This is one of those Saturdays when the Flat racing in Britain lacks an outstanding feature race, so the betting interest may instead gravitate to Market Rasen, which stages a typically compelling Summer Plate. The very versatile Calett Mad (3.15) looks one to stick with on a sound surface at odds of 9-1.
Nigel Twiston-Davies had him in handicap chases at the age of four and he fared well that winter, going down by just a head at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting. He had a productive time over hurdles last season but should now, aged six, be able to improve on his old chasing form and take a hand here.
Tips for Saturday’s TV races
1.50 Newbury It’s interesting to see Frankie Dettori booked to ride once more for Al Shaqab, the pair of them having ended their retainer earlier this month. Dettori was also aboard Fajjaj when he was second in the German Guineas and the colt is worth a try against older horses at this level, despite having been outclassed in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot when Josephine Gordon was aboard. Cheekpieces are on for the first time.
2.05 Market Rasen Fourth in this race last year and now 2lb lower, Mystic Sky is worth chancing, under a claiming jockey whose strike-rate over hurdles in this country is 32%.
2.25 Newbury He evidently needed his reappearance run at the July meeting but Hochfeld might be capable of a much better showing now, with a bit of extra distance to cover. Mark Johnston’s four-year-old showed plenty of ability when scoring three times at staying distances last summer and seemed happiest on a sound surface. The market is understandably obsessed with the Willie Mullins runner, Stratum, but Hochfeld tempts at the each-way price of 16-1.
2.45 Newmarket For the yard that won this Listed prize two years ago, Dramatic Queen is worth a second look. This first attempt at a mile and a half is likely to suit the filly, whose dam won over two miles. She showed some promise when making much of the running in the race won by Sea Of Class last month.
3.00 Newbury This is a step down in class for Invincible Army, who was only beaten four lengths when an admittedly disappointing ninth in the Commonwealth Cup. He played up behind the stalls that day and may not have shown his best but looked a horse to follow when scoring at Ascot in May, and pushing Sands Of Mali close at Haydock. He finished in front of Equilateral at the Royal meeting, so it’s not clear that he should be twice the price of that rival here even with a 3lb turnaround.
3.35 Newbury A devilish race to unscramble, this two-year-old cavalry charge could fall to Tin Hat, who outran odds of 50-1 to be fifth in the Windsor Castle last month. The horse who finished half a length in front of him that day has since won a Group Two, while two of those behind have since been first and second in a Listed contest. Tin Hat’s previous effort was also sound, so that probably wasn’t a fluke and the chestnut should at least fare well in this scrum.
5.30 Curragh Those with access to At The Races will also be able to see the Irish Oaks, in which a fast surface should enable Magic Wand to turn around the Epsom form with her stablemate Forever Together. Odds of 6-4 are fine about a very classy filly.
Market Rasen 1.35 Stole The Show 2.05 Mystic Sky 2.40 Included
3.15 Calett Mad (nap) 3.50 Champagne City 4.25 Dreamcatching
5.00 Atlantic Storm
Newbury 1.50 Fajjaj 2.25 Hochfeld 3.00 Invincible Army (nb)
3.35 Tin Hat 4.10 Wise Counsel 4.45 Homeopathic 5.20 Amazour
Cartmel 1.55 Mac Tottie 2.30 Candy Burg 3.05 Uptown Funk
3.40 Alys Rock 4.15 Bambi Du Noyer 4.50 Oriental Fixer
5.25 David’s Phoebe
Newmarket 2.15 California Love 2.45 Dramatic Queen 3.25 Mr Wagyu
4.00 Vintager 4.35 Major Partnership 5.10 Rogue 5.40 Breath Caught
Ripon 2.20 Pair Of Savannas 2.55 Eljayeff 3.30 Indomeneo
4.05 Appointed 4.40 Shouranour 5.15 Ad Libitum 5.50 Se You
Lingfield 5.45 Ashazuri 6.15 Rare 6.45 Timoshenko 7.15 Porto Ferro
7.45 Raskolnikov 8.15 Fearless Warrior 8.45 Dear Bruin
Haydock 6.00 Humbolt Current 6.30 Line Of Duty 7.00 Salsabeel
7.30 Outcrop 8.00 Ingleby Hollow 8.30 Flying Foxy
