task to give away 5lb to Bay Bridge.

I would expect Bay Bridge to win this in good style and it should put him spot on for his bid to defend his crown in the British Champion Stakes next month.

Haydock - 15:35: Back Mill Stream E/W

Over at Haydock, the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes (15:35) is the main event. The betting market revolves around Shaquille after he created such a strong impression in winning the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.

Considering how much he does wrong in his races, it is remarkable that he has been able to do what he has done in his last two starts. In terms of raw talent, he might well be well in front of his opposition, but if he continues to do so much wrong in his races, it will catch up with him and that possibility make his current odds look quite skinny.

The one I like against him is the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Mill Stream.

The three-year-old isn't all that different to Shaquille in terms of profile in that he has shown substantial improvement this year. Of course, he has yet to reach the sort of level that Shaquille has, but the promise is there.

He has been particularly impressive in his last two starts in France and while more will be required here, his arc of improvement is such that more progression could well be forthcoming. He represents a fascinating alternative to Shaquille.

Watch Racing...Only Bettor Betfair Sprint Cup special