Five key horses to follow on Saturday from our experts
Tom Bull, Jack Nicol and Harry Allwood reveal their best bets for the action at Newbury, Market Rasen and the Curragh on Saturday, all live on Racing TV.
Flat Out, Tom Bull, Jack Nicol and Joey Laver reveals their top tips for Saturday's action, with some big-priced contenders among their fancies!
Phantom Flight
Race: bet365 Stakes (1.50pm, Newbury).
Best odds: 10-1.
Tipster: Jack Nicol.
The best bet this weekend is in the bet365 Stakes at Newbury, and that is Phantom Flight. We know it has been such a stop-start season so far for James Horton, but this horse has actually been able to run three times.
He was unlucky not to finish closer when third at Kempton in April as the race didn't really pan out for him, but that form has been boosted since, with Rogue Millennium (2nd) winning the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, and the fifth (Savvy Victory) has won since, too.
I definitely thought Phantom Flight was one to follow after that run and he's since run at Goodwood where he again didn't get a clear run against some progressive rivals.
He didn't stay the trip when fourth over 1m6f at Newmarket when last seen, and I think his optimum trip is ten furlongs on quicker ground.
The going at Newbury on Saturday should be good or better, based upon the weather forecast, and I do think he's the stable's best horse.
At 10-1, he's a wild price! I thought he should be near enough favourite dropping back down in trip. Al Aasy was tailed off in the same race Phantom Flight ran in last time out, and he's chalked up at evens here, which doesn't make sense to me.
A galloping track like Newbury is going to bring out the best in the selection, and I don't think it's the deepest race, either.
Sweet William
Race: Mettal UK Handicap (2.25pm, Newbury).
Best odds: 9-2.
Tipster: Harry Allwood.
This four-year-old has shown bundles of promise in four starts and, being a half-brother to the high-class Hurricane Lane, he's definitely bred to be better than a rating of 88.
Having been gelded after finishing second on his first two outings last year, Sweet William returned to finish second behind Saint George at Southwell, and that form is working out well, with the winner now rated 109 after twice going close at Group level since.
The Sea The Stars colt didn't need to improve to get off the mark in a race that fell apart last time out, but he clocked a decent time, despite being eased down in the closing stages, and had the race won a long way from home.
He's clearly got a quirk or two as connections replaced cheekpieces for blinkers last time out, probably due to him racing lazily at Southwell on his seasonal debut, and he put the brakes on once when his rider eased off close to the line at Doncaster. That was probably due to his inexperience, though, and there's no doubting he's got bundles of ability.
This test is sure to suit as his dam won over two miles, and I believe he's a potential Group horse in a handicap.
Mitbaahy
Race: bet365 Hackwood Stakes (3.00pm, Newbury).
Best odds: 10-1.
Tipster: Tom Bull.
He's not run over six furlongs since his first couple of outings in novice company, and it did seem in the early days that a drop to five furlongs is what he wanted, but I think he's matured, become less keen and travels into his races with a little bit more containment within himself now.
Therefore I think he's starting to show he now wants to go back up to six furlongs. We've not seen him over this trip since the summer of 2021, and I think now is the ideal time to step back up.
Both of his starts this season - at Haydock behind Dramatised in the Temple Stakes and last time out behind Bradsell in the King's Stand - would indicate that he wants to go further.
He's been getting a little outpaced before running on towards the end of the contest, and I think his very enthusiastic pace would come back into the reckoning for him over this trip.
He beat Teresa Mendoza at this track last year in the Group Three Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes, so we know he likes this track, he just needs a strong pace to sit in behind and pounce late.
I think he's a big price at 10-1 and I expect him to bounce back to his best over this trip.
Francky Du Berlais
Race: Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase (3.15pm, Market Rasen).
Best odds: 6-1.
Tipster: Harry Allwood.
Francky Du Berlais is seeking his third consecutive victory in the Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase and looks primed to make another bold bid following his eye-catching effort last time out.
Peter Bowen's charge showed a great attitude to defeat La Domaniale (who re-opposes on Saturday but is 11lb worse off at the weights) when carrying 12st to victory last year and is only rated a pound higher now. He's failed to get his head in front since but was set some difficult tasks during the 22-23 Jumps season and returned from a short break to finish a never-nearer third in the "Summer Plate Trial" over this course and distance 29 days ago.
That outing looked a pipe-opener for this contest, which is sure to have been the plan for some time, and the Bowen team are in red-hot form with a 38 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight. Sean Bowen has ridden 12 winners from 24 rides during that time, and the ground should be ideal for his mount who has plenty in his favour.
COMHRA
Race: Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.45pm, Curragh).
