Saturday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data for ITV Racing at Musselburgh and Sandown

• French recruit stands out on form

• Afadil can return to form at Musselburgh

• In d'Or can complete a hat-trick

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

Rachael Blackmore Superboost

Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore has some decent chances on the first day of the Dublin Racing Festival today, including one on Monty's Star in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at 15:30.

The horse has never finished outside of the top four when completing in his whole career, and today you can back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 - from 4/61.67 - to finish in the top four again. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the bet banner below to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

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Maitre En Science sets a high standard

This doesn't look the deepest contest and the form that Maitre En Science brings from France stands out in this field. He built on the promise of his hurdling debut when opening his account at Dieppe, form which worked out well, the runner-up and fourth both winning next time, and he was impressive when following up under a penalty at Clairefontaine on his final start in September.

That race also worked out really well, comfortably beating a whole host of subsequent winners, while the runner-up has won a Grade 1 since and the fourth has also been successful in listed company.

Maitre En Science travelled with plenty of enthusiasm that day, his jumping fast and fluent and he was just pushed out hands-and-heels on the run-in to prevail, making up quite a bit of ground in the process. He has since joined a yard that do very well with new recruits and he's fully 11lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, while he still has the small 'p' attached to his rating, highlighting he's open to further improvement. 

Afadil back for more at Musselburgh

Afadil has won at this meeting for the last two years, an easy winner of the Scottish Triumph Hurdle in 2023, and this race 12 months ago, so there is reason to think he can kick start his season now at a track he clearly likes - he has the Horses For Courses Flag to highlight that fact. 

Admittedly, he has been disappointing so far, but he raced on the wrong part of the track in what was torrid ground at Southwell last time, and that run is easy to overlook.

It's worth remembering the form he showed in some top-end handicaps after winning this last season, form which makes him look very interesting, especially now he's down to a career-low mark of 120 (4lb lower than 12 months ago). The return to a sound surface round a sharp track like Musselburgh will suit him well and he looks too well treated to ignore at present. 

In d'Or on an upward curve

In d'Or is a relatively lightly-raced seven-year-old who has made an excellent start to his career over fences and he is up to completing a hat-trick.

He made a winning debut in this sphere at Taunton and that form is working out very well, with the runner-up winning twice since, including a valuable pot at Windsor, and the fourth also won on his next start.

In d'Or followed up with the minimum of fuss at Ascot last time and, while that wasn't a strong race for the track, he always looked in control and beat the favourite with more in hand than the four-length margin suggests. He is 8lb higher and in a stronger race now, but he is clearly a horse on the upgrade - he has the Timeform 'small p' attached to his rating - and testing ground could see him to even better effect.

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