STAR RACING PREVIEW: Saturday

Saturday brings a somewhat quieter combination of meetings after the Guineas festival with the Classic trials taking centre stage at Lingfield, writes LEWIS WILLIAMS.

The five flat meetings bring a real jigsaw puzzle to the weekend and I’ve landed on four bets from as many tracks across the racing world.

3.35 Lingfield – William Hill Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3) 7f

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Remarquee in the Listed Chartwell Stakes can get back to winning ways on Saturday at Lingfield after a luckless Classic campaign when the world was at her feet after winning the Fred Darling with any amount in hand. A bitterly disappointing run in the 1000 Guineas was preceded by an unfortunate turn of events in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot where Chris Hayes shrewdly put Hornby on Remarquee in a pocket before she finished well for 2nd under a nothing ride. Although she finished off the round course mile well, I do think she has a turn of foot and plenty of pace for Lingfield’s 7f and her half-brother (88) struck over this trip with his sire being a Graded American miler.

Her race looks a battle against this year’s classic crop in Great Generation ( ? ) who may have the fitness edge and beat Jabaara as a juvenile. She made her seasonal reappearance in the famous Prix Imprudence where she was 4th behind Ramatuelle (2nd) and Tamfana (3rd) who went on to run great races in the 1000 Guineas. How good that form ends up being may be answered by Romantic Style in Sunday’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches but for now, the question is would that level get Great Generation within a length of Tahiyra and for me, it’s a no.

Much has been made lately of Beckett’s stable form (3 from last 26) but Marco Botti himself is winless for a while on 1 from his last 17 runners. This looks like a good starting point for the daughter of Kingman and with an apparent required wind op under her belt since the Prix Rothschild, she should make a winning start at ? to what could be a great 4yo campaign.

3.50 Haydock – Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes (Listed Race) 7f

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I think Silver Sword could be overpriced (currently ? ) in the Listed Spring Trophy on Haydock’s mixed code card. The son of Charm Spirit was a rapid improver last year and demonstrated his potential in pattern company in the Fortune Stakes at Sandown beaten 3 lengths to Chindit with Knight and Raadobarg ahead of him. He beat that latter horse next time in the Darley Stakes when he was 2nd at 22/1 behind fair Godolphin globetrotter Highland Avenue, with subsequent Bahrain International and Neom Turf Cup winner Spirit Dancer close up in behind.

That form to Raadobarg can be linked to Poker Face and Lord North who were ahead of Pogo ( ? ) and Witch Hunter ( ? ) in the bet365 Mile on Classic Trial day – therefore the gap in the market between Cunha’s resident and those two is far too big. I’m hoping the drop back to 7f won’t be an issue for Silver Sword despite having plenty of stamina on the damside and he may still have more to offer in Group company on quick ground – something he didn’t have on his final two starts last season.

Poet Master ( ? ) is a fair favourite and was smashed up on his seasonal debut on Craven Day but will have to step up to another level from beating Percy’s Lad by a length.

4.05 Nottingham – Raceday Hospitality From £85 Per Person Handicap (Class 4) 1m½f

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The first two runs from Coolmore-owned Twirling gives you hope that a mark of 87 could be workable. The Churchill filly kickstarted her 3yo career in style at Kempton by beating Star Guest (99) into 2nd who most recently ran 3rd in the Listed Kilvington Stakes at the Guineas meeting. The 4th from the Kempton win is a certain Sapphire Seas (104) who subsequently went on to complete a 4-timer before running 2nd in the Group 2 Balanchine at Meydan behind English Rose.

That Balanchine form comes full circle back to Twirling because she was beaten at the same venue on her second start behind a certain aforementioned English Rose before that daughter of Frankel beat Sapphire Seas and ran 2nd in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

She tried to make all in a Lingfield handicap but idled up front but stayed on again to go down by a neck after being headed at the 1 pole before a step up in trip at the same course for the Winter Oaks brought no luck in running and was arguably looked after a bit by Moore when outpaced.

A transition to turf should be no problem for Twirling – the dam was a consistent Graded yardstick on American firm turf and with the 3yo form in the book, Saturday should be the reboot that her career needs at ? .

4.55 Ascot – Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Blue Ribbon Handicap (Class 4) 6f

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Brave Nation was part of sire Sioux Nation’s golden era of juveniles when running 4th in the Norfolk at 6/1 in 2022. He was a lot shorter of that in running when creeping upside Walbank and looked to have the race at his mercy, but that was before Paul Hanagan on winner The Ridler famously decided to mow down the horses to his left, where Brave Nation was the most affected runner of any.

Three hot handicaps in the summer like the Palace of Holyrood House were too stiff of a task but the Nation showed some promise on his last run finishing fast behind Badri and on seasonal reappearance on Ascot trials day too when he was held up last under Crouchy and finished well despite the pace holding up in the race, shaping as if a step up to 6 on Saturday would be no issue.

A drop of 1lb for that run is fair and part of an overall nosedive in his mark. His first three runs last season produced a reduction of 12lbs and subsequent three have yielded an extra 6lbs. Now on a generous 79 from a career-high mark of 101, I still believe in this horse and everything is in his favour for a massive run on Saturday to finally get an overdue win at Ascot at ? .

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Remarquee to win the 3.35 at Lingfield 1.5pts at 11/10 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Silver Sword to win the 3.50 at Haydock 1pt at 11/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Twirling to win the 4.05 at Nottingham 2pts at 6/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Brave Nation to win the 4.55 at Ascot 1pt at 6/1 (⭐ [ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)