ITV Racing Saturday Preview - 21/05/22

The first race on ITV this weekend is the Class 5 Handicap over 1m4f and at the prices Screaming Petrus for David Loughnane could have a big chance.

A very smart three year old on the all weather he was seen three times at the back end of last year, finishing third over 9.5f at Wolves on debut and then backed that over the same C&D when a close second.

He managed to get off the mark on his third and final run in December, upped to 12f at Wolves and revelling in the extra distance.

Making his seasonal/turf debut this season at Ascot he ran no sort of race in what was his first handicap experience aswell, but down 2lb to a mark of 74 for this event, he should be go close.

Will come on for the run.

Goodwood's first event on terrestrial TV this weekend is the seven furlong Harroways Handicap and Alotaibi for John & Thady Gosden makes big appeal.

A smart two year old for the top training partnership, winning on seasonal debut at Newbury in August and then next time at Ascot finished second behind a nice type for Charlie Hills.

He rounded off his juvenile campaign in the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York and the drop to six furlongs didn’t suit.

Back this season he made a smart seasonal debut when a neck second on handicap debut over the same course and distance and only 1lb higher for this we thought he looked a solid player to hit the frame.

Next up is the Cazoo Hell Nook Handicap at Haydock and we are siding with a talented mare over hurdles that could have a useful mark on the flat.

Miranda has been a smart mare over both codes for Paul Nicholls, and now back on the flat off a mark of 91 could go close if none the worse for her hurdles campaign.

Rated 146 over timber this season she has placed in Listed and Group Two events at Wetherby and Doncaster and also managed to land a nice race at Ludlow.

Still only seven years old she was last seen on the flat in September 2020 when second at Nottingham in a handicap off the same mark and she looks to be a better horse than she was back then.

Goodwood features again on ITV with its feature race of the day with the Listed Festival Stakes over 1m2f and Majestic Dawn looks to have a huge chance.

A smart six year old for Paul & Oliver Cole the gelding has been a consistent performer for the majority of his career, with the best success of his career coming at Newmarket in September 2020 when landing the 27 runner Cambridgeshire Handicap.

Performing best last season over 10 furlongs he won at Salisbury on soft in September, beating Just Fine for Sir Michael Stoute and then rounded off last term at Newmarket when a good second behind the highly talented Bay Bridge.

Needed the run massively on seasonal debut this term at Chester in the Group Two Huxley Stakes and now he should be spot on for this event with the rain that is set to come going to help.

The Class 2 Silver Bowl Handicap over a mile is always a competitive affair but we think we have solved the problem with this selection.

Mighty Ulysses looks the one to beat in this on handicap debut for John & Thady Gosden being seen three times and looking more like a group horse to me than a handicapper.

Making a very smart debut as a two year old over a mile he returned this season in the Listed Blue Riband Trial At Epsom and didn’t take to the extra two furlongs when only fifth.

He returned to form in a big way last time out at Newmarket over a mile landing a Novice Stakes by close to five lengths, looking a class act.

Making his handicap debut off 101 with Benoit De La Sayette taking off 5 he looks still ahead of his mark and could be the old saying of a group horse in a handicap and he should do the job.

York's first race on ITV this weekend sees the Class 2 Handicap over five furlongs and Look Out Louis is a horse on the upgrade and if he runs to his recent form has big frame claims at 11/2.

Starting the year with a win at Newcastle over 5f at Newcastle, he then went into a class 3 and was only third of five but turning to the turf in April he bounced back to form in a big way when a length behind the smart Twilight Calls at Newmarket.

He upheld that form last time out at Chester when beating proven sprinter Count D’orsay by a head and only 4lb higher for this race he could not still be in the grip of the handicapper.

We are going with Go Bears Go in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs with the three year old holding some of the leading form in the race.

A smart two year old sprinter winning the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh and then placing in the Group One Phoenix stakes over the same Course and distance.

He was then a close fourth in the G1 Middle Park Stakes and putting behind him his poor run over 7f in the Dewhurst, he finished last season over 5f at Del Mar in the Grade Two Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint when a unreal second behind Twilight Gleaming for Wesley Ward.

Training on this season he made his seasonal debut at Ascot in the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial over 6f and he went on to win fairly comfortably.

Sure to improve again for that first run and the third has since franked the form with Ehraz being beat by a short head in a good Listed event.

Big chance.

One of the feature races of the afternoon comes from Ireland with the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh always a special race.

We can't look past the favourite Native Trail in this one with the Charlie Appleby trained animal an unbeaten two year old in all four of his starts last term and having shown his class on both his three year old starts, he has obviously trained on.

As last year's champion two year old, he landed four races including a maiden at Sandown, the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, his first Group One in the National Stakes at the Curragh and he round the season off by taking his second top flight race in the Dewhurst Stakes.

Hoping he would be just as good or event better as a three year old he returned in his prep run for this event over the Guineas course and distance in the G3 Craven Stakes and having taken a little time to get going he powered away from a nice horse in Claymore.

Sent off favourite last time out for the English 2000 Guineas he flew home late, but was just beaten by stablemate Coroebus and finished a superb second.

This event looks much easier and if still improving should win this with ease.

At an each way price, or betting without the favourite in the 2000 Guineas, Atomic Jones for Ger Lyons looks a decent player at around 33/1.

Seen three times to date, winning on debut at the Curragh over 7f back in June 2021, he then made it back to back victories when seeing off the second favourite for the Derby Stone Age in the Group Two Champion Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown.

Making his first start this season at Leopardstown again but now at 1m2f, he didn’t stay the trip aswell as others finishing a tame fourth in a Group Three Derby Trial.

Back at a mile he has enough back form to hit the frame and having had a run he should be spot on for the event.

In the big race of the day at York which sees the Group Three Bronte Cup Fillies' Stakes, we are having a go at one of the outsiders in this race with Glenartney for Ed Walker making big appeal at around 13/2.

This horse holds some serious form at York and that is the angle I’m taking in the race, if you look at her two efforts on the knavesmire she finished a good fifth in the Group Three Musidora behind the likes of Group One winners Snowfall and Teona and then up to 1m4f at the track in August was a 2 length third behind Forbearance and Domino Darling in a Listed event.

Having had a run this season already in a good Listed event at Goodwood it would have put her spot on for this and from the way she races it looks as though the step up in trip will suit.

A bit of a punt at a price but we are intrigued by that angle into the race.

In the feature Group Two Temple Stakes over 5f we have had a stab at Moss Gill at at a price, currently around 14/1, the six year old does not lack any pace showing in the past just how good he is when only two lengths behind Battaash in a Nunthorpe.

Very consistent in these sorts of races during his career and recently, last year he finished second in four of his six events, in Group Three and Listed events.

A key piece of form to look at here is in the Listed City Walls Stakes at York being just a length behind Winter Power and running to the same level makes his price of 14/1 overpriced.

He placed at Haydock last year over course and distance in the Listed Achilles Stakes and he just looks to have a lot in his favour to make me think 14/1 is a big price playing him each way.

At a huge outside price the Karl Burke trained White Lavender with the yard in flying form and this filly getting weight off most of the field looks to be highly progressive and could run a big race.

An average three year old, she ended last season with one of her best runs of the campaign at the Curragh when fourth of 14 in a Listed event over 6f.

Moved to Burke's yard this term from Ireland she got off the mark on her first start this term when taking out the Listed Landsdown Stakes at Bath.

Stepping into Group Two company she will need to stay on an upward curve but could go well.