Saturday ITV Preview Blog.
Saturday 14th June 2025
1.50 York: Doug Johnston Memorial Ubettabelieveit Macmillan Handicap: We kick things off on ITV this week with the 1.50 at York, which is a Class 3 handicap that’s contested over a distance of seven furlongs. As is the case with most of the day’s racing, this is an extremely competitive handicap. It could pay to side with TELEMARK, though here for Simon & Ed Crisford, who’s the mount of Liam Wright, taking off five pounds. He progressed from his seasonal reappearance at Newcastle to finishing fourth of thirteen at Chester last month, in a Class 2 event. He has to shoulder top weight here; however, his rider takes five pounds off, which effectively makes him two pounds below his last winning mark. If he gets some luck in the run, he’s got every chance.
Dashing Darcey should be a big player here for Geoffrey Harker and Silvestre De Sousa, he posted a fine effort at Haydock last time out over a mile when going down by just three-quarters of a length in second. He’ll contest this off just a pound higher mark, and if handling the step back down to seven furlongs should go very well. Blue For You has been nudging down the weights, and if returning to form has to be considered as a player at a course that he likes. Whereas Palmar Bay comes into the race in form, having won at Chelmsford last time, so could have more to offer, as could Havana Pusey, who seeks a hat-trick here for John Gallagher.
Shortlist: Telemark, Dashing Darcey, Blue For You, Palmar Bay, Havana Pusey
2.05 Sandown: Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap: We head over to Sandown for our second selection of the afternoon, and the 2.05, which is a Class 2 handicap over a mile. The Richard Hannon trained CLASSIC looks very solid here, who’s required the eye-catching services of Ryan Moore here. He’s run well in back-to-back competitive handicaps at Newbury on his two outings to date this term, finishing third in the Spring Cup in April before finishing fourth last month. He’ll contest this particular affair off a mark which is two pounds lower than his last winning one, and he looks set up for a big run here.
Theoryofeverything also looks like a big player for David O’Meara and Rossa Ryan, he finishing fourth of eleven on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock last month, and just a length and a half behind the eventual winner Great Chieftain. He’ll contest this off the same mark and should be bang there. Jack Channon’s Urban Lion is a potential improver and looks progressive; he was only a neck behind Ebt’s Guard in the Spring Cup when last seen, and could have more to offer off a four-pound higher mark.
Shortlist: Classic, Theoryofeverything, Urban Lion
2.25 York: Queen Mother’s Cup Handicap: It’s back over to York for the third race of the afternoon for the preview, and the 2.25, which is the Queen Mother’s Cup, a Class 3 handicap for female amateurs over a mile and four furlongs. It would be a surprise to see any of these win; however, MY DREAM WORLD makes some appeal for Ben Brookhouse, who’s set to be ridden by Megan Jordan. He’s unexposed and ran a satisfactory race after nearly ten months off the track last time at Ascot, finishing fifth of ten and five lengths behind the winner. He stayed on that day and should have come on a great deal for that outing, and it was only his second start within handicap company. If he does take a step forward, he can have a big say here off the same mark.
Maghlaak will be popular here under Jodie Townend, and can go well if repeating his run over course and distance last time out when finishing a neck second of fourteen to Great Bedwyn, he’s three pounds higher on this occasion, but should still post a bold bid. Others to note would firstly be Born Ruler for Sir Mark Prescott and Gina Andrews, this further distance could unlock further improvement for him, and Chillingham could be well-handicapped and bounce back to form for Ed Bethell and Becky Smith.
Shortlist: My Dream World, Maghlaak, Born Ruler, Chillingham
2.40 Sandown: BetMGM Scurry Stakes: We move up in grade in the 2.40 at Sandown with the Listed Scurry Stakes that takes place over five furlongs. STAR OF MEHMAS looks rock-solid here for Richard Hughes, and he once again renews his partnership with Ryan Moore. She’s gone close in a couple of Listed races this term, firstly when a length third of twelve at Chelmsford on his seasonal reappearance, before finishing a very close-up head second to the smart Tropical Storm in the Westow Stakes at York last month. That form looks strong, and she should continue to progress. Nothing suggests that she won’t post another bold bid here.
