Matt is keen on Insanity in the 14:05 at York.
Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV racing tips
13:15 Newmarket – Liberty Lane
13:30 York – Flying Comet
13:50 Newmarket – Endorsement
14:05 York – Insanity
14:25 Newmarket – Al Zanati
15:00 Newmarket – Oxagon (each-way)
15:15 York – Strike Red (each-way)
15:40 Newmarket – Manxman (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
It’s Newmarket and York on ITV Racing Saturday, starting here with the Group 3 Darley Stakers over 1m1f. LIBERTY LANE is tough and consistent and should give this column a run for our money. This time last year he progressed to chase home the recently retired Lead Artist in this event, and he’s run well this season including when winning a Listed event at Goodwood. Has to give a bit of weight to the younger horses but should have every chance for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee.
York starts here with the Listed Rockingham Stakes for juveniles over 6f. FLYING COMET kept on really well in the Mill Reef at Newbury last time which has Group 3 status and this is a slight drop in class. Prior to that the Simon & Ed Crisford inmate had been consistent all season including when fifth in a very valuable contest in France. Strong claims here under Danny Tudhope.
The Group 3 Zetland Stakes for youngsters over 1m2f. ENDORSEMENT looked likely to be a very strong stayer when scoring over 1m1f at Tipperary where he had to go round the outer and won going away at the line. He could well be a Derby or St Leger type in the making and is bred to be a star being by Wootton Bassett out of a Galileo mare in Embellish. Wayne Lordan rides for Aidan O’Brien.
A handicap over an extended 1m2f. A good chance this for INSANITY to get a decent win on the board for Alan King and Connor Beasley. A drop in trip might be a very decent ploy for this five-year-old who has been consistent of late over 1m4f and has a lovely draw to work from here in box 5. His third at Ascot off 96 was a fine effort and then he was second at this track to Asgard’s Captain from 97. Up to 99 today but a fine racing weight of 9st 3lb.
14:25 Newmarket – Al Zanati
Another Group 3 in the Autumn Stakes for juveniles over 1m. AL ZANATI was a very useful winner on debut at Newmarket on the July course when well fancied on debut. He kept on battling hard that day despite drifting left through greenness. He’ll improve from race to race and whatever he does here I suspect he’s very useful for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.
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The big juvenile race of the season in the Group 1 Dewhurst over 7f. I want to take an each-way chance here with OXAGON for Oisin Murphy and John & Thady Gosden. On the day I suspect connections were a little disappointed with his second to Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, but that horse won a Group 1 in France at the weekend so it now looks very strong form. Having been short of room, Oxagon ran right to the line that day and was only beaten a length. The son of Frankel is clearly very useful and he could be massively overpriced here with Distant Storm, Zavateri and Gstaad in the line up.
A decent betting heat in the Sprint Trophy Handicap over 6f. STRIKE RED did nothing for me in the Ayr Gold Cup when I was sure he would run a big race. He’s been dropped 2lb for that shocker which means he has every chance of a place here at least. Three runs ago he was second in the Stewards’ Cup when rated 94 so has a big chance on handicaps marks. A few quid each-way again with Billy Garrity riding for Richard Fahey.
The big betting race of the day in the Cesrewitch Handicap over 2m2f. MANXMAN has to be the value here after he returned to form with a staying on third at Goodwood last time. The Simon & Ed Crisford-trained inmate had been out of sorts in two runs prior to that effort, but had been a decent winner at Goodwood earlier in the season. Last term he was second in this off a mark of 86 and while he goes off 94 here I still think he can play a decent part from a perfect draw in stall 2. Jack Callan takes off 5lb which actually means he’s only 3lb higher than twelve months ago. An each-way chance.
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