Top tips for Saturday! Dave Nevison, Martin Dixon, Andy Stephens (RaceiQ), Johnny Ward and Nic Doggett mark your card for the action across Newmarket, Redcar and Gowran Park, live on Racing TV, and Ascot.
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1.35 Newmarket: Blue Bolt
Tipster: Nic Doggett.
Hawksbill hasn’t yet come good for Richard Spencer, but it does look a matter of time, based on recent runs, and this big-field, seven-furlong event could be a good opportunity.
The selection will definitely be staying on at the end of this cavalry charge as he stays a mile, but these races are often won by similar types who appreciate the stiff track at Ascot.
He finished second at Ayr last time out in another high-grade handicap on heavy ground, but is equally well suited to the better ground here, and seems to have done well with the draw.
3.20 Redcar: Satellite Of Love
Tipster: RaceiQ nap of the day (Andy Stephens).
There are few more satisfying sights than watching a thoroughbred tank through a race and beat a big field on the bridle.
Limato provided a vivid example when trouncing 22 rivals in the Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar in 2014. He went on to July Cup glory and much more, winning 14 of his 33 races and earning more than £1.4 million in prize money.
It's unlikely we have another Limato in Saturday’s edition of the race, but Satellite Of Love looks well above average and he is fancied to take the spoils before going on to even bigger things next season.
On official ratings, the field of 13 can be stripped doiwn to a match between Satellite Of Love (105) and Revels (104). The former’s rating is hard to quibble with after he made a valiant bid to concede 7lb to the 102-rated Night In Vegas in a similar Sales race at Doncaster last time, pulling clear of a 95-rated rival who was receiving weight.
But the latter’s is questionable given he was all out to win a handicap off a mark of 85 at Goodwood in July and well-beaten off a 5lb higher mark in a handicap at York the following month.
The assessor has bumped up Revels after his close fourth in the Mill Reef Stakes last time. He almost certainly did she some improvement, but a whole stone? That’s dubious as was well placed in a race not run at especially strong fractions, reflected by the RaceiQ Time Index being 6, when the meeting average was 6.8.
Satellite Of Love’s numbers look more solid. He won a novice stakes over 6f at Newbury in July in a time almost 1sec quicker than the RaceiQ standard (Time Index 7.1 when the meeting average was 5.9), finishing off with three “fast” furlongs.
Next time at York he had the misfortune to bump into Sun Goddess but did make encouraging late gains, finishing fifth after being 14th two out, and last time he went to another level in running Night Of Vegas to half a length (pair clear) on those unfavourable weight terms.
The Doncaster data also looks robust, with the win time being 2.11sec quicker than the RaceiQ Par (Time Index 8.5 when meeting average 7.7). Satellite Of Love was ridden much prominently than he had been at York and hung in there, being quicker than all bar the smart winner in each of the final two furlongs.
He looks easily the most solid prospect in the race.
3.35 Ascot: Hawksbill
Tipster: Dave Nevison.
Hawksbill hasn’t yet come good for Richard Spencer, but it does look a matter of time, based on recent runs, and this big-field, seven-furlong event could be a good opportunity.
The selection will definitely be staying on at the end of this cavalry charge as he stays a mile, but these races are often won by similar types who appreciate the stiff track at Ascot.
He finished second at Ayr last time out in another high-grade handicap on heavy ground, but is equally well suited to the better ground here, and seems to have done well with the draw. He's my nap of the day on Saturday.
3.40 Gowran Park: Shadow Paddy
Tipster: Johnny Ward.
I was strong on this six-year-old at Galway when he was not at his best, but still won.
Giving weight to these rivals looks a fair bit tougher, but he has lots of class, and 11-2 is arguably too big.
Trainer Eoin McCarthy had a deeply frustrating time at the Listowel Harvest Festival, but his team are running well.
5.40 Redcar: Mo Of Cairo
Tipster: Martin Dixon.
Starting the year, I thought Mo Of Cairo would be a progressive three-year-old after he'd improved with pretty much each juvenile outing, including when an excellent second in a competitive nursery last year. However, the season started slowly for him.
A wind operation in the summer seems to have worked the oracle, though, as he's looked back to his best the last twice, and didn't get the clearest passage when second at Musselburgh just three days ago.
He's off the same mark here, and the strong pace that looks likely will suit perfectly. He'll need some luck in running but, granted a smooth passage, I think he'll be hard to beat.
ALEX SCOTT'S LONGCHAMP TIPS