ITV Racing Tips: Eclipse to throw up another sensational winner?

Another mighty fine Saturday offering courtesy of the ITV cameras. We've Group 1 action at Sandown with the Eclipse Stakes - and there's a G3 and a Listed clash among the supporting gems on offer.

We're off to Newmarket too for a G2 and a couple of cracking handicaps. SEVEN races LIVE on the channel all told, starting at 13:50. While you take it easy ahead of the footie tomorrow night at naughty o'clock here's our ITV Racing tips - enjoy a fabulous afternoon of sport.

Horse Racing Odds

Full ITV schedule;

13.50 Sandown - 5f Sprint (Group 3)
14.25 Sandown - 1m Handicap
15.00 Sandown - 1m Listed Race
15.35 Sandown - 1m 2f Eclipse Stakes (Group 1)

14.05 Newmarket - 1m 6f Handicap
14.40 Newmarket - 1m 4f Lancashire Oaks (Group 2)
15.15 Newmarket - 1m 6f Old Newton Cup Handicap

Can I just add before chatting about today's racing my respects and good wishes to the family and friends of Graham Bradley, former top National Hunt jockey, who sadly passed away in recent days.

I saw him many, many times riding some fantastic racehorses for the likes of Michael Dickinson and David Elsworth. He was a stylish, big-race competitor on the grandest of stages, and many highly qualified weighing room colleagues and judges like John Francome have said some lovely things about his talent, and qualities as a person.

Brad was a one-off. Won most of the sport's biggest baubles, often with the kind of swagger and panache only at the disposal of the very best. Illuminated our sport, and will be very fondly remembered.

Rationale;

13.50 Sandown - Rumstar @ 11/4

This six-year-old warrior, by Havana Grey and trained by Johnathan Portman, is a course-and-distance scorer with six wins from 30 career starts - but he's not got his head in front since around this time last year; in this very race.

Rumstar has had six runs since, including three G1 assignments, and in this G3 company at a track that obviously suits I fancy him strongly to arrive late in signature style and do the business, for regular pilot Rob Hornby.

Superstar Aussie G1-winning mare Asfoora will have her supporters, and after a couple of below-par efforts performed much more like her old self at Royal Ascot 18 days ago (beaten 2l in the G1 King Charles III).

Fabulous sprint to kick us off.

14.05 Newmarket - Lopeo @ 4/1

The David Menuisier-trained three-year-old gelding Lopeo, by Lope De Vega out of a Teofilo mare, has two creditable seconds to his name since being sent over middle-distances this term and despite creeping up the handicap without winning he must have a great chance at HQ on Saturday.

The trainer, admittedly from a small sample size, is in sizzling form with four winners from his last 14 runners. The brilliant Hector Crouch has been engaged to ride, for the first time, and since being gelded in November the horse's form in those two aforementioned outings has skyrocketed.

Time to strike this afternoon on what will be only his sixth lifetime start, so bags of room for further improvement- big chance.

14.25 Sandown - Indalo @ 7/2

Our selection for this handsome prize Indalo is coming to the boil nicely after two spins this term, and is in the form of his life.

The five-year-old Phoenix Of Spain gelding is trained by Roger Varian at HQ, and will be ridden by Ray Dawson. He 'won' his race on the far side at Royal Ascot in the 28-runner Hunt Cup, losing out by 2.5l overall in finishing third.

He's been raised a pound for his trouble to a mark of 99 but is obviously extremely competitive right now and seems to relish top of the ground. Huge chance, and a decent-looking draw in the three box.

14.40 Newmarket - Lava Stream @ 9/1

Another mighty combination - this time that of trainer David O'Meara and jockey Danny Tudhope.

They team up here with a five-year-old Too Darn Hot mare, with the dam by Mastercraftsman - the beautifully-named Lava Stream. Three wins from 11 starts so far, and this is a lady who's been dining at some prestigious tables over the last few years.

Beaten a neck in a G2; respectable efforts at G1 without looking quite up to that level, arguably; and a Listed win, too. She takes in this G2 with two solid reappearance runs this campaign behind her, at Nottingham and York, the last of which was a 3.75l reverse at the hands of Danielle on the Knavesmire (G3) 42 days ago.

Looking at the likely price, as long as the number of runners remains enough to sustain three places for each-way purposes that could well be the way to go in this one. Has a bit to find on official marks with Tiffany but otherwise is bang in the mix with the rest - and the yard are having winners (fabulous victory for Cheveley Park's Estrange for example in the G1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh last weekend).

15.00 Sandown - Secret Of Life @ 7/1

The deadly duo of Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan combine here - how many times have I said something like that over the past two or three years?

They are responsible for a three-year-old Pinatubo filly out of a Galileo mare - Secret Of Life. She's unbeaten in two spins so far; a Wolves maiden and a Haydock novice.

Nice jump then into Listed company today, but well warranted and she has some fancy entries going forward including two G2 heats at Goodwood (plus next week's G1 Falmouth at HQ, which I'm guessing will come a little too soon but is a measure of her standing).

She's not really been extended so far and has a lovely mix of speed and stamina in her breeding. Could well get a bit further in time but this stiff mile should suit beautifully. Yet another cracking race.

15.15 Newmarket - Paddy The Squire @ 7/1

Warm-looking handicap, a likely hot favourite in the shape of Klassleader, but again I'm looking for an entry at an each-way price to run a big race for us.

Iain Jardine motors down from Dumfries & Galloway with his six-year-old gelding by the majestic Golden Horn out of a Galileo mare - Paddy The Squire.

Sensational breeding then, and a very respectable horse with four wins from 19 starts all told. He's arguably as good as ever right now, and when last sighted at Ascot over slightly further at the Royal meeting was beaten just 2l in a field of 16, off a mark of 100.

He's been raised a miserly pound by the mean old assessor but is evidently in great heart and can surely go very close in what's another outstanding-looking contest.

15.35 Sandown - Gethin @ 9/2

So to the G1 highlight today, the Eclipse Stakes. Former winners include veritable gods of the game like Sea The Stars, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Dancing Brave, Nashwan, Halling, and Golden Horn. Wow!

This year's renewal will do well to feature anything of their calibre but it's still a belter in its own right and who knows? I'm with Gethin, a Wathnan Racing-owned James Doyle-ridden four-year-old by a sire who won this very race himself back in 2020 - beating the magnificent racemare Enable into the bargain.

Gethin ran in a G3 here in May when last seen and was beaten just a neck by the great Ombudsman, now rated 132 after his stupendous Royal Ascot win in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes.

I'm thinking Gethin is surely a deal better than his current mark of 117, and as such represents great value in my book against the likely fairly skinny Ballydoyle favourite Constitution River.

The selection has presumably had this as his target since that fantastic run in the Brigadier Gerard 37 days ago, and he's got a raft of typical G1 entries going forward including the King George and the Juddmonte.

Terrific contest in prospect, and this one is my nap on the card.

NAPS Table with Betfred Insights.