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An eclectic mix this weekend, ranging from two-year-olds competing for a £250k pot in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury to seasoned chasers lining up for one of summer jumping’s biggest prizes in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen.

ITV will also be showing the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at 15:45, where Epsom runner up Savethelastdance will appreciate every drop of rain that falls in her clash with Ribblesdale winner and stable companion Warm Spell and her old adversary Bluestocking.

Despite its large field, the Super Sprint (15:35 Newbury) is often quite easy to solve. The weights are determined by the purchase prices of the runners (up to £65k) and the ideal profile is a horse who has shown a level of ability well beyond their purchase price and has avoided winning a big race, and hence a significant weight.

Top of the pile has to be RELIEF RALLY who just lost out on the bob in the Queen Mary and can gain rich compensation for that narrow defeat here. She has twice beaten one of her main rivals in Juniper Berry, and horses in the Super Sprint who ran last time at Ascot still outperform market expectations overall, with 12 winners from 114 qualifiers (Actual/Expected ratio 1.31) since 1997.

OTHER SATURDAY SELECTIONS

In the Steventon Stakes at Newbury (13:50), much will revolve around whether Al Aasy’s increasing lack of application in a finish will again hold him back. It may be something physical as his runs have been well spaced since, but HIGHLAND AVENUE looks a far more reliable proposition and could get a soft time up front. He gets the nod over Phoenix Flight who continues to promise more than he has yet delivered.

In the staying handicap (14:25), NOVEL LEGEND is a progressive stayer who can return to winning ways after a messy run at Royal Ascot where the steadily-run race had stayers falling over themselves in the straight. He has won over course and distance and, with the expectation of some potentially quite significant rainfall on Saturday, his proven ability on soft ground could also be an asset. I expect him to be strong in the market.

There are some big fields at Market Rasen, and expect the races to be far more strongly run than has been the case for the majority of summer jumps races that provide the form on the build-up. GLORIOUS ZOFF (14:40 Market Rasen) looked to overdo the waiting game last time when just failing to catch Manor Park, but those tactics are far more suited to the likely tempo here. He would also have won the time before, but for capsizing at the last. There are only two hurdles in the last ¾ mile at Market Rasen and if waiting until the long run from three out to two out he can pick off tiring rivals.

Trainer Peter Bowen has adeptly got FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (15:15 Market Rasen) in off the ceiling rating of 140 as he attempts to win the race for the third time. He stayed on late in his prep run over course and distance and, as long as conditions do not turn too testing, he will take a deal of beating.

JOCKEYS FOR COURSES

Last week it was Shane Gray with a 19-1 Hamilton double who provided another decent return for the angle that jockeys riding at a track where they have a historically good record set off with a good deal more confidence than tracks at which they perform poorly. Here is Saturday's list:

  • Cartmel – Jonathan England (19 wins from 84 rides. A/E 1.73)
  • Haydock – Phil Dennis (8 wins from 62 rides, but over half at double-figure prices. A/E 1.91)
  • Newmarket July – Rossa Ryan (16 wins from 83 rides A/E 1.42)

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

TONTO’S SPIRIT (16:00 Cartmel) is not the force of old, but the popular Cartmel course specialist could have a final hurrah here as he drops into this class for the first time. Picked up for just £700 by the Slack family, he has a huge local following and can make it course win number nine.

SATURDAY SELECTIONS

HIGHLAND AVENUE (13:50 Newbury)

NOVEL LEGEND (14:25 Newbury)

GLORIOUS ZOFF (14:40 Market Rasen)

FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (15:15 Market Rasen)

RELIEF RALLY (15:35 Newbury)

TONTO’S SPIRIT (16:00 Cartmel)