ITV Saturday Ascot, Newmarket And Redcar Preview

The first event on ITV is the smart Premier Fillies Handicap over 1m2f and with plenty of runners in with a shout we have decided to go for an each way stab.

That comes from the Qatar Racing owned Swoon, who has been three times to date and now making her handicap debut is seeking a hat-trick.

The three year old filly made her debut at Chelmsford in June when looking to need the experience finishing sixth of 12 runners behind some very promising newcomers.

She was then stepped up to 12f and got off the mark at Wolves in taking style and then a few weeks later made it back to back wins at Carlisle.

She enters the race off a mark of 86 which looks feasible, especially in this field and she could be something very special.

Should handle soft ground being a daughter of Frankel.

The first event on ITV from Ascot is the Oakland Group Listed Rous Stakes over five furlongs and we think the Michael Dods trained Dakota Gold could have a big say.

The seven year old is experienced sprinter in similar events and seems to do his best work with cut in the ground which means he should get his ideal conditions.

At the back end of last season the gelding came into his own on soft ground landing a hat-trick of wins in Listed and Group Three company.

This term having been running on quicker ground we have not seen the best of him but his only run with cut in the ground saw him finish a narrow second at Chester.

Having won at this meeting last year and over course and distance in the past, he has the potential to run a big race at an each way price.

Another nice event on the Newmarket card is the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes over six furlongs and we have gone with the favourite Fearby.

A representative for Edward Bethell, Fearby announced his name on the juvenile sprinting scene with a bloodless display in the Dragon Stakes.

Things looked to come too fast for him on debut and he weakened out of contention tamely. He took a huge step forward for his first outing and won as he pleased in maiden company at Wetherby.

He moved up into Listed company with ease in the Dragon Stakes and left a smart field for dead with a lethal turn of foot.

His impressive performance has seen him garner a rating of 107 and off the back of that he went into the Molecomb Stakes last time out and finished a fair second behind the impressive Armor.

Seen twice more since then he has ran to a good level, finishing a close up fourth in the Gimcrack Stakes at York and then a good third last time out in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury behind the smart Wings Of War.

He sets the form standard in this race and although top weight should go well.

One of the best races of the afternoon at the Berkshire track on Saturday is the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes over 1m4f and Hukum could be tough to beat in the soft ground.

The four year old colt was a decent two year old, only racing twice and getting off the mark at the second time of asking at Kempton over a mile.

Burrows always planned to step this horse up in trip and on his seasonal debut last term he landed the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in gritty style.

The way he battled and stayed on that day showed he could handle a bigger trip and when stepped up to 1m5f in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, he was a runaway winner in soft conditions.

Both these runs set him up perfectly for a crack at the Group One St Leger at Doncaster, but on the day he was outstayed by better horses and had to settle for fifth.

He returned this season at Sandown in the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown over 1m2f and looked to need the run in the final stages.

As expected he came on for the run last time out when getting off the mark for the term in the Listed Tapster Stakes at Goodwood back over 1m4f and that put him spot on for a go at back to back Royal Ascot winners.

He headed into an above average renewal of the Hardwicke Stakes and plugged on well in soft ground to grab third behind the dual Group One winner Wonderful Tonight.

Many horses coming out of that race have franked the form and Hukum added to that roster of animals when next time out landing the Group Three Silver Cup Stakes at York in taking style.

He made it back to back wins next time out at Newbury when taking the Geoffrey Freer Stakes for the second time in his career.

Looking for the hat-trick he went to Kempton on the all weather for Group Three September Stakes and when looking like the winner of the race was outdone near the line by the progressive Hamish.

It was still a nice run although being a beaten odds on favourite and back on turf with soft conditions in his favour he could be tough to beat.

The feature race of the weekend at Newmarket is the Group One Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes over a mile and with the rain set to fall we are siding with the Aidan O'Brien trained trained Mother Earth.

Mother Earth has been one of the stars of the mile fillies division this term running superbly in two Group One events and off the back of those she is the worthy favourite for this event.

The filly was a fair juvenile landing a Group Three event on her third start, and then towards the end of last season finishing second at the Breeders' Cup meeting in a Group One and also finishing a good third in the Group One Fillies' Mile.

The yard did not know what to expect for the daughter of Zoffany but on seasonal debut this term she managed to land the 1000 Guineas in taking style.

Off the back of that she was sent to France looking to land the 1000 Guineas double, but she could only finish second, giving another good account of herself.

Next time out the filly was seen finishing a close third behind Alcohol Free and Snow Lantern at Royal Ascot, but reversed some of the form when a narrow second in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

Looking to get back to winning ways she went to France for the Group One Prix Rothschild and beat off a strong field of 13 runners to land the event.

Seen once more, last time out she found all kinds of traffic in running and in the end had to settle for third in the Group One Matron Stakes on Irish Champions weekend, with her getting no run at all.

She is a dual Group One winner over a mile that should have too much for this field, especially handling the soft ground well.

The final big race of the afternoon at Ascot sees the Group Three Bengough Stakes over six furlongs and Great Ambassador for Ed Walker looks to have a big chance.

The four year old gelding has been frequently seen this term in handicap and more recently Listed events and in his last seven events has not finished outside the frame.

Starting the season off at Newmarket in a good handicap when finishing third, he then went to Goodwood on soft ground and finished a narrow third in the Stewards' Cup.

Running to a high standard he then went back to Newmarket and got off the mark for the season in a decent race that has seen the form franked on numerous occasions.

He then backed that up at York when taking a good Listed event with ease and last time out he was a narrow loser in the Ayr Gold Cup.

Versatility with ground and consistency with performances are big things on his side and it would be no surprise to see him go close again.

The only race on ITV from Redcar is the Listed Two Year Old Trophy over six furlongs and Vintage Clarets for Richard Fahey could be a class above these.

Starting at Doncaster in March he was a fair fourth behind market rival Chipotle, but off the back of that he got off the mark at Beverley in very taking fashion.

Staying on an upward curve he went into a Novice Stakes at Ayr and won that again with ease and was then upped in class to the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished a very smart third.

Vintage Clarets was last next finishing sixth of 22 in the Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury which was a smart run.

Looking to back that up in Group Two company at York in the Gimcrack Stakes he flattered to deceive and last time out he could only mange sixth of 13 in a good Listed event at Ayr.

He does have to bounce back slightly but in this field looks to have the ability to go very close if running to a career best level, which he can do.

The final selection of the afternoon from us sees the Class 2 Challenge Cup Handicap over seven furlongs and we have gone with the consistent Escobar to run another big race for connections.

Handling both soft and good at a track he loves he fits the profile for this race in a big way and at 14/1 having not been far behind the market leaders in recent times, it makes him the value.

He has been frequently campaigned this term as always, but of late things have seemed to click when a good second behind Aratus at Goodwood and he then backed that up with another close second at Sandown in Listed company behind the smart Mostahdaf.

Although the second top weight off a mark of 106, he has ran credible races this term off similar marks and with him very rarely running a bad race at this track he looks a big contender at what looks a big price.