Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for ITV racing at Beverley and Haydock Saturday June 8
Our form expert has three selections for Saturday's ITV racing at Beverley and Haydock including in the feature Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes.
The Verdict: Saturday, June 8
1pt win Queen Of The Pride in 3.00 Haydock at 15/2 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)
1pt win Billyb in 3.15 Beverley at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Ramazan in 3.35 Haydock at 7/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt win Maghlaak in 2.25 Haydock at 4/1 (NON RUNNER)
Fahey Ram raid at Haydock
A low-key Saturday in between Epsom and Royal Ascot but there’s some competitive action at Haydock where the Group 3 Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes headlines the card.
Noble Dynasty probably deserves top billing in the contest, but all of his best form is on the undulations of Newmarket and he looks more vulnerable at a flat track like Haydock, where he ran into trouble on his only previous start at the Merseyside venue.
I want to take him on and it’s the same with Witch Hunter, who is the sort of horse that appeals more at big prices in better races given his running-on-late style, his 11/2 odds tight enough considering his strike-rate of 2/18 on turf.
This could be well run with Quinault, Pogo, Noble Style, Flight Plan and Point Lynas in the field and with that in mind it looks well set up for Richard Fahey’s RAMAZAN to lay down a stern challenge.
The Fahey yard is flying and Ramazan is well in the groove himself, the improving four-year-old coming on significantly for his seasonal debut when running a belting race off 105 in the Victoria Cup at Ascot, his second there giving him strong form claims in this.
I loved the way he travelled in the visor that day and he found plenty for pressure despite being mugged on the line, while he’ll enjoy the likely strong gallop with Billy Garrity unlikely to be too far away on the son of Kodiac.
He’s two from two at Haydock including a course and distance win on good to firm ground, conditions he's likely to encounter on Saturday, and he looks primed to run a huge race.
The Verdict: Back RAMAZAN in the 3.35 Haydock
Queen to reign in Pinnacle
Maghlaak isn’t the only choicely-bred thoroughbred on show at Haydock with QUEEN OF THE PRIDE rivalling him when it comes to pedigrees in the Group 3 Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (formerly the Pinnacle Stakes) at 3.00.
By Roaring Lion out of the St Leger winner Simple Verse, it is of no surprise to see this filly improving with racing as she goes up in trip and the likelihood of a strongly run contest here should see her take another step forward.
I liked her run at Goodwood last time where she stayed on with purpose to finish a close-up second behind Gather Ye Rosebuds, the idiosyncratic nature of the track not exactly playing to her strengths as she wandered about in the final quarter mile.
That was a soundly-run race and she should get a good gallop to aim at again here with a posse of prominent racers in the field, while Oisin Murphy can ride her with confidence knowing she will see it out well.
Still green last time out on just her third run, this looks a perfect next spot for her and John Gosden has won it with a couple of slow-maturing four-year-old fillies before in Sultanina and Journey, who both took this race on the way to Group 1 success.
She's got a bit to find with the market leaders, but she is unexposed in comparison to the majority of these and the potential for more to come is there for all to see.
The Verdict: Back QUEEN OF THE PRIDE in the 3.00 Haydock
Billyb can bounce back at Beverley
Over at Beverley the two-year-old races will be worth watching with Royal Ascot in mind but the bet365 Handicap over seven-and-a-half furlongs is the best betting race and I’m backing BILLYB to bounce back to winning form.
This horse was rated 88 at the start of last season when trained by Ann Duffield, before he went off the rails and dropped to 76, but there was a positive sign last time out at York on his stable debut for Craig Lidster.
The son of Raven's Pass put in his best effort since the start of last season with a good run from a prominent position, his performance one of merit given he was keen early and then did the best of those who were up with the pace.
It was a good platform from which to work form and it’s reasonable to expect more improvement on his second run for his new yard, while the Lidster team tend to do well with their runners at Beverley (7/42 17%).
The Verdict: Back BILLYB in the 3.15 Beverley
Magic Mag can strike for Hills (NON RUNNER)
Earlier on the card, Charlie Hills’ MAGHLAAK can justify likely favouritism in the Betfred ‘Play Fred’s £5 Million’ Handicap over 1m4f.
He's the progeny of two Shadwell stars in Muhaarar and Ghanaati and while those two excelled over shorter distances everything Maghlaak has done has suggested he wants a trip.
He stayed on well to win over 10 furlongs in soft ground at Goodwood on his first run since being gelded this season and then he was eased off when his chance had gone when outpaced at Redcar last time.
Off just 3lb higher than Goodwood he is expected to thrive up in trip to 1m4f, the first-time blinkers also a positive given two of his siblings won in first-time headgear.
The Verdict: Back MAGHLAAK in the 2.25 Haydock
Preview posted at 1445 BST on 07/06/24
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