Matt likes the look of one-time high-class juvenile Flight (14:25) now dropping in grade.
Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing betting tips
13:30 Beverley – Desert Shadow
13:50 Sandown – Woroodd
14:05 Beverley – Regional
14:25 Sandown – Flight
14:40 Chester – Tabletalk
15:00 Sandown – Take Heart (each-way)
15:15 Chester – Thunder Roar (each way)
15:35 Sandown – Pacific Avenue
*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.
After the joys of York, ITV Racing is back Saturday with action from Sandown, Chester and here at Beverley, starting with this handicap over 1m2f. There is a chance Crown Of Oaks blows this field away but there is a small chance of her getting trapped on the rail from stall 1.
For that reason, I will go with the more experienced DESERT SHADOW for the outstanding Saeed bin Suroor and Kevin Stott. My selection is up 1lb for a fine second at Sandown last time, but he’s better than that effort as he hung a bit on the day. A lightly-raced son of Siyouni, this horse stays well and has more to give.
13:50 Sandown – Woroodd
ITV starts at Sandown with a handicap over 7f. The big question is, how good is WOROODD? She might be chucked in off 85 from a good draw, with the excellent Kieren Shoemark on top. I suspect she will enjoy any easing of the ground compared to the good-to-firm when she last raced.
Ed Walker is banging in winners and many of her rivals are at the top of their handicap range. It’s always hard for a lightly-raced type against hardened handicappers, but she might be far too classy.
14:05 Beverley – Regional
Up in class now for a Listed race for sprinters over 5f. REGIONAL should be far too good for this field and the only real worry is that it’s a long time since his last win in the Group 1 sprint at Haydock – which came back in 2023!
Since then he has put up numerous good efforts in defeat, including when third at Royal Ascot to American Affair in the King Charles III, a race in which Nunthorpe heroine Asfoora was back in fifth. Draw 3 is perfect. Simply no excuses today for Ed Bethell and Callum Rodriguez.
14:25 Sandown – Flight
Up in class now for the Group 3 Atalanta for fillies and mares over 1m, and there’s sure to be a good pace here. Admittedly, FLIGHT has a horrible draw in stall 13, but this is a big drop in grade after three Group 1 efforts this term, including a second to Desert Flower in the 1000 Guineas.
The form of that race is very iffy, but it’s still Classic form. Any rain won’t be a problem, and Flight was a high class juvenile finishing third in the Oh So Sharp and May Hill. Oisin Murphy rides for Ollie Sangster.
Action at Chester gets under way with this Listed contest over an extended 1m6f. On paper, TABLETALK is hard to oppose with a mark of 113. He races off levels with big rival Alsakib, who is only rated 109, and comes into this in fair form having finished third at York last time to Al Qareem.
Tabletalk stays this trip well enough, although he would not want a slog. Ideally he’ll win just because he’s too good for Jack Mitchell and Tom Clover.
15:00 Sandown – Take Heart (each-way)
A handicap over 1m2f. TAKE HEART (each way) might surprise a few here if the rain comes for David Menuisier and Kieran Shoemark. My hope is down to a mark of 92 now, having been up to 99 with former trainer Johnny Murtagh. He won a decent handicap at Goodwood last season and was a fine ninth in the Irish Lincoln.
A good horse on his day, he just needs to recapture some form for new connections. An eachway chance.
15:15 Chester – Thunder Roar (each way)
A handicap over nearly 1m. If a bit of rain comes, then THUNDER ROAR (each way) might not be out of this, and so gets an eachway shout for the Coyle/Wood combo with Cieren Fallon aboard.
My selection has one really good effort this season, when second to Pearl Eye in the Spring Mile at Doncaster. That came on good to soft and he hasn’t had those conditions since. A mark of 94 is workable. An eachway chance.
The big Classic trial of the day in the Group 3 Solario over 7f. Publish is promising, but so is PACIFIC AVENUE for William Buick and Charlie Appleby. The Newmarket winner beat a more fancied stable companion on debut and should handle any softening of the ground and will stay strong.
A brother to a Group 3 winner, he has every chance to match his relation here.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s Saturday ITV Racing betting tips
13:30 Beverley – Desert Shadow
13:50 Sandown – Woroodd
14:05 Beverley – Regional
14:25 Sandown – Flight
14:40 Chester – Tabletalk
15:00 Sandown – Take Heart (each-way)
15:15 Chester – Thunder Roar (each way)
15:35 Sandown – Pacific Avenue
*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.
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