ITV Racing Tips: Pitmen’s Derby the thunderous Saturday climax

Super Saturday of racing on the ITV channel, as per, taking in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, a G3 6f sprint at the same track, plus some outstanding action from York.

EIGHT races will be beamed LIVE all told, kicking in with the 13:40. The perfect accompaniment to a bit of World Cup football (big match on tonight I believe?), and quite apart from the ITV fare it's a great day's sport, with the likes of Chester, the Curragh, Chepstow, Windsor and Lingfield to enjoy too.

Horse Racing Odds

Full ITV schedule;

13:40 Newcastle - 7f handicap

13:55 York - 1m handicap

14:10 Newcastle - 6f G3 Chipchase Stakes

14:25 York - 5f handicap

14:40 Newcastle - 2m 0.5f Northumberland Vase handicap

14:58 York - 7f G3 Criterion Stakes

15:15 Newcastle - 2m 0.5f Northumberland Plate handicap

15:45 Newcastle - 6f handicap

Rationale;

13:40 Newcastle - Bobby Bennu @ 6/1

Excellent prizemoney on offer at Newcastle today, where the proverbial Pitmen's Derby is the highlight - the Northumberland Plate handicap.

Our opener is a highly competitive-looking affair, and as with several selections today I think looking closely at the each-way possibilities might be the way to go - I'll leave that with you (we're paying four places here).

Bobby Bennu is the selection, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Ray Dawson. The five-year-old Phoenix Of Spain gelding has a Bunbury Cup entry and might need to win this and receive an appropriate penalty to get in as he's rated 92.

There are over 40 horses ahead of him in that handicap at present (max field 19) and of course though all are unlikely to want to run he'd surely need the leg-up a penalty would bring if that particular engagement was a realistic ambition.

Only one spin so far this term, a pleasant reintroduction at Chester four weeks ago (beaten 2l at this trip/grade). This is a very talented, consistent type who I'm sure gives ownership group Middleham Park Racing XLIII tremendous fun and entertainment.

Bright e/w chance in a cracker.

13:55 York - Wild Nature @ 15/2

Sixteen are slated to face the starter for our first look at York this afternoon, in this mile handicap. Betfred are paying four places each-way.

Our pick is the Ed Bethell-trained Kingman gelding Wild Nature, a four-year-old out of a Shamardal mare, who has two wins from 11 starts to date. Last time, at Musselburgh, he rather fluffed his lines and faded after racing prominently.

That was over 7f and he steps up a furlong here, a trip at which he's been successful before (Kempton) and also gone close (Newmarket). This is an easy, super-flat mile and the horse should enjoy his first look at the Knavesmire.

One considerable advantage - our pick has the benefit in the saddle of one Oisin Murphy, five-time champion jockey and full-time genius on a racehorse. Wild Nature won't have too far to travel from Ed's Middleham base and he's got a definite squeak.

14:10 Newcastle - Wiltshire @ 9/2

Top-drawer trainer William Haggas has winners everywhere, but certainly can make his presence felt at Gosforth Park. He saddles Wiltshire in this, a six-year-old course-and-distance scorer ridden by Cieren Fallon, tackling Group company for only the second time.

He looks well worth a shot at it again but especially here, where he's so proved so effective. Wiltshire has an early entry into Goodwood's Stewards' Cup too, and with five wins from 18 starts is a great credit to connections, especially given the ridiculously competitive nature of these big sprints.

His last win was off 96, here, in April (Class 2 handicap), and he's operating off 102 today (career-high was 105, Oct/Nov 2024). Given his obvious liking for the Geordie air he's got a decent chance even if he does have a bit to find on official figures with pretty much all of his rivals!

14:25 York - Our Cody @ 7/1

Another race with Betfred paying four places each-way, and a typically red-hot minimum-distance sprint up the Knavesmire straight.

Our fancy is a three-year-old Kodi Bear filly, fresh from a superb close-up fourth in a Sandown Listed contest two weeks ago; Our Cody.

Former top jock Richard Hughes trains, and the vastly-experienced Neil Callan rides for the first time. The horse's last three assignments have been a Newmarket G3, a Sandown Class 4 handicap, then that Listed race at the same venue. Now for this warm Class 2 handicap, and 15 likely rivals.

