ITV Racing Saturday York And Sandown Preview

The first race of the day is the Group Three Strensall Stakes over 1m 1/2f and we are siding with the William Haggas trained My Oberon.

The four year old colt remains low mileage and looks to be continuously improving, signified by his Group Three win at Newmarket on his seasonal debut, where he kept on well to the line.

That race was his first run in six months and really showed the improvements made and the race sharpness possessed by the runner after a break.

He dropped to a mile for the Group One Lockinge and it did not work getting beaten very easily, but next time out he stepped back up to 9.5f for the Group One Prix d'Ispahan and finished a very close third only losing out in a photo-finish.

Off the back of that he went to Royal Ascot for the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes and he finished a fair fourth behind some superstars.

This event is much easier and dropping back slightly in trip could be the making of him.

One of the feature events of the day is the Group Three Solario Stakes over seven furlongs and we can't look past the favourite Reach For The Moon.

The son of Sea The Stars made a superb debut at Yarmouth in May when a good second behind the highly talented New Science.

He the went to Royal Ascot and took Point Lonsdale all the way to the line in the Listed Chesham Stakes just being done on the nod.

The colt finally got off the mark last time out in a good Novice Stakes at Newbury, with the second winning a good race at York this week to boost the form.

It would be surprising to see him get beat with the amount of raw potential this horse has for the Queen.

We move onto the Melrose Handicap over 1m5f 1/2f and with such a big field heading to post we have two selections at each way prices.

The first is the John & Thady Gosden trained Imperial Sun who is a three year old son of Sea The Stars that has been seen five times to date.

Needing his first two starts as a juvenile the colt made a much more pleasing seasonal debut at Windsor when finishing third of eight in a Novice Stakes.

He went close next time out on his handicap debut over 1m2f and then last time out when stepped up tom 1m4f it was the making of him, seeing him getting off the mark at Wolves.

Up again in trip the Gosden's are hoping it brings more improvement and after how well he won last time out big things are expected, still only on a mark of 87.

The Group three Atalanta Stakes is a smart race that sees some very talented fillies head to post and we are siding with the John Gosden trained Indigo Girl.

The three year old has been seen three times during her career, all as a juvenile and having now been off the track since October she returns in what looks a very winnable race.

Indigo Girl made her debut at Yarmouth on soft ground beating a fair field by three lengths last season and then improved from that at Doncaster next time out when taking the Group Two May Hill Stakes.

She then stepped up to Group One company for the first time in her life in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket and she was a narrow second to the smart Pretty Gorgeous.

After some time off the track she returned at Ascot this season in the Group Three Valiant Stakes and seemed to need the run massively.

She should be much fitter for this event and if anything like her two year old form she just wins this.

One of the feature events of the day at York is the Group Two City Of York Stakes over seven furlongs and Space Blues looks to be one of our best bets on the card.

The four year old was one of the most progressive horses in training last season winning his last four races in fine style including the Group Two Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Group One Prix Maurice De Gheest.

The son of Dubawi started last season at Haydock in the Listed Spring Trophy Stakes and was then sent over to ParisLongchamp for the Prix le Porte Malliot, where he again improved to beat stablemate D'bai.

His progressive nature then saw him land the Group Two at Goodwood but his Group One win at Deauville topped off his season.

Back this term in February he picked up from where he left off landing a Sprint event in Saudi Arabia, but he then gave one of the worst runs of his career for a while at Meydan after that.

Given a break, he returned at Goodwood last month in the Group Two Lennox Stakes and despite hating the bad ground he ran on well to finish fourth in a bunched finish.

That run should have put him spot on for this event and he looks hard to oppose on the best of his form.

The big contest of the afternoon is the £500,000 Sky Bet Ebor Handicap and we like the look of the current favourite.

The William Haggas trained Hamish has been off the track for 14 months but has undergone some support in the market and looks set to go close.

Hamish was hugely impressive when bolting up in a handicap at York in October 2019 but failed to back that up at Newbury when just beaten, by Group One winner Trueshan.

Only seen once last season the gelding went Royal Ascot for the Hardwick Stakes and ran credibly to finish a close up fourth in soft ground.

He is very lightly raced for his age and having been aimed towards the race last year, he could potentially do what was planned last term.Big player if retaining all of his ability after so long off.