ITV Racing Tips Saturday 9 May 2026: Ascot, Lingfield & Haydock

Last Updated on 09/05/2026 by Andy Clark

Saturday’s ITV Racing coverage spans three meetings — Ascot, Lingfield and Haydock — including the Oaks Trial, Derby Trial, the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies Stakes and the competitive Victoria Cup Handicap. Eight selections across the card, with Back To Black the NAP at Lingfield and Royal Velvet the next best in the Chartwell Fillies Stakes.

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Saturday 9 May ITV Racing Tips at a Glance

Time	Course	Selection	Type
1:15	Haydock	Gibbs Island	Each-Way
1:28	Lingfield	Amora Queen	Each-Way
1:45	Ascot	Song N Dance	Win
1:58	Lingfield	Maltese Cross	Win
2:20	Ascot	Storm Free	Each-Way
2:40	Lingfield	Royal Velvet	NB
2:55	Ascot	Opportunity	Win
3:15	Lingfield	Back To Black	NAP

For maximum value, take all selections at fixed odds with Best Odds Guaranteed bookmakers — paid at SP if bigger than your taken price.

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1:15 Haydock — Swindon Handicap Hurdle, 2m

Tip: Gibbs Island Each-Way

The one race from Haydock comes over the jumps — the Swindon Handicap Hurdle over the 2-mile trip.

GIBBS ISLAND (5/1) looks well handicapped based on his fine effort when finishing 7th in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. He was eye-catching coming from off the pace there, as nothing could get into that race from off the pace, and he fared best. Surprisingly, he comes into this 1lb lower than at the Festival.

This is a weaker handicap, and he looks sure to go close, granted a clear round.

For more daily horse racing selections, see our NAP of the Day and Lucky 15 tips.

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1:28 Lingfield — Oaks Trial, Listed, 1m3½f

Tip: Amora Queen Each-Way

The first classic trial of the day comes up at 1:28 — the Oaks Trial, a Listed contest over the extended 1m3f trip.

AMORA QUEEN (13/2) is the chance for the Charlie Johnston stable. Coming off a fine weekend last week, they’ll be hoping for more of the same here. She won her first two starts of her two-year-old campaign last season before finishing well beaten in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile. That may have come too early in her career, and she has since reappeared with a decent second at Doncaster.

She may well be able to put that fitness to good use, and she’s likely to get her own way out in front. That is dangerous when SDS is in the saddle. The O’Brien horses don’t look the strongest from their yard by any means, and the Godolphin runner looks too short given the yard’s quiet spell for their high standards.

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1:45 Ascot — Fillies’ Handicap, 1m

Tip: Song N Dance

We head over to Ascot for the first of three live races, starting with a fillies’ handicap over the mile.

SONG N DANCE (9/1) is the one for me. This filly ended last season with two decent victories at Leicester before following up at Newcastle. She returned this year at Southwell last month and ran a cracker, finishing second behind an improving Godolphin horse, where Toby Moore was taken 7lb off.

That was highly encouraging, and with that run behind her, a mark of 84 could well be within her reach.

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1:58 Lingfield — Derby Trial Stakes, Listed, 1m3½f

Tip: Maltese Cross

At 1:58 it’s the turn of the Colts in the Listed Derby Trial Stakes over the extended 1m3f.

MALTESE CROSS (11/4) is the one for me. The Haggas colt built on a promising career debut when he finished second to go one better in a strong maiden at Newmarket to close out his two-year-old campaign. The son of Sea The Stars was always going to be a better horse as he matured and went out in trip.

He’s since reappeared with a reappearance victory, staying on strongly to get up close to home at Newbury over 1m2f. This extra furlong looks sure to suit again and he can continue on an upward curve.

For our broader Saturday coverage, see our Saturday Football tips and weekend bet builder tips.

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2:20 Ascot — Victoria Cup Handicap, 7f

Tip: Storm Free Each-Way

The competitive 7f Victoria Cup Handicap is next up at 2:20.

At the prices, STORM FREE (20/1) EW is the one for me. He progressed well last season at three, winning two of his four starts and hitting the frame on the other two occasions. His seasonal reappearance this year at Newmarket was full of hope and promise for this season, and if he improves a touch for that outing, a mark of 89 could look pretty lenient.

He’s interesting and is a lot more unexposed than most in here.

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2:40 Lingfield — Group 3 Chartwell Fillies Stakes, 7f

Tip: Royal Velvet (NB — Next Best)

The 2:40 is the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies Stakes over the 7f distance.

The William Knight-trained ROYAL VELVET (7/4) can follow up her impressive seasonal debut victory at Newmarket and make it two from two this season here. She won going away there, and it was a competitive 18-runner affair. This asks a different question, but it’s not the strongest of Group races by any stretch of the imagination.

The yard has started the season well, and the booking of William Buick is ideal. Royal Velvet looks tough to beat in my eyes.

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2:55 Ascot — Handicap, 1m4f

Tip: Opportunity

The final race from Ascot is another tricky handicap, this time over 1m4f.

The horse I like is OPPORTUNITY (5/1). A quirky sort that showed a decent level of ability last season when putting his best foot forward, he looks like he’ll appreciate being gelded over the winter — hopefully that will help him fulfil that promise. He was a really impressive winner of a competitive novice race on seasonal debut last season, which stays in the mind. It also supports the case that he goes well fresh.

Powerful connections stick with him, so you’d have to think master trainer William Haggas believes he can tap back into that promise this season.

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3:15 Lingfield — Handicap, 7½f

Tip: Back To Black (NAP)

We finish proceedings with a handicap at Lingfield over an extended 7 furlongs.

I find it hard to get away from BACK TO BLACK (11/8) in this field. The James Fanshawe four-year-old has always been talked up as a decent horse, and like many Fanshawe horses, I’d expect him to only get better with age. He was unlucky not to win on his seasonal debut at Newbury, where he didn’t get the clearest of runs and stayed on strongly to be beaten just over a length come the line.

I think this is a weaker race, and he should now be at peak fitness. Connections will be disappointed if he’s not winning this — and so would I.

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How to Bet on Saturday’s ITV Racing

For the best returns on win and each-way bets, take fixed odds early with bookmakers that offer Best Odds Guaranteed — paid at SP if bigger than your taken price, or keep your taken price if shorter.

If you fancy combining today’s selections into a multiple bet, see our Lucky 15 tips for the recommended structure. Lucky 15s on horse racing also benefit from Betfred’s market-leading Lucky 15 Bonus — treble odds for one winner, 25% all-winners bonus.

For each-way value at the bigger meetings, William Hill’s Money Back if 2nd offer (cash refund up to £10 if your horse finishes second) is worth checking — typically extended to selected ITV races on big Saturdays.

Bookmaker	Welcome Offer	Best For
Betfred	Bet £10 Get £50	Lucky 15 Bonus + BOG
BoyleSports	Bet £10 Get £40	Money Back 2nd to SP Fav
bet365	Bet £10 Get £30	BOG + Position Payout
William Hill	Bet £10 Get £30	Money Back if 2nd
Coral	Bet £5 Get £30	Pipped at the Post

For our full directory of UK bookmaker welcome offers, see the free bets hub.

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