Saturday Racing Tips: 14/1 Sprint Cup selection heads four fancies

There's seven meetings scheduled across the UK & Ireland on Saturday, including the Sprint Cup card at Haydock.

My Saturday racing tips features a 14/1 each-way fancy for the big Group 1, plus bets at Ascot and Kempton.

13:50 Haydock - Across Earth @ 10/1

My first interest on Saturday is Marco Botti's ACROSS EARTH in this three-year-old handicap over 1m6f.

After a couple of promising efforts in defeat following a gelding operation back in May, the son of Golden Horn finally got off the mark at the eighth attempt when taking a six-runner handicap at Yarmouth in late July off a mark of 74.

That was his first go over further than 1m4f and he seemed to relish it, powering over two lengths clear of the runner-up Aulis, who was sent off 6/5f. That horse franked the form the other day by winning at Southwell with a bit to spare.

Given the manner in which the selection won at Yarmouth - a track I think mirrors Haydock quite well - and how lightly-raced he is at this distance, a rise of six pounds looks manageable.

There's no doubting this is his toughest assignment to date, but he's going the right way and odds of 10/1 are very fair.

My suggestion is to win, but as this is a Super Extra Place Race with 4 available instead of 3 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets, I couldn't put anyone off making use of those terms.

14:35 Kempton - Lion's Pride @ 5/2

Ah, my dear friend LION'S PRIDE. I've followed the four-year-old Roaring Lion colt since his first day at school and it's been a frustrating journey, I think it's fair to say.

I fancied him antepost for last year's Betfred St Leger after he hacked up at Kempton on his second start - a race which worked out exceptionally well - but the rest of his campaign didn't pan out how I thought it would.

That being said, he was a highly-impressive and frankly against-the-odds winner back at Kempton in November, beating multiple Group 1-winner Measured Time by a comfortable two-and-a-quarter lengths. I was on the runner-up this time... of course.

John & Thady Gosden's half-brother to Courage Mon Ami has disappointed me again in his three outings so far this term, but I have to give him another shot back at his stomping ground. It's crystal clear he loves the Polytrack.

If returning to the form he showed here last year, I'd fancy him to beat current favourite Hamish even on a going day. However, the latter put in a rare poor performance last time out and at eight years old that cannot be a good sign.

Andrew Balding's three-year-old filly Kalpana is also a danger, but I thought it was a weak race she won at Hamilton in July and although she receives stacks of weight here, I doubt if she's up to the task.

15:35 Haydock - Kind Of Blue e/w @ 14/1

Of course, the big race on Saturday is the Sprint Cup. Sixteen go to post for the Group 1 over six furlongs, with a healthy £234k awaiting the winner.

I think it's fair to say there's no standout among the current crop of sprinters. It's a wide-open division and with little separating much of the field, I think there's excellent value on offer.

None more so, in my humble opinion, than James Fanshawe's KIND OF BLUE.

The three-year-old son of Blue Point only began his career in April and wasted no time in getting going, winning his first two starts before finishing fourth, beaten four lengths by the reopposing Inisherin, in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

That was a mighty effort, not only as it was just his third attempt but also because he was playing up on his way to post - as was his subsequent third to Elite Status, who also reopposes, in a Group 3 at Newbury the following month.

Since then he's been a narrow runner-up to Givemethebeatboys, another repeat opponent, at the same level in Ireland and now he lines up here as the most lightly-raced runner in the field for a trainer in red-hot form (25% strike rate courtesy of seven winners from 28 runners in the last fortnight).

At the quoted price, it's well worth chancing he has more to give and can at least make the frame.

This is an Extra Place Race, with 4 available instead of 3 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets. Betfred are also offering your stake back (up to £10) as a free bet if your selection finishes 2nd.

15:55 Ascot - Two Tribes @ 5/1

Finally, I suspect it may pay to go to war with TWO TRIBES in this 0-98 handicap over six furlongs.

Bar one sub-par effort at the Royal meeting here in June, Richard Spencer's three-year-old gelding has been extremely consistent throughout his career, despite only recording the one win.

However, I feel he's been knocking at the door lately in more competitive contests - including the Constantine Handicap at York's Ebor Festival last time out - and as his mark of 90 has remained steady, he holds strong claims down in class.

The form of his trainer adds further confidence, with the Suffolk handler operating at 25% strike rate with three wins from his last 12 runners.

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