Horse Racing Tips: Suite Francaise backed for Haydock glory

The unique racing event that is the Shergar Cup takes centre stage on Saturday with all the races from Ascot, while there are seven other meetings taking place across the UK and Ireland. Along with Ascot, there is also action to take in from Haydock, Newmarket, Redcar, Ayr, Lingfield, the Curragh and Kilbeggan.

Among our three Saturday fancies is an improving filly trained by William Knight who has shown a liking for the July course.

14:25 Haydock - Suite Francaise @ 5/1

Charlie Johnston’s SUITE FRANCAISE isn’t the highest-rated runner in the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock, but she is improving at a time when many of her rivals arrive with a bit to prove on recent efforts.

A sister to Listed scorer Francophone, the daughter of Study Of Man won her first two starts, including a dominant victory over course and distance in May. She pulled four and a half lengths clear of the favourite that day, while third-placed Brielle, who was in receipt of 7lb, has won since and is now rated 82, so the form looks solid.

Suite Francaise was thrown into Listed company next time and ran better than the result suggests, when three and a quarter lengths behind Blue Bolt at Sandown last month. She was giving the winner plenty to think about before fading late on, having taken a keen hold.

She should be suited by the return to a less taxing track and looks the value option in a wide open race, especially if she learns to settle better.

15:07 Newmarket - Royal Velvet @ 2/1

The July course at Newmarket can be quite a specialist track and William Knight’s ROYAL VELVET has taken well to it in recent starts.

She has posted back-to-back career-best Racing Post Ratings (RPR) on her last two starts, both at this track, following her half-length third in June with a one-length victory at the July meeting last month.

That race in June has worked out brilliantly. The first and second filled those places at Goodwood next time, albeit the other way around, and the disappointing favourite Two Tribes has landed the International and Stewards' Cup since, while the fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th have all run well in defeat since.

The way Royal Velvet came through from off the pace last time suggested she can make an impact from higher marks and she may be underestimated by a 4lb rise to a mark of 86, given she recorded an RPR of 93.

16:30 Ascot - Arisaig @ 4/1

The downpour on Thursday at Glorious Goodwood meant ARISAIG missed her intended engagement in the Golden Mile but the quicker ground on offer at Ascot should be to her liking in the closing mile handicap.

Charlie Johnston’s filly was an eyecatching second, coming from the rear, to the front-running Classic at Sandown last time and that form has since been franked by the winner, who was narrowly beaten in the International at Ascot last month.

She tends to show her best when going around a right-handed bend, as she did when looking unlucky to only finish fifth in a Listed contest at Goodwood in May won by Crimson Advocate, who has landed the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes and been placed in the Group 1 Falmouth since.

The round course at Ascot should suit Arisaig much better than when down the field in the Kensington Palace Stakes on the straight track on her last visit, and she looks well treated from a mark just 1lb higher than last time.

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