ITV Racing Saturday Sandown & Haydock Preview

Sandown's first race of the afternoon sees our fancy Annaf run in the Group Three Coral Charge over five furlongs. The four-year-old has been a good performer on the all-weather, with three wins already during this term at Lingfield (twice) and Kempton as well as finishing third at Newcastle and third in the Group One King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out when priced at 50/1, not far away from Highfield Princess and Bradsell.

The colt has every chance of going well again here and if overcoming a wide draw, could be one to look out for.,

A horse we fancy in the 2:05 bet365 handicap at Haydock is Charlie Johnston's Midnight Lion. At around 12/1, the three-year-old looks like a very solid each way bet given his solid start to his career, with the highlights being his runner-up finish to Galactic Jack at Goodwood last September and a one-length win at the same course last month over 1m 6f before heading to this contest. This does look like an open race, with 14 runners, which could suit the higher price runners in this race.

There should be more to come from this colt and we think he could run a big race at Haydock on Saturday.

We like two horses in the Coral Challenge at Sandown on Saturday and the first of those is Ouzo. The seven-year-old has been a pretty consistent performer since debuting in 2018, winning four times but also finishing in the places regularly. The gelding ran well in this last term, finishing third of 11 and has been in decent form this term, placing in three Meydan races as well as a respectable sixth-place finish of 30 in the Royal Hunt Cup Handicap at Royal Ascot last month.

There is no reason why he couldn't go well again in the hands of Saffie Osborne.

The other runner we like the look of in the Coral Challenge is Baltimore Boy. The four-year-old is the current market outsider at around 22/1, following a lean patch of form, finishing 21st of 22 at Doncaster, fourth of 15 at Ascot and eighth of 12 at Sandown on his last three outings. He did show lots of promise early on in his career, winning at Newcastle but also placing in the top three on three occasions.

He's the type to bounce back and go better, which is why we think an each way bet is worth it here at a high price.

The pick of the races at Haydock on Saturday is the Group Two Lancashire Oaks over 1m 3f, and we have two picks for this contest. The first of those is Sea Silk Road, the four-year-old filly who is looking to make it back-to-back victories after winning the Group Three Lester Piggott Stakes here last month by just under a length to Nachtrose. She has been a little inconsistent throughout her early career but has run some impressive races at this sort of level and looks well-placed to do well again here.

The Sea The Stars filly has every chance of claiming victory in this one.

The second horse we like in the Lancashire Oaks is Time Lock. Harry and Roger Charlton's four-year-old begun her career nicely after putting an 11th-place finish on debut at Sandown behind her by winning a class three novice at Newmarket on her next outing. She then followed that with three runner-up finishes in a row, including in the Listed Warwick Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood (won by Luisa Casati) before finishing a disappointing fourth in the Group Three Lester Piggott Stakes here last month when priced as the 1/1 favourite.

She's likely to go better here and is priced at around 6/1 which looks appealing given her ability.

We have two selections in the Listed Coral Distaff at 15:00 on Saturday with the first of those being Magical Sunset. The three-year-old won three times in 2022, at Windsor, Leicester and career-best Listed Galloping To Give Stakes at Newbury last October. It hasn't been the plainest of sailing since, finishing outside the top three on every occasion since that victory (four runs). Most of those have come in good contests and did alright in the Sandringham last time out. so she looks in decent nick for this one.

This does look like a competitive race and at 4/1, she looks worthy of the backing.

The second runner we like the look of in the Listed Coral Distaff is Bridestones. The three-year-old showed lots of promise on debut for the Gosden's when winning a ten-runner maiden at Yarmouth by over two lengths before finishing sixth at Newbury when stepping up to group three company. She then finished ninth in a group one at ParisLongchamp and comeshere on the back of finishing 12th in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot last month, now in listed company.

The drop down in class should suit her and a big race could be run from her in the hands of William Buick.

One horse we like in the 15:15 at Haydock is Cumulonimbus. The Charlie Fellowes-trained gelding arrives at this contest in some good form, winning four of his last six starts at the likes of Yarmouth, Haydock and Newmarket. The latest of those wins is his best so far, claiming a class two handicap here last month by half a length to Live Your Dream over 1m 3f. This contest is obviously a little tougher but he brings a strong run of form with him and a price of 6/1 in a pretty big field looks appealing to us.

The four-year-old is ridden by Richard Kingscote and is our final fancy of the day's racing on Saturday.