Saturday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a top rated with a 'p' at 9/1

14:20, Newmarket - more to come from lightly-raced Alcarath

The Suffolk Stakes at Newmarket is the spring equivalent of the Cambridgeshire, run over the same nine-furlong trip but with a smaller field, and the one who takes the eye towards the foot of the weights is Alan King's lightly-raced four-year-old Alcarath.

He gets in here on a BHA mark of 89 which makes him look well treated judged on the form of his win in a novice at Epsom last September. His winning margin flattered him slightly, but he impressed with the way he came well clear of the favourite Gamrai who is another progressive gelding. In fact, Gamrai has done plenty for the form since, making a successful reappearance in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton, and runs in the mile and a half handicap later on the card from a BHA mark of 97.

While Alcarath was a beaten favourite on his handicap debut at Redcar on his final start last year, he looks well worth another chance to show that he's on a good mark, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings with the 'p' to indicate he's open to further improvement.

14:55, Newmarket - last year's winner Rumstar returns for in-form yard

Alcarath's jockey Rob Hornby could notch a quick double as he partners last year's winner Rumstar in the Palace House Stakes. He looks capable of making a bold bid for a repeat success in the Group 3 contest which he won with an improved effort on his reappearance twelve months ago.

That wasn't Rumstar's first win over five furlongs at Newmarket, either, as he had landed the Cornwallis Stakes there as a two-year-old. He also put up another smart effort later last season which was at least as good, beating the Palace House runner-up She's Quality on worse terms in another Group 3 at Sandown. Rumstar had excuses at the end of last season, encountering soft ground at Newbury and then being poorly drawn in the Prix de l'Abbaye.

The Abbaye was the second time last season that Rumstar finished behind the Australian mare Asfoora, who also had him back in fifth in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, but she looks vulnerable under a 7 lb penalty here. As well as heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, another positive is that Rumstar's stable is in form with Jonathan Portman having the 'Hot Trainer' flag.

15:35, Newmarket - Distant Storm can follow in sire's footprints in 2000 Guineas

Aidan O'Brien has trained a record ten winners of the 2000 Guineas but his last success came in 2019 and it's Charlie Appleby, who has the 'Hot Trainer' flag, who has been the trainer to beat in the first classic of the season in recent years, winning three of the last four renewals.

Appleby is represented by two leading contenders this year in Distant Storm and King's Trail, both progressive colts, with preference for the former who will be bidding to provide William Buick with a third consecutive win in the race. Distant Storm won at both Newmarket courses last year, and he looked potentially out of the top drawer in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes last September, producing a telling turn of foot to quicken clear and win by just under five lengths.

Distant Storm couldn't reproduce the same burst in the Dewhurst Stakes later in the autumn but still ran very well in third behind the ill-fated Gewan. That still leaves him to turn form around with runner-up Gstaad, but he's expected to do so, remaining a top prospect with the step up to a mile expected to suit as he's a son of Night of Thunder who was a 2000 Guineas winner himself.

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