Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Best bets for Ayr and Newbury

The ITV cameras will be showing five races from Ayr on Saturday afternoon, including the feature Ayr Gold Cup (1535), and four from Newbury with the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes (1515) the highlight.

We will start off with a quick run through our tips, with the reasons why we've picked them further down the page.

If you fancy a punt or two, check out the Planet Sport race centre which will show you all the live odds, racecards and results.

Ayr specials in all races: Bet minimum £20+ cash on any runner to earn a £5 free bet, or a £20 free bet for every £100+ cash, if the favourite wins the race (click to see qualifying terms and t&cs)

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)

 

Saturday's selections:

13:15 (Ayr)  Titan Rock

13:30 (Newbury) Sense Of Duty

13:50 (Ayr) Royal Rhyme

14:05 (Newbury) Valsad

14:25 (Ayr) Rathbone

14:40 (Newbury) Le Mans

15:00 (Ayr) Navassa

15:15 (Newbury) Mister Sketch

15:35 (Ayr) Albasheer

 

13:15 (Ayr)  Titan Rock

Titan Rock returned after a three month break with a good second at Thirsk.

Remains well-handicapped off current mark and tries a longer distance.

Isla Kai broke through for a well-deserved Ripon victory when last seen at the end of August and is proven over this trip.

Judgment Call was a winner earlier in the campaign and placed both starts since including a second at this track over seven furlongs and shouldn't be discounted.

 

13:30 (Newbury) Sense Of Duty

William Haggas runs another of his big guns at Newbury when Sense Of Duty finally returns to action from a 455-day absence in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes.

Before her enforced lay-off she looked a hugely progressive sprinter, beating this year’s King’s Stand runner-up Annaf by four and a half lengths in a Group Three at Newcastle.

She may prove rusty and the ground may be too soft, but to stand any chance on Champions Day she needs to be going very close.

 

13:50 (Ayr) Royal Rhyme

Kevin Ryan’s Royal Rhyme appears to have been handed a great opportunity in the Virgin Bet Doonside Cup to win his first Pattern race.

The withdrawal of My Prospero gives the race a totally different complexion and given the way he won a valuable Goodwood handicap last time out, he is ready for the step up in class.

He can take this on his way to Ascot and Champions Day.

 

14:05 (Newbury) Valsad 

Valsad scored at the Southwell Racing League fixture among similar company ten days ago.

The four-year-old posted a good second here prior and is a leading contender.

Oneforthegutter showed plenty of ability at Doncaster last week finishing a close second tackling a handicap in this grade and should be respected.

Sea King and Salt Bay should also be in your calculations.

 

14:25 (Ayr) Rathbone

Rathbone sits near the bottom of the handicap and is expected to relish the conditions.

Last seen winning by a neck at Doncaster over 6f and is well worth considering.

Cairn Gorm broke through with a success at York prior to a solid fifth at Goodwood. Experienced with this level of competition and could go close.

Aplomb can take advantage of a low weight. Placed twice since a short break and continues to improve.

 

14:40 (Newbury) Le Mans

Le Mans is a promising filly with two victories and a runner-up effort from three starts including a success in a lower level handicap at Salisbury two weeks ago.

Will be a serious player up in class and can maintain a progressive profile.

Balance Play scored at Chester tackling this trip and at Goodwood before a disappointing result at York. Could bounce back.

Totnes bids for a hat-trick following wins at Chelmsford City and Chepstow attempting this distance.

 

15:00 (Ayr) Navassa Island

Michael O’Callaghan’s Navassa Island looks overpriced in the Virgin Bet Firth of Clyde Stakes.

She might have taken four attempts to break her duck but the second, third and fourth from her Curragh win all scored next time out.

 

15:15 (Newbury) Mister Sketch

Eve Johnson Houghton has had a good year with her juveniles and Mister Sketch can make it even better by winning the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes.

A wide-margin winner at Salisbury, he has since been bought privately by Wathnan Racing and their record at snapping up subsequent big-race winners is very good.

 

15:35 (Ayr) Albasheer

Albasheer can win the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle.

While his form figures do not suggest he is the most consistent of sprinters, winning only once this season, his style of running means he needs everything to drop right for him to get his head in front.

That has happened only once this season, and even then he dead-heated with Summerghand, last year’s winner of this and probably the horse to which most other handicap sprinters can be rated.

That day at York, Doyle still did not quite have things go to plan perfectly as she did not get a clear run until a furlong out, but once Albasheer was in the clear, he displayed a very smart turn of foot whereas Summerghand enjoyed a much more straightforward passage.

Given they dead-heated and they meet on exactly the same terms again there should not be much between them once more, but the impression is still there we have not quite seen the best of Albasheer.

Backing him you are praying for luck, but there is no doubt the ability is there.