Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s three for Irish Oaks day

A bumper Saturday awaits, courtesy of eight cards - including but not limited to the Irish Oaks meeting at the Curragh and Premier Raceday fare from Newbury and Market Rasen.

I've had a good look at the many races and come up with three Saturday racing tips, highlighted by a 9/4 Nap.

14:10 Ripon - Stargazed @ 3/1

Karl Burke is an outstanding trainer, especially of juveniles, and his Zoustar filly STARGAZED can be his 30th winning two-year-old of the season at Ripon on Saturday.

The full-sister to Breeders' Cup winner Starlust disappointed on debut in a Class 2 at York last month, but posted a much-improved performance at Beverley just over a fortnight ago, going down by only a length-and-a-half to a well-bred, expensive newcomer for Richard Fahey. In second and third were more-established horses rated 74 and 73.

I see absolutely no reason why Stargazed won't take another step forward and run to a figure in the high 70s, if not touching 80, which ought to be enough to land this modest contest.

14:57 Newbury - Regional @ 9/4

One of the races of the afternoon is the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury - a Group 3 over six furlongs - and I struggle to see past the consistent REGIONAL for Edward Bethell.

After making the transition from handicapper to Group sprinter in 2023, winning the Sprint Cup at Haydock that September, the Territories gelding has been a mainstay in the division.

Since then, he's placed in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot twice - including just last month - and finished third in the Al Quoz Sprint out in Dubai in April.

Sometime in-between, he was fourth in this race last year, behind the reopposing Elite Status. However, Karl Burke's runner was in better form at the time and the selection carried a 5lbs penalty. They're off level weights this time.

Him aside, there's nothing of the calibre of rivals he's become used to competing against here, and it'll be very disappointing if he can't put them away.

16:55 Newmarket - Understudy @ 5/2

My final selection on Saturday is UNDERSTUDY in the Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes - a Listed event over 1m4f.

John & Thady Gosden's three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars, in the famous black and yellow silks of Bjorn Nielsen, ran a blinder to finish runner-up at odds of 40/1 in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and should enjoy this ease in grade.

Before Ascot, she notched a straightforward success at Southwell in May, confirming the promise shown in a warm affair on debut at Newmarket earlier that month.

If she can replicate her Royal Ascot effort, or even improve on it, she's very much the one to beat in this field of 10.

Spirited Style, another three-year-old, is the big danger as far as I'm concerned, but my preference is very much with Understudy.

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