Guide to Saturday’s ITV Racing

The richest day in British racing takes place at Ascot today with over £4m in prize money on offer. A card truly littered with class with 4 Group 1 contests, the first being the Champions Sprint which has attracted a very competitive field including the previous two winners The Tin Man and Librisa Breeze. Lah Ti Dar will then bid to return to winning ways up against her own sex in the Fillies and Mares before some of the horses of the season compete in the QEII and Champion Stakes. The day is started with the Long Distance Cup where star stayer Stradivarius aims to make it 5 from 5 this season and ends with the valuable Balmoral Handicap. All the races are shown live on terrestrial television, making for a feast of action for our ITV Racing tips.

The Lion can Roar once more

If someone had of said that Roaring Lion would be a three-time Group 1 winner after his disappointing run in the Craven Stakes back in April, you wouldn’t have believed them. But his last three performances have been nothing short of exceptional in winning the Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes. He drops back to a mile today for the first time since the 2000 Guineas but that shouldn’t be an issue for him and given his efforts on Good to Soft ground last year, conditions should be fine. Laurens has been brilliant for Karl Burke and her attitude is commendable, it would be no surprise to see yet another huge run from her. French raider Recoletos is a fascinating contender as well, he was a Group 1 winner last time and 4th in the Champion Stakes on this card last year.

Our Queen Elizabeth II Stakes tips are on site now!

Cracksman can be a double Champion

We haven’t seen Cracksman as much as we would have liked this season, but the last twice he has been on the track he hasn’t quite seemed his usual self. He got up on the line to beat Salouen in the Coronation Cup before finishing 2nd to Poet’s Word at Royal Ascot, having never really travelled that day on ground a bit too quick for him, it wasn’t really a bad run all things considered. Devastating in this contest last season, he has his ideal conditions and wears blinkers to keep his mind on the job. Crystal Ocean has been much improved this season and produced a monster effort to be narrowly denied in the King George and a repeat of that would certainly give Cracksman something to think about. Capri hasn’t shone since winning the St Leger last season, but his 5th in the Arc when last seen was firmly a step in the right direction and he’ll appreciate the underfoot conditions.

Our Champion Stakes tips are on site now!

Going Reports

Ascot – Soft, Heavy in places on the round course

Ffos Las – Good to Soft

Leopardstown – Yielding

Market Rasen – Good

Catterick – Soft, Good to Soft in places

Stratford – Good

Wolverhampton – Standard

Market Movers

1.35pm Ffos Las – Classi Massini (9/1 into 7/2)

1.50pm Catterick – Caustic Love (12/1 into 5/1)

4.15pm Leopardstown – Roibeard (25/1 into 10/1)

8.15pm Wolverhampton – True Romance (10/1 into 5/1)

Saturday’s Tips

We landed 57/1 & 14/1 Accumulator tips on Monday and we’ve got 71/1, 46/1 & 9/1 accumulators for today’s racing. We landed a 2/1 NAP yesterday plus 11/2 and 2/1 Next Bests in the days prior, both today’s NAP and Next Best tips run live on ITV!

Stat Of The Day

Ryan Moore has had 17 rides for James Tate in the past 5 years and has won on 7 of them at a 41% strike rate, he’s been outside the top 4 on just 3 of those rides. The pair team up with Via Via in the 4.30pm at Ascot.