Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s selections includes a 13/2 NAP

On a stacked Saturday featuring the Cheveley Park Stakes, Middle Park Stakes and Cambridgeshire Handicap - click the links to read my tips for those races - I've got a handful of selections for you to consider.

My Saturday racing tips are headed by a 13/2 NAP at Newmarket.

13:30 Haydock - Navagio @ 9/1

NAVAGIO, who is being aimed here instead of the Cambridgeshire, rates a great bet for Haydock's opener.

James Horton's five-year-old is a soft-ground specialist who's dropped to a mark of 88 having been rated eight pounds higher back in March, when a highly-respectable third of 20 in the Lincoln at Doncaster.

The rest of the season hasn't gone to plan, but he's had excuses for a handful of sub-par efforts - and his run at Ascot earlier this month following a 71-day break was a lot more like it, even though the handicapper clearly didn't agree (he was dropped three pounds).

With that run under his belt, conditions to suit and Richard Kingscote, who is mustard on Merseyside, in the saddle - and the reapplication of the tongue-tie and cheekpieces which were used to good effect during his time in Ireland - he has a significantly better chance than his odds suggest.

Betfred will return your stake (up to £10) as a free bet if your selection in this race finishes second. T&C's apply.

13:50 Newmarket - Royal Playwright @ 13/2

The support act to a mouth-watering three races at HQ is the Royal Lodge Stakes - a mile-long Group 2 for two-year-old colts.

I think the market at time of publication is grossly underestimating Andrew Balding's ROYAL PLAYWRIGHT.

The son of Lope De Vega was an impressive winner on his debut at Salisbury in July, before finishing third to the exciting Field Of Gold (rated 109) and Matauri Bay (107) in the G3 Solario Stakes at Sandown late last month, earning his current mark of 103. That's only a pound inferior to current favourite Luther, a Listed winner at Haydock the other week.

Oisin Murphy has been waxing lyrical about his mount in the build up to the race, suggesting he's improved plenty since the last day and referring to a particularly strong piece of work he did last week. Murphy also put the selection, whom he's certain will appreciate the step up in trip, forward as his best chance of a winner on Saturday.

The heavy ground is a question mark - as is the case for the majority of his six rivals - but being by Lope De Vega and a half-sister to stablemate See The Fire I am optimistic on that front.

At the quoted price, this is NAP material.

14:35 Curragh - Hotazhell @ 9/4

Exactly 45 minutes later is another Group 2 juvenile contest over a mile - the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh - which can go to Jessie Harrington's HOTAZHELL.

The son of Too Darn Hot is the highest-rated (107) of the five runners and his form behind Aidan O'Brien's Henri Matisse in the G2 Futurity Stakes is a clear standout.

As far as I'm concerned there's nothing of that calibre in this field and I see no reason why he can't take another step forward, especially with the step up in trip likely to suit. That ought to be enough to win this.

16:30 Listowel - Law Ella @ 7/1

Soft, potentially even heavy ground can also be expected for the final day of Listowel's Harvest Festival, which is ideal for LAW ELLA ahead of this 2m6f handicap chase.

Gavin Cromwell's seven-year-old mare, whose form on soft or worse reads 122241142, is still very lightly-raced over fences and she reappears this term following a career-best effort when second to Marsh Wren, who's now rated 145 after finishing third in the Mares' Chase at this year's Cheltenham Festival, by less than a length in a Listed contest at Thurles back in February.

That suggests her current mark of 130 is lenient and if she's fit and ready to go, the daughter of Yeats ought to make a bold bid in this company.

16:45 Newmarket - Spanish Blaze @ 11/2

If at first you don't succeed, try again, and again, and again...

Marcus Tregoning's SPANISH BLAZE is becoming expensive to follow, for he keeps suggesting he's capable of more and then letting me down.

His latest effort at Doncaster's Betfred St Leger meeting was a carbon copy of his previous one, breaking slowly before making eye-catching progress too late in the game.

However, I'm willing to give the Phoenix Of Spain gelding one last chance on this heavy ground, which should slow things down a touch and give him that extra time to get his head in front.

There's only so many times I can say this, but he's due a win. Hopefully it comes on Saturday.

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