Horse Racing Tips: Matt Chapman's Saturday ITV Racing Picks

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28 July 2023

Horse Racing Tips: Matt Chapman's Saturday ITV Racing Picks

Matt Chapman’s Horse Racing Tips

13:50 Ascot – Lunar Shine (each way)
14:05 York – Strong Johnson (each way)
14:25 Ascot – Ameynah
14:40 York – Hyperfocus (each way)
15:00 Ascot – Baradar (each way)
15:15 York – My Prespero
15:40 Ascot – Hukum

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

ITV Saturday gets under way with a stellar card at Ascot beginning with this Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes for two-year-old fillies over 6f. Very few of these proven with juice in the ground which makes it very hard. I’ll take a chance with LUNAR SHINE who showed real promise on debut at Thirsk last month. The daughter of Kodiac ran green from off the pace that day and might have much more to give. One of the John Dance horses that can now run trained by James Horton. PJ McDonald is on top and I’ll back each way.

ITV also go to York Saturday starting here with a handicap over 5f. Irish import STRONG JOHNSON is threatening to win a race for Paul Midgeley and is handicapped to go well here off 73. He ran off 100 a few times in Ireland and appears to go well with juice in the ground. Has eachway claims under Sean Quinlan after a fair fifth last time.

This is the Group 3 Valiant Stakes over 1m. AMEYNAH could blow this lot out the soggy ground if ready on debut after a long lay off for Roger Varian. The Exceed and Excel filly looked a right prospect when winning a maiden at Newmarket last year and went on to finish sixth behind Cachet in the 1000 Guineas. She might need further than this in time but the ground will make this a testing ground and she went on good to soft on debut. David Egan takes the ride.

A handicap over 6f. HYPERFOCUS goes well on soft ground and was a fine winner at Ripon earlier in the season when the going was like that. That was off 93 and he’s on 94 here after being dropped 1lb for a fifth at Hamilton when last seen when he was far from disgraced. David Allan rides for Tim Easterby with eachway chances.

A really competitive handicap over 7f. BARADAR has long threatened to land a big pot and conditions are ideal for a huge effort here. The George Boughed-trained raider was third in the Lincoln on heavy ground over a mile so this 7f on good to soft will hold no fears. He ran well at Ascot when sixth in the Victoria Cup in May and forget his last run as it was on good to firm and he was in a small group. A solid eachway wager.

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Up in class here for the Group 2 York Stakes over an extended 1m2f. MY PROSPERO has not come up to scratch this season in two efforts but Tom Marquand comes here rather than for Hamish in the King George which says a lot. William Haggas’s high class colt was not disgrace when fourth in the Lockinge at Newbury but failed to sparkle in the same position at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. This is his big chance to get the season on track.

The big race of the day and a season highlight in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 1m4f. This is a belter and any one of about six easily made a case for. Testing conditions appear likely, for all there has not been much rain since Thursday, and with plenty of juice in the ground my gut feeling is that the Owen Burrows-handled HUKUM will come out on top.

The Shadwell-owned inmate, ridden by Jim Crowley, has landed four of his last five starts and was beaten less than two lengths in a defeat at Meydan when the ground was probably faster than ideal. He’s really progressive and coming of age just like the King George!

So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?