ITV Racing Tips: Saturday Each-Way Double for Market Rasen & Newbury

PINK EYED PEDRO (best price 11/1) is proving age is only a number, as the veteran has bounced back to form in two starts in this sphere this year, winning at Southwell before a close-up second at Stratford earlier this month. 

He was unlucky to be collared late on last time having travelled best and even though his mark has gone back up a couple of pounds, he is still operating well-below his peak chase mark, so there’s no doubt he is a very well-handicapped horse in a race like this.

Rated as high as 142 over fences, he was third in the Summer Plate on this card two years ago off that formerly-mentioned mark and has a good record in this month of the year, which reads 112032. He can go well at an each-way price with four places generally available. 

In the Mettal UK Handicap, trainer Ian Williams has won two of the last three renewals and has a great chance of lifting the prize again with ultra-tough stayer THE GRAND VISIR (best price 14/1) who’s price is more than appealing to warrant each-way consideration. 

The nine-year-old has been limited to just four starts in the last 14 months but tends to thrive in the summer. He ran well on his return in the Chester Cup and then tackled two gruelling races at Royal Ascot in the space of just four days, running well in each of those. 

He finished eighth of 19 in the Ascot Stakes before going extremely close in the Queen Alexandra, where he travelled beautifully, and was only beaten half-a-length by the improving Dawn Rising, showing he still has what it takes to be competitive at a high level. 

Considering, he’s not won for four years, his longevity is remarkably exceptional and he is three pounds lower than when successful at Royal Ascot all of those years ago. With conditions to suit, a good slot in stall two, plus his natural class, he’s worth the punt with four places on offer. 

Pink Eyed Pedro & The Grand Visir 0.5 pts - E/W Double

Extra ITV Tips

Al Aasy is a very good horse on his day, while Epic Poet could go well on his long-awaited stable debut but I’ll take a chance on DANCING MAGIC (best price 10/1) who hasn’t got as much to find with a few of these as the market suggests with his form continuing to work out well. 

Roger Teal’s three-year-old has been highly-tried in all of his starts since his first two starts in maiden events and even though he has yet to win a race, he’s actually done very well behind some very good horses in some very good events, mostly Group 1 and Group 3 events. 

He has not been far behind Holloway Boy twice, including when fourth in a Group 1 at Doncaster and was third in the Craven Stakes on his return. His only poor run came in the Dante Stakes over this trip but he shaped well when eighth of 16 at Royal Ascot and would have been a lot closer with a clear run. 

If you take the weight he receives from the top four into account, he is technically on an equal-rating with the favourite, getting nine pounds and being rated nine pounds lower. I am convinced he will exceed his odds if he can bring his qualities into this race and perhaps even cause a “mini” upset. 

Fergal O’Brien has multiple runners in this race, including last year’s second but the fact that Paddy Brennan has decided to ride the unexposed DANCILA (best price 6/1) this time suggests this former classy Flat horse is ready to shine on the big occasion in the Summer Hurdle.

He has won two of his four starts over hurdles and comfortably landed the odds on his handicap debut last month when conceding nearly two stone to the runner-up. The six-year-old will love this large-field scenario and, with plenty more improvement to come, he is a big player with five places widely available. 

CLEAR THE RUNWAY (best price 33/1) is the other one I like at a massive price. The seven-year-old was on a roll last year for trainer Laura Morgan, winning seven times, including five in succession and it is too soon to be writing him off here, in spite of his two poor showings so far this year. 

The last of his wins was off a mark of 135 in this grade and he’s five pounds lower (130) over the smaller obstacles. He weakened out of contention at Worcester last time but previously hammered two rivals over this course-distance by 25 lengths last May. If he can rekindle his best, he has an each-way speak with four places generally on offer. 

The Hackwood Stakes has attracted a quality field and I am hugely surprised to see the Johnny Murtagh-trained SHARTASH (best price 14/1) available at a big price, who certainly has the class to beat these, so now is a good time to be backing him as I can see him attracting plenty of support. 

His form has been well-documented. He beat Age Of Kings on his second start, who has recently won the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot before beating Blackbeard over this trip in the Group 1 Railway Stakes, who has won multiple Group 1 events since. He then finished third in the Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes, two Group 1 events. 

After that, he was sent off favourite to win the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris and while he could only finish fourth, he wasn’t beaten far on ground that was too soft. He was well-held on his reappearance but raised his game in the Lacken Stakes when fifth and the return to his optimum distance will suit with Oisin Murphy taking the ride. 

I have a strong inclination this is a Group 1 horse in the making given his form is amongst the strongest in the race plus connections are bringing him over here with an excellent jockey in the saddle. I would have had him much closer to the front of the betting but that’s fine because if he wins or makes the frame, we will be on a good price. Four places available with PaddyPower, SkyBet, Betfair, Unibet, Betway and Betfred. 

I’ll also be backing RUMSTAR (best price 12/1) each-way, who has wrongfully been dismissed in the betting on the back of a really good performance when sixth in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, his first start at the highest level. His two runs this year have seen him finish behind Shaquille, including at this course on his return and it’s possible he will take another step forward in this race. 

This three-year-old is an underrated sprinter, who won a strong nursery race at Goodwood this time last year for us at a huge price and returned a good winner of a Group 3 for us at Newmarket back in October. Likewise to Shartash, he’s a three-year-old who’s rating is higher than most of the four-year-old’s but is in receipt of weight from them. Down in grade, Jonathan Portman’s charge makes plenty of each-way appeal with four places available with PaddyPower, SkyBet, Betfair, Unibet, Betway and Betfred. 

The feature is the Summer Plate and Emma Lavelle has two intended runners. Hang In There has an excellent strike-rate over fences, winning four of his six starts and is a Grade two winner in this sphere. Interestingly, Tom Bellamy had ridden him in all of his wins over fences but has opted to ride stablemate KILLER CLOWN (best price 10/1) instead. 

This smart nine-year-old is two pounds lower than when scoring very easily at Kempton last March by eight lengths and was a close-up third over course-and-distance off a 10 pounds higher mark back in October. He was last seen running a good race to finish a close third in the Clarke Chase at Uttoxeter, in which he conceded a lot of weight to the first and second as well. 

He was second in a Greatwood Gold Cup off this mark a couple of years ago and his experience of this course will count a lot. He is well-handicapped off this mark and has been targeted at this race for a while. With plenty going for him, he has a great chance of at least being in the frame being one of the classier horses in the field and with five places available. 

I’m not sure what Iain Jardine has been giving BORN FAMOUS (best price 10/1) for breakfast but something has clearly clicked for this mare since joining his stable, winning all four starts and while she is the lowest-rated runner in the field, that doesn’t diminish the interest for her, especially going on a near 500-mile round trip to contest this race. 

Harry Cobden will do one of his lowest riding weights at 10-3 and is a fascinating booking. This is going to be much tougher than the races she has been winning but she is open to further improvement, jumps and travels well and wouldn’t be turned out quickly following that win six days ago without a valid reason. I can see her running well with five places available.