ITV Racing Tips: William loves a winner on the Knavesmire

Terrific action is always the order of the day when the ITV cameras bring us the very best of Saturday's contests - and this week is certainly no exception.

We've got FIVE from Newcastle, including the fabled 'Pitmen's Derby' (The Northumberland Plate). We're at York for three, the highlight being a 7f Group 3; and finally the G1 Pretty Polly from The Curragh, with Andrew Balding's Kalpana hoping to steal the prize from the home side which is scheduled to include Aidan O'Brien's Betfred Oaks second, Whirl.

We start at 13:40 for a NINE-race bonanza - here's our ITV Racing Tips for June 28.

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Full ITV Schedule

Newcastle
13:40 - 6f JenningsBet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap
14:10 - 6f JenningsBet Nun Street Newcastle Open Chipchase Stakes (Group 3)
14:40 - 2m JenningsBet Northumberland Vase (Handicap)
15:15 - 2m JenningsBet Northumberland Plate (Handicap)
15:45 - 7f Pertemps Network Handicap

York
13:55 - 1m Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Mile (Handicap)
14:25 - 7f Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes (Group 3)
15:00 - 5f Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash (Handicap)

Curragh
15:30 -1m 2f Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)

Rationale;

13:40 Newcastle - Aramram @ 4/1

Finished a terrific sixth, beaten 2.75l, in the Wokingham a week ago at the Royal meeting after rather missing the kick early doors. Played catch-up subsequently, and couldn't quite reel 'em in.

This Hannon-trained four-year-old Blue Point colt had previously won at Newbury in fine style off 94 and looks to take this off 98. Aramram has the class to do just that for me, and Sean Levey is on top.

This is a very, very hot handicap!

13:55 York - Archivist @ 4/5

My colleague Owen thinks this is just about the best bet of the entire weekend, and though I'm ever-so-slightly less enthusiastic it's still very definitely the one to beat here in my view.

Archivist races in the famous silks of the Cheveley Park Stud, is in the care of William Haggas, and Tom Marquand is in the saddle. He's well treated as a three-year-old against mainly older horses and was an eye-catching winner of a Leicester maiden when last seen 25 days ago, by 4.5l.

The three-year-old Dubawi colt has been a model of consistency in his six runs so far and is another with some nice entries going forward, including the John Smith's Cup here in a couple of weeks.

This is a progressive type who might be about to take off, literally and metaphorically. Huge chance.

14:10 Newcastle - Kind Of Blue @ 11/8

Wathnan Racing rarely leave the bigger meetings empty-handed these days, and their G3 entry here Kind Of Blue has the kind of ratings edge that suggests further success could well be imminent.

James Fanshawe trains at HQ, and the owner's regular retained pilot James Doyle is in the plate. Last time at Chantilly over 5f at the start of the month he reared at the start and lost all realistic chance.

Prior to that, last autumn, the four-year-old Blue Point colt went close in Haydock's big G1 sprint and then went one better in the same grade at Ascot in the Champions Sprint.

This G3 really should be at his mercy (famous last words), as a stepping stone to the July Cup perhaps, or Glorious Goodwood (entered up in both). Another absolute ripper.

14:25 York - Lake Forest @ 6/4

Well; another Haggas/Marquand conveyance, and as trainer William is a very proud Yorkshireman he absolutely loves having a winner on the Knavesmire.

Could be another for the scrapbook then - and this four-year-old No Nay Never colt ran a blinder in the Queen Anne 11 days ago when finishing 2.75l behind Docklands.

Lake Forest made ground late without really being in any position to land a telling blow, and York's spacious, verdant pastures might well be more to his liking in terms of mounting a decisive challenge at the business end.

Has kept some very good company throughout his 10-race career and win number four looks highly achievable this afternoon.

14:40 Newcastle - Tryfan @ 11/2

James Doyle once again has the riding assignment - this time on a gelded four-year-old son of Nathaniel in the care of Harry Charlton.

Tryfan is two-from-10 all time, and the former Brain Ellison-trained charge will be having spin number three for new connections. Last time he recorded a fine win at Salisbury over nearly this far (1m 6f), and has both run well and indeed won before at this venue.

Looks to have a decent racing weight of 9st 4lb with the joint topweights shouldering eight pounds more, and that course familiarity could be key.

15:00 York - Squealer @ 17/2

Rowan Scott rides this five-year-old Mehmas gelding for trainer Nigel Tinkler, fresh from finishing a neck second in a Class 3 at Donny three weeks ago.

Squealer steps up in class this afternoon, but is evidently in fine fettle and on his career-high form of last summer off marks in the 93/94 environs he'd surely be pretty lethal today off 88.

Nigel is a North Yorkshire training legend that seems to have been around for ever, and recent winners for the yard at Beverley and Donny confirm the old magic very much remains.

Squealer has won here over just in excess of this 5f trip and here's hoping he can be super-competitive this afternoon; and at a nice price.

15:15 Newcastle - Onesmoothoperator @ 10/1

The big one in Newcastle's calendar - the Pitmen's Derby, the Northumberland Plate, run over a stamina-sapping 2m and half-a-furlong.

I have a warm memory of last year's renewal because I backed Onesmoothoperator, who sliced his way through the field from the rear and won really as he liked, at 12/1.

This time around he's up a stonking 12lb, but such was the manner of that win that I'm not about to desert him now. We're paying five places each-way so you might want to consider that sensible option.

He's won in Australia since last summer, and also finished a magnificent 12th, beaten just 5.75l, in the Melbourne Cup. This is a very, very stiff ask at the revised weights, but the seven-year-old gelding is evidently a very talented, classy individual.

Heart's perhaps ruling head, but I can't look elsewhere. Small stakes for me, but a famous old race to savour whatever happens.

15:30 Curragh - Kalpana @ 6/5

Cracking renewal of the Pretty Polly. Group 1 form, a Classic angle, Aidan, thoroughly viable British and French raiders - it's got the lot.

Kalpana races in the Juddmonte Farms silks, new retained jockey Colin Keane is in the plate, and Andrew Balding trains. The four-year-old filly must give a whopping 12lb to Oaks runner-up Whirl, but I think she might be capable of doing just that.

In the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup 34 days ago she ran extremely well to be third, behind winner and good yardstick Los Angeles, and Anmaat, who got to within 2l of the electric Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales's at the Royal meeting. Ombudsman looks now to have the Eclipse at his mercy - it's a serious piece of form all right.

High-class stuff - but similar can be said of Whirl, second by a whisker in the Betfred Oaks. The weight difference does concern me this afternoon - and at around this 10f distance Whirl was pretty impressive in York's Musidora, back in May.

It's going to be tight but I just favour Kalpana in what's surely a terrific and dramatic horse-race waiting to unfold.

15:45 Newcastle - Native Warrior @ 5/1

Down to 7f now, and another Wathnan Racing inmate with The Doyler on board.

Native Warrior is with the mighty Karl Burke, enjoying a fine season, and last time at Windsor 33 days ago this four-year-old Wootton Bassett gelding looked to be hitting close to top form when finishing second, beaten 2l, over a mile.

Before that he'd been fairly close-up in the Lincoln on seasonal reappearance at Donny, beaten 4.75l, and the winner that day Godwinson won a tidy prize himself on Thursday at this very track.

Native Warrior is well entered up (big Heritage summer handicaps at Ascot, and Goodwood), and can take this very nice pot en route.

ITV Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.