She's evidently very well regarded and has stacks of ability. Drawn six, around mid-div, is no hardship and she seems versatile in terms of run-style. I've a feeling we're about to see a very significant performance from her.

14:40 Newcastle - Believitanducan @ 3/1

Dual -purpose, veteran maestro Alan King sends his five-year-old Make Believe gelding up north from Wiltshire to contest this consolation for horses who didn't quite get into the Northumberland Plate.

A marathon trip then for Believitanducan, who won with conviction in a lower grade at Chester last time over a similar trip four weeks ago. He's run a couple of times here before - two of his first three runs ever in fact - and he disappeared out of the back of the TV on both occasions. Fair to say he's a completely different proposition these days.

He's up 5lb from Chester, to a career-high flat mark of 82, but is in tremendous form. Billy The Kid was on top last time but as he's at Windsor Will Buick has been secured - definitely a positive in my book.

We're paying five places e/w - this one's not an absolutely obvious e/w price (still can go that way though, of course); but if you fancy anything else at bigger odds it could be a handy route to take.

14:58 York - Qirat @ 11/1

G3 action now, for three-year-olds and above, at 7f.

The Criterion Stakes was a fixture at Newmarket for many years but is now part of York's programme. Small field this time around, and two dominate the betting - but I'm chancing a bigger-priced runner in the form of Juddmonte's five-year-old Showcasing gelding out of a Dansili mare Qirat.

In August last year he ran a blinder in the G1 City Of York over this trip, failing by 2.5l to match Never So Brave, who will be a warm order for this as he's a rival once again this afternoon.

The selection is rated 6lb inferior to his conqueror from last summer but he evidently enjoys York and fast summer ground, which he's likely to get again, and if Never So Brave is feeling his Epsom G3 exertions on that rather testing Betfred Derby weekend ground, we might, just might, get real close to pulling off a bit of a shock.

Another massive plus for me is that we've got the brilliant Brazilian Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle, for the first time. He's a force of nature, and might just unlock a little bit of extra magic from our fella.

Whatever happens, should be a wonderful race to savour.

15:15 Newcastle - Ride The Thunder @ 7/1

And so to the big one - the Plate itself, established back in 1833. Two miles-and-change, with a big purse (around £77k) to the winner. Betfred are paying five places each-way.

I'm with a four-year-old Night Of Thunder gelding, out of a Sea The Stars mare. Beautifully bred then - the gloriously-named Ride The Thunder. Just eight runs so far, and one win - a Nottingham maiden back in June.

Very consistent since that point though, sent handicapping, and is creeping up the weights without winning; a very frustrating scenario for connections. He's trying this marathon trip for the first time too, but 1m 5f and 1m 6f has proven within compass so there's plenty of confidence on that score.

He was only gelded in December, and has had just one subsequent run in 2026; a close-up third at Hamilton in a slightly lower grade than this in mid-May (beaten 1.75l).

Could be excused then for thinking this was the plan all along, to have a prep (for which he's been raised 2lb), then wait and protect his mark until a tilt at this big, valuable prize.

Roger Varian again trains, and Ray Dawson, for whom it could be a very big day, has the riding assignment. It's an historic contest and is invariably an absolute thriller.

15:45 Newcastle - Power Fizz @ 5/2

It's that man Mr W Haggas again, Cieren Fallon once more in the plate, this time with a four-year-old Wootton Bassett gelding who has an impressive four wins from eight starts to date.

Power Fizz is another who has a hankering for Newcastle's Tapeta surface with two wins from a many starts here. This is a 6f test but he gets 7f well enough and I like horses that have that bit of extra yardage in them, for such competitive tests.

His last run and win, here, was over 6f in a slightly lower grade but still worth £28k to the winner and he was 1.75l up at the line - quite cosy for a warm 14-runner sprint handicap.

He's another entered in the Bunbury Cup at HQ. He's rated 97 ahead of this, a mark which would leave him around 29th (max field 19) for that big handicap. A penalty then for potentially taking this might not be the worst of outcomes ...

NAPS Table with Betfred Insights.