Who To Follow On ITV On Saturday - 18/06/23

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

York - June 16 2023
York 14:05
2(4)
Jim Crowley

Israr

J: Jim Crowley
T: John & Thady Gosden
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-2
OR: 111
Days: 28

One of our best bets on the card at York on Saturday comes in the feature Listed Grand Cup over 1m6f and Israr for John & Thady Gosden has been crying out for this step up in trip.

Showing good form on his two runs as a juvenile in 2021 when winning on debut at Doncaster in a very hot Maiden beating the likes of Savvy Victory and Frantastic, he then went to Salisbury under a penalty and was only beaten by Wind Your Neck In.

A horse on pedigree that always wanted a step up in trip he got that as a three when being tried at 1m2f on his first two events finishing third on handicap debut off 89 behind Educator and then off the same mark at Newbury got back to winning ways in the valuable London Gold Cup.

Upped to 1m4f at Royal Ascot last term he finished a superb third behind Secret State and Deauville Legend to grab third in the 19 runner King George V Stakes, but then next time of Ascot finished last of three behind two nice Godolphin types.

Getting back to form on heavy ground at Doncaster in October after some time off he then bolted up in a Class 2 handicap off 99 but could not replicate it on his final run last season over the same C&D off 7lb higher.

Seen once this season when moved up to Group Three Level at Newbury when a short head second behind the talented Haskoy, the step up in trip will suit him down to the ground and dropping into a Listed event he can get back to winning ways for a yard in flying form.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
07/10/23ASC12Gd9-112
09/09/23KEM12St/Slw9-126
13/07/23NMK12GF9-81
17/06/23YOR14GF9-22
20/05/23NBY12Gd9-22

Trainer To Follow - Charles Hills

Leading British trainer Charles Hills has some big chances across the races on ITV this weekend starting at York where he fields the top weighted Saratoga Gold in the opener.

Another nice runner at York for the trainer comes in the Sprint Handicap with Rabaah dropping back into handicap company having ran to a fair level last time out at Newbury in a good Listed race.

One of his best chances of the afternoon comes in the first race on ITV from Sandown with Bodorgan well backed since the ante-post stage to land the Aspall Cyder 1728 Handicap.

Hills then finishes the afternoon with a runner in the sole event on ITV from Chester with Saxon King looking to bounce back to winning ways.

Jockey To Follow - William Buick

Champion jockey William Buick rides from Sandown on Saturday and with two races on ITV from the Esher track, he has leading chances in both of them.

The first comes in the Aspall Cyder 1728 Handicap where the Charles Hills trained Bodorgan could be well handicapped off a mark of 87 and has already been well backed.

He then teams up with George Boughey in the feature Listed Scurry Stakes over 5f and Perdika was a nice winner over in France last time out and on quick ground again could go close if handling the drop back in trip.