ITV Racing Tips: Balding’s Beverley raider can shine in ten-race TV feast

It's pretty standard procedure that we're blown away by Saturday's ITV racing coverage but this one really is a belter. We've got FIVE from a Betfred-sponsored afternoon at Haydock Park, including the 5f Group 2 Temple Stakes; TWO from Goodwood, including a Listed fillies' clash with daughters of the mighty Frankel to the fore; TWO more from Beverley, notably the Hilary Needler; and the small matter of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas from the Curragh, with arguably unfortunate Betfred 2000 Guineas runner-up Field Of Gold looking to go one better than at Newmarket.

TEN races all told, and it all kicks in at 13:15. Here's the programme in full, and some thoughts about how it all might pan out.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

Full ITV Schedule;

Haydock

13:15 THE BETFRED SUPPORTS JACK BERRY HOUSE HELL NOOK HANDICAP STAKES (Class 3) 1m 37y

13:50 THE BETFRED SILVER BOWL HANDICAP STAKES (Class 2 Heritage Handicap) 1m 37y

14:25 THE BETFRED 'NIFTY 50' BRITISH EBF HEDGE OF OAK STAKES (Listed) 1m 2f 100y

15:00 THE BETFRED SANDY LANE STAKES (G2) 6f

15:30 THE BETFRED TEMPLE STAKES (G2) 5f

Goodwood

13:30 HARROWAYS HANDICAP STAKES (Class 2) 7f

15:15 HEIGHT OF FASHION STAKES (Listed) 1m 1f 197y

Beverley

14:10 THE HILARY NEEDLER TROPHY EBF FILLIES' CONDITIONS STAKES 5f

14:45 TWO YEAR OLD TROPHY EBF CONDITIONS STAKES 5f

Curragh

15.40 THE TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS - 1M

Rationale;

13:15 Haydock - Candonomore each-way @ 8/1 (1/5 odds 4 places)

3lb claimer Amie Waugh, so deadly when teaming up with trainer Jim Goldie, is booked here to partner Tim Easterby's four-year-old Almanzor gelding  Candonomore. Regular pilot David Allan is at Beverley - more about his prospects shortly.

Nice prize, with £16k to the winner of this Class 3 one-mile handicap, and given that the selection takes a step up in class he's got a fabulous racing weight of just 8st 8lb even before factoring in the further small reduction, courtesy of Amie's three.

Course-and-distance winner, too - always a big help - and a horse very much on an upward curve. Career-best material last time at Leicester, for which he's been raised 4lb, but we've yet to see this one's ceiling for me.

Makes plenty of each-way appeal and I'll be playing accordingly.

13:30 Goodwood - Uncle Don each-way @ 6/1 (1/5 odds 5 places)

If a 17-runner 7f handicap at Goodwood doesn't give you mild palpitations, I salute you - and do tell me your secret! More potential for late traffic problems here than two lanes down on the M25.

However - that's the thrill of the chase, and for very modest stakes I'm recommending a little each-way interest on Richard Fahey's raider from Musley Bank, North Yorkshire - Uncle Don.

This one runs in the famous Middleham Park racing silks, and is a three-year-old colt by Oasis Dream. Five starts so far, and one success - a Beverley maiden as a two-year-old when comfortably beating Big Mojo, who won a G3 at Ascot last month.

Uncle Don meanwhile returned for a new campaign at HQ on May 3 and was rather left behind at 6f, so this step up to 7f looks perfect. Ryan Moore was booked to ride on that occasion, and it's evident that the horse is held in high esteem by connections.

Billy Garrity rides - his only booking on the card. Smashing e/w prospects for me, in a very warm-looking contest.

13:50 Haydock - King Caspar @ 9/2

The Betfred Silver Bowl - classy three-year-olds contest a red-hot one-mile Class 2 Heritage Handicap, with just over £50k to the winner.

King Caspar represents trainer Hugo Palmer and Manor House Stables, fresh from a reappearance win at Newmarket 37 days ago in a sensational career-best performance, under Oisin Murphy.

He's up 9lb for that and is raised significantly in class, but such was the manner of his victory you'd have to say that this tilt is very much warranted - and he's won here before, as a two-year-old.

This is still only career start number five and there could be any amount of further improvement to come, particularly from this yard who do so well here.

Jason Hart is unsurprisingly in the plate, and even if Murphy was being considered in terms of maintaining their brief but successful partnership, he's at the Curragh chasing a Classic - again, more of which later.

14:10 Beverley - Argentine Tango @ 4/1

Jockey David Allan has four booked rides on this Beverley card, but I'll wager he's looking forward the most to this one.

Argentine Tango was narrowly beaten by the re-opposing Ali Shuffle, on debut here, back in mid-April. Since then this two-year-old Mattmu (Nunthorpe-placed) filly has won a Pontefract maiden, and finished a close second at Carlisle, improving nicely for her racing.

