ITV Racing Saturday Haydock and Sandown Preview

The first race of the afternoon at the Esher track on Saturday is the Group Three Coral Charge over five furlongs and the seven year old Equilateral won't be far away.

This gelding has had a remarkable career for Charlie Hills and last year seemed to be his best yet when starting his season off in January 2021 at Meydan and winning the 14 runner Dubai Dash for the second time.

He then went into the Group Two Meydan Sprint over the same course and distance and again won nicely from the recent King's Stands Stakes third.

Looking to land a Meydan hat-trick he stepped up to six furlongs and finished a close up fourth in the Group One Al Quoz sprint.

Not being seen since March 2021, he returned at Royal Ascot this season in the G1 King's Stand Stakes and finished a superb fifth off the back of his absence.

Maybe needing the run on that occasion, he should be much fitter for this event and dropping back in grade he looks a real player.

The first race of the afternoon from Haydock comes in the bet365 Handicap over 1m6f and we are taking on the favourite Sea King with the Tom Ward trained Double Cherry.

The three year old gelding has been seen four times in his career, once as a juvenile last term when looking to need further than the nine furlongs.

Making his seasonal debut this term at Newbury upped to 11f, he finished a fair sixth in a smart race that has thrown out some smart horses in Natural World, Ottoman Fleet and Lionel.

Back to 10f next time out he was third in a Maiden Stakes, but gave the best run of his career last time out on handicap debut when easily beating a good fair field over 12f, pulling out loads at the line to win by three lengths going away.

The extra two furlongs will be sure to suit and with that win coming on soft ground and similar conditions expected on Saturday, he should keep improving.

Next up is the Coral Challenge Handicap over a mile and the horse that takes the eye for us is the William Muir and Chris Grassick trained Checkandchallenge.

A bright three year old, he has only been seen three times to date showing big ability on his first two starts and barring his run in the 2000 Guineas, now making his handicap debut he could be dangerous.

Winning his sole run as a juvenile at Wolverhampton over 7f, he made his seasonal debut this term in the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle over a mile and beat two nice horses in Dubai Poet and Imperial Fighter.

Sent into the deep end of the Group One 2000 Guineas he ran no race at all only beating one home and now in much calmer water can carry on his progression from before the Classic event.

Each way player.

The feature race of the afternoon from the Merseyside track is the Group Two Lancashire Oaks over 1m4f and we are giving another chance to Eshaada for Roger Varian.

The four year old filly was highly touted last season to be a very special filly and at the end of the term proved just how good she could be.

Running once as a juvenile in November 2020, she got off the mark at Nottingham in impressive style, always looking like she would get further.

Making her first start as a three year old last term, she picked up from where she left off by landing the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Stakes on the same card as this.

Sent to Royal Ascot she was a close second behind Loving Dream in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes on her first try at 1m4f, but she was then sent into the Yorkshire Oaks and ran no race at all finishing last of the seven.

Given a bit of time after that she was given one more run in the Group One Champions Fillies' & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October and beat some nice types to land her first Group One event.

The key to this horse is juice in the ground and not getting that on seasonal debut scuppered her chances in the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes, but having soft ground on Saturday gives her a leading chance if not having any issues from stall 1.

Roger Varian is also flying at the moment running at a 32% strike rate for the last two weeks.

The final Listed event of the day sees the Coral Distaff over a mile and we are siding with the second favourite Grand Dame for John & Thady Gosden.

The three year old daughter of Lope De Vega has been seen three times to date, making an emphatic debut over a mile at Ascot when seeing off the likes of Mukaddamah and Eternal Pearl.

Sent to York in the Listed Oak Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes and she was just beaten by the Kevin Ryan trained Fonteyn, but on the day she was very unlucky not to win with a slight bit of jockey error.

Upped in class to the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen she ran no race and only beat one runner home.

Back in much calmer waters having proven form at this level against a favourite in Heredia who has to prove it away from handicaps, the value lies with Grande Dame.

The final event of the afternoon from Haydock is the Old Newton Cup over 1m4f and we are taking a chance on the Andrew Balding trained Something Enticing.

The four year old filly takes on the boys in this event, but could be on a handy mark of 95 against some of these rivals which makes her an attractive bet around the 14/1 mark.

Fairly consistent throughout her career she has managed to place in eight of her 13 events, going on to win three of them.

She really made a name for herself at the back end of last season when landing an 18 runner handicap at York off a mark of 80.

She was then sent to Doncaster on soft ground and was a close second in a big fielded Listed event.

Seen twice this term she needed her first run at Kempton in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton, but last time bounced back to form when second behind Third Realm in the Listed Tapster Stakes at Goodwood.

The filly looks an interesting runner for last year's winning yard.

The feature race of the afternoon at Sandown on Saturday is the 2022 renewal of the Coral Eclipse and we are siding with the William Haggas trained Alenquer at a price to go close.

A course distance winner as a three year old when taking the Group Three Classic Trial on just his third start, beating Derby winner Adayar and Breeders' Cup Turf winner Yibir.

Stepping up to 1m4f after that he took the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and in his three other runs that term he placed in the Grand Prix de Paris, Juddmonte International and then ran no race in the Arc, but even having a chance in that race makes him a very classy horse.

Back this term in late February he saw off Lord North at Lingfield in the Group Three Derby Stakes and then off the back of that went to Meydan where he was sixth of 15 in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic.

Seen once more this term at the Curragh for the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup he saw off High Definition and recent Royal Ascot winner State Of Rest to take the event.

Alenquer is still improving at the age of four and having been kept fresh for this event, his price of 8/1 looks huge value at this stage.