Hold A Dream also looks to be a big player here for Clive Cox and Rossa Ryan, she finished in front of Star Of Mehmas at Chelmsford in May, before a slightly underwhelming fifth of ten at Newbury in the Listed Carnavon Stakes on her most recent start. That being said, she still looks progressive, and another bold showing here would be no surprise. The Simon & Ed Crisford trained Coto De Caza looks interesting if she’s ready to go on his first start of the season, and the Irish raider Town And Country certainly has a chance on the form of her head second of twelve at Cork last time, with that run also coming within Listed company.
3.00 York: Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes: We continue the theme of Listed action at 3.00 with the Grand Cup Stakes at York, which is set to be ridden over a mile and six furlongs. Absurde will be very popular here for Willie Mullins and Danny Tudhope, he’s a very classy dual-purpose performer who’s a course and distance winner and lost nothing in defeat when a length and three-quarters behind Illinois last time out at Chester. He should be bang there once again here. I think that ALSAKIB is likely to come on significantly for his seasonal reappearance at York, where he posted a fine effort to be just a length and a half behind the very smart Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup. He’s down in grade here and should make his presence felt.
The admirable Al Qareem can never be written off for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee, he generally saves his best form for soft ground, but he can go on a fast surface and has looked as solid as ever since returning this term, winning the Listed Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham on seasonal reappearance, before finishing second and ahead of Absurde in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester last time out. El Cordobes is the most unexposed of the market principles here, and whilst he has a bit to find on form, could well improve on his third-placed effort within the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury last month.
3.20 Chester: Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap: We head over to Chester for one race throughout the afternoon, and the 3.20, which is a Class 2 handicap that’s contested over seven and a half furlongs. Jouncy sets a strong standard at the top of the betting here for Andrew Balding and Hollie Doyle, dropping into handicap company following several respectable efforts within pattern company, most recently when fifth in the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury. He’s likely to post a serious bid. MILFORD should also prove a big player here for Julie Camacho and Callum Rodriguez, he signed off his campaign last term with a very solid third-placed effort in Listed company at York, and just a length and three-quarters behind the winner. He posted another fine effort at that track over seven furlongs last time out, when a neck third of fourteen in a competitive handicap, and I think that he could be the one to be on here off just a pound higher mark.
The ultra-consistent Frankie’s Dream never seems to run a bad race for Jennie Candlish, and you’d be foolish to write him off, as many have done each start this campaign, and he continues to run very well, winning a twenty-two-runner handicap last time out at York. He’s up a further four pounds, but that still may not be enough to stop him. Elsewhere, Miami Matrix is still very unexposed for Hugo Palmer, and has the plum draw in stall one, and there should be more to come from Star Anthem within handicap company for Clive Cox.
3.35 York: Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap: We sign off this week’s ITV Preview Blog with the 3.35 at York and a fiercely competitive Class 2 handicap for three-year-olds over six furlongs. Both Double Rush and Maelstrom look highly progressive at the top of the market, and it would be no surprise to see either of them take this, as both come into the race in fine form, the former winning his last two and the latter chasing a four-timer. Tuco Salamanca brings experience to the table, along with Irish raider Brigid’s Cloak for Jonny Murtagh, that experience could count a lot in a race of this nature, and the latter has been progressing notably. Top-rated Northern Ticker finished third in Listed company on his final start of last term, and would be a big player if ready to go first time out.
VEBLEN GOOD could be worth chancing at a big price for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee, he currently trades at a best price of 20/1 at the time of writing, and I was impressed with the impression he made when winning a Wolverhampton novice event back in October. He’s not been seen since finishing a head second behind Strong Warrior on his seasonal reappearance at Pontefract in April; that rival is now rated 95 and would be the third highest rated in this race. If he’s progressed from that run, he has to be worth a shout at his current price.
Shortlist: Veblen Good, Double Rush, Maelstrom, Tuco Salamanca, Brigid’s Cloak, Northern Ticker
