There’s plenty of fine racing avaialble across the length and breadth of the UK today. Grab all of your UK racing tips for Saturday’s meetings at Ascot, Lingfield and Haydock here!
ASCOT
Race 1 – SIR RUMI 7/2
SIR RUMI should find conditions to his liking as he bids for successive victories in the opener at Ascot today.
In truth, the five-year-old has proven himself effective on a variety of different surfaces, but it was heartening to see him register a first win on soft at Epsom last month. Overall Sir Rumi has a consistent profile, with 18 career starts yielding four successes and five placed finishes and a 4lb hike for his latest triumph looks fair.
Race 2 – TIMELESS MELODY 2/1
TIMELESS MELODY is of major interest in the Peroni Nastro Azzurro EBF Fillies’ Handicap at Ascot. The daughter of Teofilo shaped with promise in each of her two all-weather starts for Charlie Appleby last term, but it was not enough to prevent the Godolphin team from putting her up for sale.
Her new connections went to 65,000 guineas to secure her services last summer and she gave them an immediate return on their investment when making a winning debut for William Haggas in a novice event at Leicester in April. The runner-up has subsequently finished second again, while the third and fourth have both won since, so the form could hardly have worked out any better.
Soft ground will hold no fears for Timeless Melody given it was heavy at Leicester and an opening mark of 80 for her handicap debut may underestimate her ability.
Race 3 – SPYCATCHER 17/2
SPYCATCHER should run well in the Victoria Cup, despite the burden of top-weight. The five-year-old has been highly tried in his career to date, but has shown his class with a Listed win and three-placed efforts in Group-race company. He made the most of having his sights lowered on his seasonal reappearance and first run since being gelded in soft ground at Thirsk three weeks ago and the handicapper has been fairly generous in leaving his mark of 106 unchanged.
LINGFIELD
Race 1 – LEGAL REFORM 6/1
Plenty of these make a lot of appeal, but marginal preference lies with LEGAL REFORM, who is now rated 4lb above his last winning all-weather mark following a comfortable success at Catterick last month.
The gelded son of Lawman is likely to prove popular following that victory, but Gold Medal steps up in trip having scored over 6f most recently and has to be feared off 3lb higher. WINFORGLORY and SHARAVA add further spice to the race.
Race 2 – SACRED 33/20
SACRED had a mixed few runs last season but lost little in defeat behind Pogo in a Group 2 at Newmarket on her most recent outing in October. She is fancied to deliver a winning return to action here, and the fact she has an entry for the Lockinge later this month must suggest she is showing all the right signs at home.
SANDRINE struggled in Group 1 company at Longchamp, also in October, but still rates a big threat returning from a break, while QUEEN AMINATU is another to note for powerful connections.
Race 3 – BRIGHT DIAMOND 11/2
Third in a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud on her return to action last month, BE HAPPY seems a likely contender having shaped with promise on that occasion, but BRIGHT DIAMOND shades the vote.
Karl Burke’s charge finished a decent third in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket when last seen in October and she must hold every chance of building on that Group 1 effort on her Polytrack debut. The fact she has been entered for the Oaks must also make her of significant interest, while PERFECT PROPHET steps up in trip following a creditable run over a mile at Doncaster last September and is not to ruled out either.
Race 4 – MILITARY ORDER 83/100
Assuming the switch of surface does not have a negative effect, MILITARY ORDER will take some stopping in the Lingfield Derby Trial following an impressive victory on his reappearance at Newbury. The Frankel colt is already a single-figure price for the Derby at Epsom and he may even be challenging for favouritism if he impresses this weekend.
The threat comes from INQUIRING MINDS who bolted up on debut at Newcastle by five lengths for John & Thady Gosden and he beat some much more experienced rivals over 1m2f that day. The son of Kingman has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and he is likely to relish the step up in trip. CIRCLE OF FIRE is also respected.
HAYDOCK
Race 4 – BRENTFORD HOPE 5/2
Charles Byrnes’ Irish raider Byker is the obvious starting point following a narrow defeat at the Cheltenham Festival, but preference is for one-time Derby aspirant BRENTFORD HOPE in this handicap hurdle.
The six-year-old is two from two over hurdles since joining Harry Derham and may still be on an upward curve. WASHINGTON appeals for at least a place in the frame on the back of a solid third, also in first-time cheekpieces, at Aintree, while GET BACK GET BACK is just one more to consider in a typically competitive renewal.
