ITV Horse Racing Tips for Saturday

There will be seven races lives on ITV on Saturday afternoon, including the feature Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. The best handicap action comes from Ripon in the Great St Wilfrid Stakes, while Newmarket makes a cameo with the unique Grey Horse Handicap.

The latest horse racing betting tips for Saturday's ITV racing from the Racing Post's Keith Melrose.

Saturday's ITV Horse Racing Betting Tips and Odds

14:05 Newmarket - Eminency @ 5/1
14:25 Newbury - Myconian @ 9/1
15:20 Ripon - Wobwobwob @ 8/1

14:05 Newmarket - Eminency @ 5/1

Since Eminency joined Stuart Williams, who recently celebrated his 1,000th winner, from Clive Cox he has showed sparks of his old self. They threatened to ignite at Chepstow last time, when he was well backed for a 0-85 in the Racing League.

That money will not have been an accident from the canny Williams operation, which gets their horses right for the big day. Eminency was running for a first prize of £18,000 that day and today it is £10,000. Horses of his class do not often get such lucrative opportunities.

Eminency came a little unstuck at Chepstow. A combination of rain-softened ground and a sharp 6f caught him out and he could finish only third.

Back at a stiffer 6f at Newmarket, on quicker ground and with headgear on, he can be sharper and take the beating in this handicap which is not only at the same 0-85 grade, but is restricted to horses registered as grey. Naturally, that restriction rules out a lot of the more progressive sorts at this level.

14:25 Newbury - Myconian @ 9/1

This race is even more valuable than the Grey Horse Handicap, but it is not as famous and therefore is not all that competitive for the 0-88 grade.

The Big Board is popular after her close second at Ascot last time, especially since the winner has gone in again in the meantime. She is short enough, especially away from Ascot where a lot of her best form has come.

The value against her is Myconian, one of few improvers in the field. This horse was sixth behind Big Evs in last year's Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and he then disappeared to France for a spell, peaking with a Listed win.

On returning to Britain this year, he has shaped with increasing promise. He hated Epsom on his return, which is forgivable, then took on Jordan Electrics for the lead at Hamilton - that horse has since broken two course records there and is rated 20lb higher. 

Myconian was second to Rocking Ends at Newmarket last time, and that form has again been advertised by the winner. At a flatter track, he can do his own bit for the form by taking this race.

15:20 Ripon - Wobwobwob @ 8/1

In the Great St Wilfrid, the draw is vital. The only problem is that, before the race, you can only know with some confidence that you want to be near one rail or the other. It is rarely clear which until the race is underway.

Wobwobwob was on the 'wrong' side last year. He won the race among those on his side, drawing away from the others at the finish. The only problem was that he still finished third overall.

Still, that showed Wobwobwob to be effect in big fields at Ripon and he won the Ayr Silver Cup on his next start. At Goodwood last time, over 7f, he was still second half a furlong out and lost ground only as his stamina ebbed away. It would not be hard to paint that as a career-best and now he returns to Ripon.

Wobwobwob has been drawn in stall 15, so near enough to that same rail once more. Hopefully, this year it will be the preferred side. With the pace on the far side drawn quite far from the rail, it just might be.

Read more horse racing betting tips and predictions on site.

Read more Newmarket horse racing news on site.

Read more Newbury horse racing news on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.