Saturday Racing Tips: Best bets from Chester, Sandown & York

A super Saturday is made up of eight meetings - from Bath, Chester, Downpatrick, Hexham, Leicester, Sandown, Uttoxeter and York. In the evening, once the racing is done, there's also the small matter of Brazil vs Morocco in the World Cup. Imagine not liking sport?

Anyway, here's my Saturday racing tips - featuring selections at 11/4, 7/2 and 11/2 at time of publication.

13:50 York - Arqoob @ 11/2

We begin at York for the Queen Mother's Cup Handicap - a 0-90 contest over 1m4f for amateur female jockeys.

Nine go to post and it's ARQOOB for Lucy Wadham and Brodie Hampson who takes my fancy.

Despite being eight years old, the son of Estidhkaar is clearly still in rude health after finishing fifth, just over two lengths off the pace, in a competitive affair at Newmarket last time out on seasonal reappearance.

Unofficially, this is an easier assignment for the dual-purpose gelding, who ought to run a big race under the brilliant Brodie. She boasts a 14% strike rate over the past five seasons, clocking 29 winners, which is unrivalled by her peers on Saturday. A big advantage in these contests.

14:10 Chester - Jeddaal @ 7/2

JEDDAAL is at risk of becoming a cliff horse of mine, but he deserves one more chance at Chester.

Ed Walker's three-year-old son of Lope De Vega was a fancy of mine at Haydock last month, but things didn't go at all to plan and he could only manage third of 10, just under two lengths off the pace.

Approaching the four-furlong pole, he was dead last. He made good headway from there, but it was too little too late. I think Ashley Lewis, a talented and rather prolific (14% strike rate in the past five seasons) apprentice, would like another go on that one.

The young jock gets his chance on Saturday and hopefully he'll have Jeddaal, who's up just one pound, a lot closer to the pace, which is essential at Chester.

He was well-backed on Merseyside and could be again - especially if Haydock hero Mohaaraj obliges in the opener at Sandown just 40 minutes earlier - so he's a good bet in my eyes.

15:00 York - Mount Atlas @ 11/4

Back to York for the Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes, which sees the admirable Al Qareem bid to repeat last year's feat.

Karl Burke's seven-year-old is one of the toughest, most consistent horses in training, and it'd be no surprise if he goes in again.

However, his performance in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month was his worst for a while, and there's not much to split him and MOUNT ATLAS anyway.

Andrew Balding's five-year-old son of Masar was just touched off by his returning rival on reappearance at Musselburgh, in soft ground, in April, but he went on to reverse the form in no uncertain terms in Cheshire.

So it's 1-1 as things stand, and I'm backing Mount Atlas to go 2-1 up under William Buick.

15:17 Sandown - High Degree @ 7/2

Finally, I've got a HIGH DEGREE of confidence in William Haggas' four-year-old son of Too Darn Hot in this 0-100 handicap over a mile at Sandown.

He showed good form at three, despite a drop off towards the end of the year as the ground turned heavy, but I think he's going to come into his own at four.

The now gelding travelled very well on reappearance at Newbury last month, in a 0-95 handicap off a reduced mark of 91, before fading in the final furlong or so. Completely understandable, after a 202-day break, and very much in line with the yard's other runners.

Expect improvement on Saturday - and don't be concerned about the drop in trip. He's failed to see out 1m2f on a couple of occasions now, while the rest of his form is over the mile.

Tom Marquand takes over from Cieren Fallon, he's only up a pound. What's not to like, for all it's a competitive field?