Saturday Racing Tips: Owen documents a trio with fine chances

Seven cards make up Saturday's schedule, including the continuation of the Irish Derby meeting from the Curragh, Newcastle for the Northumberland Plate and York. Further flat fare is provided from Chester, Doncaster, Lingfield and Windsor.

The former three are the destinations for my Saturday racing tips, which includes a couple of strong fancies and one in the big one up in the North East.

13:15 Curragh - Dorset @ 4/6

There's a whole host of unknown quantities in the opener at the Curragh on Saturday - a two-year-old maiden over seven furlongs - but I'll be surprised if anything can match the standard Aidan O'Brien's DORSET promises to set.

The son of Wootton Bassett, who fetched €400k in October last year, was a highly-encouraging second to stablemate Amadeus Mozart, 10/11f and the choice of Ryan Moore, on debut over course and distance earlier this month.

I suspect that's a strong piece of form. The winner could be anything and the third-placed Ipanema Beach ran respectably behind a couple of Ballydoyle's top juveniles - including Charles Darwin who won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last week - on his previous outings. Flanker Jet (fourth) and Maximum Scepticism (fifth) look fairly handy too.

O'Brien's youngsters tend to come on plenty for their first day at school and with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle, it's fair to say there's any amount of improvement to come from this one.

He's fancied to get the weekend off to a flyer.

13:55 York - Archivist @ 4/5

The Nap on Saturday is William Haggas' ARCHIVIST, who I felt had a fine chance if getting a run in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

Obviously, given his presence on the Knavesmire on Saturday, he didn't, but Ascot's loss is York's gain.

The three-year-old son of Dubawi proved useful during his time under the retired Sir Michael Stoute last year, and he got off the mark at the second attempt since joining Somerville Lodge at Leicester earlier this month.

That was a modest contest, but his form behind the likes of Starzintheireyes (108), Seaplane (105), Smoken (95) and Secret Theory (97) speaks for itself. Hopefully he can start turning those seconds into firsts.

In the 24 hours prior to the aforementioned Golden Gates Stakes, Haggas withdrew his other runner The King's Falcon. This is purely speculative, but I do wonder if that was an attempt to get the more-fancied Archivist into the race. If that's the correct reading of the situation, they must really fancy his chances in this significantly easier event.

Archivist is entered in the John Smith's Cup here next month and if he's going to have any chance of lining up there, he simply has to be winning this to earn a five-pound penalty, for he's currently #72 and needing 50 to pull out.

George Boughey's hat-trick seeking Cadarn can give him a bit to think about under the brilliant William Buick, but otherwise this is a modest affair, especially in relation to his Ascot assignment, and I'll be bitterly disappointed if he's beaten.

15:15 Newcastle - Dancing In Paris each-way @ 11/1

The big race on Saturday is the Northumberland Plate on the all-weather at Newcastle. Twenty go to post for this £81k handicap over a testing 2m½f.

With Betfred paying 5 places on the ultra-competitive affair, an each-way chance is given to DANCING IN PARIS for Ian Williams.

The five-year-old has developed into a consistent, hardy type in these staying handicaps and his latest effort at Goodwood last month, over a couple of furlongs shorter, is arguably the standout form of his career.

He was just half-a-length behind John & Thady Gosden's French Master, who went on to land the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot last week off four pounds higher.

Dancing In Paris can be marked up slightly, too, for he was denied a run at the three-furlong pole and wasn't exactly spoiled for time when space arrived to deliver his challenge.

A patient running style is suitable for this race, however, and a rise of just two pounds seems fair given the strength of that form. He's got a fine chance at a good price.

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