She looks ready to me on this stiff 5f track to take a further step forward, and the fabled Hilary Needler could be hers if maintaining momentum, and perhaps maximising the advantage of drawing starting stall number two.

Tim Easterby trains, a talented and shrewd gentleman from one of the most notable racing families anywhere on the racing planet.

14:25 Haydock - Running Lion @ 7/4

Team Gosden field their five-year-old Roaring Lion mare who has plenty going for her in this Listed 10.5f affair.

This is a Group 2 winner with 7lb and more in hand on her field if one takes official marks at face value, and Running Lion has had a pipe-opener for the season already earlier this month at HQ, looking as if the run would bring her forward.

The training combo of John and Thady G are in grand order too, with a 24% strike-rate over the last 14 days.

She's entered up (G1) at the Royal meeting, if she's straight she'll surely take all the beating on these terms, and Cieren Fallon has the riding assignment; for the first time on the racecourse, at least.

Her sire won the Juddmonte at this trip in 2018, a feat I was privileged enough to witness, and career win number six potentially beckons.

14:45 Beverley - Old Is Gold @ 13/8

Potential favourite Naval Light makes lots of appeal, getting 3lb for not having had the benefit of a run, and given the Wathnan Racing/Karl Burke credentials.

However - one horse who has had the advantage of a start is my selection Old Is Gold, a two-year-old Mehmas colt who ran a blinder in a good Ascot novice under Oisin Murphy two weeks ago, beaten a length by a Godolphin/Charlie Appleby inmate.

He showed plenty of boot from the gate (5f, same as today) and it often pays to be pretty handy here. However - it's however-time again - with only six scheduled to start there shouldn't be any hard-luck stories and everyone can run their race, fingers crossed.

Trainer Andrew Balding journeys from Kingsclere, and has booked a top practitioner from predominantly the north, JP McDonald. Cracker of a heat.

15:00 Haydock - Symbol Of Honour @ 3/1

This is one of the races of the day for me. A 6f G2, massively competitive, with potential plot twists galore.

The selection Symbol Of Honour is housed with the high-flying Charlie Appleby (39% strike-rate); a progressive three-year-old Havana Grey gelding who impressively took a Listed prize at Newbury a week ago in the style of a really good horse.

He's in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting and at around 10/1 he's extremely well-fancied for it already. A powerful display here will fuel those dreams even more.

Will Buick, who else, will be doing the steering for the boys in blue.

15:15 Goodwood - Music Piece @ 9/2

Just the 10 runners this time over this beautiful racecourse's unique contours, for a 10f Listed, fairer-sex affair.

We're with trainer Andrew Balding once again, and his daughter of Epsom hero Camelot, out of a Cape Cross mare. Music Piece is progressive, has run three times all told, and on seasonal reappearance ran a close third in a decent Sandown novice, doing her best work late on.

She's got an early-closing entry in the Irish Oaks (July 19), and one hopes her current penchant for tardy starts can be ironed out with experience, though she's got plenty of time to get organised this afternoon.

Yet another fantastic-looking contest, with two 'Frankels' running in the famous Oppenheimer silks for Team Gosden adding greatly to the spectacle.

15:30 Haydock - Rumstar @ 10/3

Another absolute standout heat - the G2 Betfred Temple Stakes, for 5f flying machines.

Three weeks ago at HQ Rumstar achieved an empathic career-high when taking a G3 by 1.25l. The five-year-old Havana Grey gelding saw his official mark rise 2lb as result and this is a logical step up for what we might even describe as trainer Jonny Portman's slightly late bloomer.

It's evident he thinks the world of him and Rob Hornby, so cool at Newmarket, again has the riding assignment. He's in the G1 King Charles III Stakes at the Royal meeting (formerly the King's Stand), and though that might be ambitious this, for me, is certainly within his compass.

15.40 Curragh - Officer @ 17/2

The Irish 2000 Guineas, won by a few superstars down the years - the likes of Kingman, Rock Of Gibraltar, Mastercraftsman, Sadler's Wells and Dubawi, to name but a few.

Arguably unfortunate in finishing a running-on second in the Betfred 2000 Guineas at HQ a few weeks ago, Field Of Gold will be a warm order to go one better in the Curragh's Irish equivalent, but he's entering the lion's den somewhat and I'm assuming AP O'Brien among others could just have something to say about the prospect of the Classic being for export.

I'm siding then with Aidan's son of one of those heroes above (Dubawi); his bay colt out of a Galileo mare, Officer. Progressive profile, and with only three runs to date, two of which have been this term, he's got any amount of improving in him.

When last seen 19 days ago he took a Listed prize from Currawood on this track at the one-mile trip, really warming to the task late in the piece and asserting with great authority.

Looks a shoo-in to get further, and could take this late with a dramatic swoop. The top three in the market are all by milers, but that Galileo stamina influence on the selection's dam's side might just tip the scales our way in terms of resolution in those searching, final championship metres.

Looks a fabulous renewal to me, linking as it does the English and Irish Guineas form.

ITV Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.