Four key stats and trends not to be missed this Saturday!

We’re set for a scintillating day of action on Saturday, with the highlight being the conclusion of the July Festival at Newmarket, featuring the Group 1 July Cup for the sprinters.

Away from flat racing HQ, we have meetings at Ascot, Leopardstown, Salisbury and Newcastle, to help further quench our appetite for racing. People often say that “trends don’t matter”, but the statistics ultimately don’t lie, and I’ve selected four key ones for this Saturday to help maximize your profit.

Johnston loves July

With a £31.89 profit to level stakes on the July Course at Newmarket over the past five seasons, Mark Johnston is unequivocally the man to follow at HQ. From 177 total runners, he’s brought home 39 winners and although his 22% strike-rate isn’t the best on the list, he’s something of a specialist at the bigger prices at the venue.

One of his horses clearly likes the July course too, winning his only visit to the Bunbury Mile. That horse is Vale Of Kent (16/1), who battled gamely to win the Bunbury Cup twelve months, and he’s back for a second crack today. He arrives in great form, going close at Royal Ascot in the Royal Hunt Cup before a recent near-miss in a Listed race at Epsom. He’s capable off this mark and the race should be run to suit, which gives him obvious claims.

Manning’s the man at Leopardstown

In the past five seasons, Kevin Manning has been the one to follow at Leopardstown. Despite riding a whopping 295 times at the venue, he’s maintained a 15% strike-rate which equates to a level stakes profit of £12.86. He has a very interesting chance in the shape of Copia Verborum in the 1m 4f handicap.

He makes his stable debut after his form had petered out for Jim Bolger, but he did leave the stable when finishing a promising sixth at Galway over ten furlongs, where he flew home in the dying strides. He has untapped potential over this distance on return and he’s gone well fresh in the past. He’s fitted with the first-time blinkers by new trainer JJ Lambe and there’s plenty to like about his chances.

All that Glitters

Lord Glitters (8/1) has become somewhat of a fan favourite over the past few seasons. He’s a hold-up horse who flies home late with a strong surge, but perhaps more crucially to the racing public, he’s also a grey! Nevertheless, he also has a fantastic record both when fresh and when competing at Ascot.

His form figures after breaks of 50 days or more read 4122238, which is a huge boost to his chances given he’s been absent since a run at the Breeders’ Cup in November. Pair that with an Ascot record that reads 2122618 and you seemingly have a match made in heaven on Saturday afternoon, especially in a race where he sets a clear standard.

Be our Guest

Rae Guest has his string in remarkable form at present, with four of his last five runners returning to the winner’s enclosure. At odds of 8/1, 11/1, 3/1, and 6/5, there have been some great prices to take advantage of.

He has two runners at Salisbury on Saturday, with his best chance looking to be Arrivste (6/1). His filly has been steadily progressive in three career starts, winning at Chelmsford in comfortable fashion when last seen in December. Stepping up to ten furlongs should suit massively on his pedigree, with a huge amount of stamina in the family. Her opening mark looks very fair and a big run can be expected.

Stream The Races With Virgin Bet!

If you’re going to be having a bet on the action at Wolverhampton on Friday evening, you’ll be able to stream the action through Virgin Bet too! With racing currently behind closed doors, you’ll be able to cheer home your selection from the sofa! You’ll need to meet the Terms & Conditions, which can be found below.

Virgin Bet Streaming Terms & Conditions

*For Irish racing, Min £1 single unit stake or 50p each way bet on race chosen for streaming. For non-Irish racing, you need cash funds in your account to watch. Coverage starts 2 minutes before off on the live video tab. 18+ Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply. Visit help.virginbet.com for more info