Saturday ITV Racing Tips & Preview

DANCE DIVA (Best price 10-3) doesn’t lack pace and should relish a true test at today’s trip judged on her sparkling performance on the July Course last time. There looks the prospect of a decent gallop here courtesy of Nyaletti who stays seven furlongs well and was only overhauled late on by the talented Clemmie at Newmarket. That could play to the strengths of Dance Diva who picked up well at HQ, quickening clear of her stablemate Maggies Angel to score with a little in hand on an easy surface. A repeat performance on the clock might make her tough to beat. 
 

I am hoping it is a case of third-time lucky for JUANITO CHICO (Best price 13-2) this afternoon. The selection has yet to prove cut in the ground is suitable, but he does love this track even if he has been agonisingly beaten at this venue twice this summer. He could gain some deserved compensation in today’s event with the presence of Epsom scorer Pealer likely to provide a decent pace. Century Dream arrives looking for the hat-trick and will be difficult to beat given he copes with soft ground well and is improving rapidly. He has been raised 11lb for his recent wins but should find this test to his liking and is respected.

REMARKABLE (Best price 11-1) is far from straightforward, but in fairness he hasn’t always enjoyed the breaks this season. Today’s test looks perfect for him given how well he handled deep ground at Newbury last weekend and he could be ready to deliver his best performance of the season with conditions likely to suit.  Backing FIRMAMENT (Best price 33-1) takes a little more persuasion, but the selection was a terrific second to the classy Librisa Breeze over course and distance last October so is clearly capable of running a huge race at a big price this afternoon. David O’Meara’s horses are a little quiet at present which is a slight concern, however his representative will relish the return to a big-field handicap rather than the Group races he has contested of late. He could be some value to take a hand at a big price from his high draw with conditions to suit. 
 

Dual Oaks winner Enable arguably owes her position at the head of the market for this feature to the fact underfoot conditions are far from those required by Highland Reel to showcase his talents.  
Given he won this race last year and enjoyed Group One success at the Royal meeting in June, Highland Reel is a pretty extraordinary price this afternoon but Aidan O’Brien’s globe trotter craves fast ground to produce his best form so is reluctantly overlooked.
The John Gosden-trained daughter of Nathaniel is yet to prove her effectiveness on an easy surface, but her half-sister Contribution operated on soft ground and she must have emerged from her trip to the Curragh bouncing and fully recovered from a nick to her hind joint for her shrewd trainer to allow her to take her chance today. She could easily live up to the hype and dominate her male counterparts but with question marks over the ground and the fact she is around even money I’m happy to let her win.
Highland Reel’s close relative IDAHO (Best price 12-1) won’t mind deteriorating conditions and he did precious little wrong in the Hardwicke Stakes so could reward an each-play at a track where he has already proved his effectiveness. 
 

GET KNOTTED (Best price 13-2) has run really well in a couple of sprints of late, not least behind Classic Seniority at Hamilton last time in a strongly-run event and the presence of 2016 Salateen should ensure there is a good pace for the selection to run at. The return to seven furlongs could see Michael Dods’ five-year-old produce a robust defence of the race he won 12 months ago and he appeals as a fair each-way wager to lift a tricky opener. 
 

JAYWALKER (Best price 20-1) represents a yard which has sent out winners at 13-2, 6-1 (twice) and 5-2 in the last week so their contender could be a spot of value to lift a ferociously competitive sprint. The six-year-old hasn’t been seen since chasing home The Commentadore in a Doncaster spring last May, but should at least be fresh and may spring a mini surprise. There looks a little pace drawn around the selection which is fancied to maintain his trainer’s rich vein of form. 
 
There was little doubt ULTIMATE AVENUE (Best price 8-1) was unlucky not to go very close in a three-year-old sprint at the July meeting and he is respected given he’s unexposed and progressive and the handicapper may not have got to grips with him yet. The time of that handicap at headquarters was pretty hot and a translation of that performance to the Knavesmire should see him on the premises. 
 

Any further rain will play to the strengths of the front-running Success Days who is likely to make a bold bid from the front and again ran well in Group company in his native Ireland last time. However, the William Haggas pairing of HATHAL (Best price 11-2) and VICTORY BOND (Best price 7-1) are very much respected and could be worth playing against the Irish raider and likely favourite Autocratic. 
 
The former, who won twice on soft ground last autumn, faces a step up in trip but acquitted himself well behind stablemate Mutakayyef in an Ascot Group Two despite racing wide throughout. He was staying on well that day and could go close, while Victory Bond was poorly situated in a high-quality course and distance handicap a fortnight ago and did exceptionally well to finish so close. He looks well worth a try at this level and I can’t let him go unsupported given the position he came from last time.