Saturday Racing Tips: Owen’s five to thrive on a busy afternoon

Eight race meetings across the UK & Ireland on Saturday - five on the flat and three over jumps. A bit of something for everyone, then.

My Saturday racing tips focuses strictly on the flat action from Carlisle, Chester, Beverley and Lingfield.

13:15 Chester - Lucky Luna @ 11/4

We begin at Chester for a three-year-old fillies' maiden over seven furlongs, which sees Karl Burke's Town Queen bid to open her account at the third time of asking.

I was very disappointed in her attitude at Thirsk last time out, so I'm keen to oppose her on the Roodee.

Her opposition is admittedly thin, but LUCKY LUNA must have as good a chance as any for Richard Hannon and Joe Leavy.

The daughter of Lucky Vega, who fetched 40k guineas as a yearling in November 2024, made a promising start to her career at Salisbury exactly a week ago, finishing fourth of 12, just under three lengths off the 85-rated winner Golden Brown.

She shaped encouragingly, giving the impression she'll improve for both the run and the step up from six to seven furlongs.

Her draw in stall 3 is kind and if she can make a fast start to secure a prominent position before the first turn, she ought to be there or thereabouts at the finish.

13:30 Carlisle - Opportunity @ 5/4

Fifteen minutes later, in Cumbria, the in-form William Haggas has an outstanding OPPORTUNITY of another winner.

The four-year-old son of Frankel, in the colours of Wathnan Racing, made his handicap debut at Ascot earlier this month, finishing two-and-a-half lengths off the pace in third (of 14).

That was his return from 323 days on the sidelines, during which he was gelded, so there ought to be a lot more to come. There always is from Haggas' horses.

The selection's beating of the 115-rated Rahiebb, a Group 2 winner who was just touched off in last year's Betfred St Leger, at three reads exceptionally well. Certainly in relation to his handicap mark of just 92.

Surely he's ahead of that, and therefore he rates a strong selection in this 0-105 handicap over 1m3f. The NAP of the Day, in fact.

14:33 Carlisle - Redorange @ 5/2

We stay at Carlisle for the Achilles Stakes - a Listed contest for three-year-olds and above over the minimum trip of five furlongs.

It sees the return of 2024 Breeders' Cup hero Starlust, who's been off the track for 347 days. He's got a proper job on his hands, though, against the hard-fit and thriving REDORANGE.

Clive Cox's four-year-old Mehmas gelding was progressive last year, rising from a mark of 85 to 102, and he was a luckless eighth on seasonal reappearance in a big-field handicap at York's Dante Festival the other week.

His subsequent victory off the same mark, giving stacks of weight to inferior rivals, confirmed as much, and now he gets the chance to prove himself at a higher level.

I think he'll take a bit of beating under the excellent William Buick.

14:48 Beverley - Clash Of Hearts each way @ 8/1

Beverley next, for an intriguing renewal of the Yorkshire venue's Two Year Old Trophy.

Ten go to post for this five-furlong event and I'll be having an each-way play on CLASH OF HEARTS.

Adrian Keatley's son of Mehmas, a 120k guineas purchase, made his debut at York's Dante Festival, in a £20k novice event featuring a field of 14, and finished runner-up to Richard Hannon's well-backed Persian Spring.

A huge run from the half-sister to Group 3 winner Symbol Of Strength, previously trained by Mr. Keatley, and she ought to improve plenty.

I'm not totally convinced about the step back in trip, but he receives weight from the majority of his rivals and is surely overpriced at time of publishing.

20:12 Lingfield - Get Outta Here @ 13/8

I'm no celebrity, but I am hoping to GET OUTTA HERE in style at Lingfield on Saturday.

David Menuisier's three-year-old has been awarded an opening mark of 70 after three runs and on the evidence of his latest one, that could be on the lenient side.

The son of Zelzal is a half-brother to a couple of Listed winners in France who fetched €120k as a yearling back in October 2024. Good start.

He was gelded immediately after a modest debut at Deauville, which came 273 days before another underwhelming effort at Kempton this April.

Third at Epsom next time, just over two lengths behind the 90-rated Runman and a neck in front of Hengest, who's since won three in a row, rising over 10lbs in the handicap. Much more like it.

On the back of that, Get Outta Here is fancied to take another step forward and land this 0-75 affair over an extended seven miles.