ITV Racing Saturday Newmarket, Goodwood And Thirsk Preview

Next up is the Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs that sees 21 runners line up and with that in mind we have have two stabs at the race.

The first is the William Haggas trained two year old Tarhib for Shadwell Estate with 1.05 million guineas purchase looking to kickstart her campaign.

Seen four times to date, she made her racecourse debut in October 2020 when second at Newmarket in a Fillies' Novice Stakes on heavy ground.

Saved for her three year old campaign she returned in October last year when getting off the mark on debut at Lingfield on her first try at 6f and then backed that up at Yarmouth under a penalty.

Last seen in the Listed Wentworth Stakes at Doncaster in November she was a midfield eight of 15 with the softer ground going against her.

Making her handicap debut in this event off a mark of 83 with Hollie Doyle in the saddle being one of the few jockeys to make the weight of eight stone, she looks chucked in if living up to her lofty reputation.

Drawn on the other side of the track and a bigger price than Tarhib is the Michael Dods trained Blackrod who was superbly consistent last season and hopefully he can pick up from where he left off last term.

Having been a fair juvenile winning one of his three races, everything seemed to click for him last season, winning some good races between five and six furlongs.

Needing his debut run at Haydock in May when only seventh in a handicap off 88, he then got onto quicker ground at York in June and finished a superb second to the talented First Folio off 3lb lower.

Still on a handy mark of 87 he got off the mark for the season at Newmarket on the July Course and landed a good 17 runner handicap, again on quick ground.

Dropped to five furlongs at York, now on a mark of 91 he scooted up again seeing off a nice type in Digital for Kevin Ryan.

Off the same mark in his last start at Ayr in September he was a gallant third of 24 in the Ayr Silver Cup, showing he loves these big fielded handicaps on good ground.

Now only 4lb for this run, Michael Dods is superb with his sprinters and this lad seems to still be progressing.

The Thirsk Hunt Cup over a mile is the only race on the live show for the Yorkshire track and it sees a very tricky handicap for punters.

We have gone with On A Session for David & Nicola Barron who looks a big player in off the back of his two latest runs and falling handicap mark.

He got back to form after a poor string of bad runs two starts ago when third in a good Class 2 Handicap over a mile behind the smart La Tihaty and Misty Grey.

Off the same mark of 89, having previously ran good races off higher, he went to Lingfield last time out and was a narrow second in another nice handicap event.

The return to turf is no issue and only off 1lb higher in a race he finished a close fourth in last year off 2lb higher than his mark today, he has to be taken seriously.

Another nice event is the Class 2 Handicap over 1m1f and although at the top of the weights Movin Time for Roger Varian looks to be horse to catch when fresh.

The four year old has only been seen five times in his career, twice as a juvenile when second on both occasions over a mile, bumping into the smart Rebel's Romance on his first start.

Seen three times as a three year old, he made a very pleasing seasonal debut in may over 1m2f at Newmarket when beating the talented Kemari by four lengths in a maiden.

He then went into the G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and could only run into fifth behind the talented Mohaafeth.

He finished last season in July when fourth of eight behind Real World in the Listed Steventon Stakes, with that horse franking then form throughout last term.

Now running in a handicap off a mark of 106, Talented claimer Harry Davies takes a much needed 7lb off which could be the difference for this horse on the day.

Worth a chance at 6/1 for us.

The only event on ITV this Saturday from Goodwood is the Listed Conqueror Fillies Stakes over a mile and the three year old Zanbaq looks a very nice filly going forward.

The exceptionally bred son of Oasis Dream cost £450,000 as a yearling and has only been seen once to date when making a decent debut at Kempton over seven furlongs.

She got off the mark that day when beating Washraa for Owen Burrows who next time out at Wolves went on to frank the form by winning.

Roger Varian obviously holds Zanbaq in very high regard to put her into a Listed event on her second start and getting a stone of the favourite Primo Bacio makes her the value in the field.

Crowley also goes to Goodwood and not Newmarket for this ride, which is quite telling.

The first Group event of the day is Palace House Stakes over 5f and Came From The Dark for Ed Walker takes the eye with his consistent nature.

The six year old was an expensive 480,000gns purchase as a yearling but has provided some superb days for his connections over the years and this can be another one.

Seen four times last year he started his campaign off at Musselburgh of 5f and was a good third of 13 behind Jabbarockie and Zarzyni who he was giving weight away to that day.

Sent to Newbury next time out he got off the mark for the season, seeing off talented sprinters Garrus, King's Lynn and Tis Marvellous to land the spoils.

Looking to make it back to back wins he went down by a neck to Godolphin's Lazuli in this race last year, with Appleby's horse franking the form in better races throughout the campaign.

Came From The Dark rounded off last season by winning the Group Three Coral Charge at Sandown in July from Arecibo and Happy Romance.

He holds some of the leading form in the book and if fully wound up looks a big player.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Group One 2000 Guineas with the first Classic of the season seeing 15 runners head to post and we have a win and each way punt.

We can't look past the favourite Native Trail in this one with the Charlie Appleby trained animal now unbeaten in all five starts and having shown his class on three year old debut, 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.

This is his trickiest task to date with dangers all around him but with Buick picking him and his record to date, he is very hard to overlook.

A less obvious selection at 22/1 is the Roger Varian trained Eydon who could pick up some decent place money if coming on for his seasonal debut.

The Prince Faisal owned three year old was first seen in December 2021 when a close third behind a nice type for John Gosden and then over the same C&D in February he was a short head second to Oceania Legend.

Given his first start on turf at the Craven meeting over 1m1f in the Listed Feilden Stakes, he drifted out to 22/1 on the day but went on to bolt up by over three lengths, seeing off smart challenger Masekela.

He has not had the most conventionally route into this race but he obviously does not lack talent and looks a type who has plenty of scope to improve with each run.

Outside chance.