ITV Racing heads to Newbury and Ayr on Saturday for a cracking card headed by the Ayr Gold Cup, and our NAP is Starlust in the opening World Trophy Stakes at Newbury.
Ralph Beckett’s sprinter drops back to Group 3 company and should get his head in front against this weaker opposition. There’s a selection for every televised race across the two meetings. Below are our tips in full.
ITV Racing Saturday Tips: Our Newbury and Ayr Selections
| Time | Course | Race | Our Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:02 | Newbury | World Trophy Stakes (Group 3) | Starlust (NAP) 3/1 |
| 13:20 | Ayr | Mile Handicap | Spoken Truth (13/2) |
| 13:37 | Newbury | Autumn Cup Handicap | French Duke (4/1) |
| 13:55 | Ayr | Doonside Cup (Listed) | Fast Tracker (NB) 9/2 |
| 14:12 | Newbury | Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2) | Arapaho Gold (6/5) |
| 14:30 | Ayr | Silver Cup Handicap | Desert Falcon (EW) 9/1 |
| 14:47 | Newbury | 1m2f Handicap | Stem (EW) 17/2 |
| 15:05 | Ayr | Firth of Clyde (Group 3) | Ruby Moon (7/1) |
| 15:40 | Ayr | Ayr Gold Cup | Fine Interview (EW) 12/1 |
Our NAP (strongest bet) is Starlust in the 13:02; our next best (NB) is Fast Tracker in the 13:55. Tips are the opinion of the author and not guaranteed. 18+. GambleAware.org.
13:02 Newbury – World Trophy Stakes (Group 3): Starlust (NAP)
Starlust is our NAP and looks the one to be with in this 5f Group 3. Back at the Ralph Beckett yard after his stallion spell in Australia was cut short, he had strong Group 1 form before heading down under and has returned as good as ever. A fine second in the Group 1 Nunthorpe two starts back was backed up by a close fourth in the Flying Five at the Curragh, and dropping to Group 3 company he should get his head back in front against weaker opposition.
13:20 Ayr – Mile Handicap: Spoken Truth
Spoken Truth was a decisive winner last time at Ripon, where the addition of a tongue-tie appeared to have a real positive effect. A 5lb rise for that comfortable victory looks more than fair, and under ideal conditions again, David O’Meara’s runner can go well at Ayr.
13:37 Newbury – Autumn Cup Handicap: French Duke
French Duke gets the vote in this extended 1m5f handicap. Last seen losing out in a head-bobber with Plage De Havre at the Ebor meeting, he ran a cracker despite racing a little keen — form given a strong look when that winner scored again at Chester. There should be a decent gallop here, which will help him settle and suit his hold-up style, the weather won’t be a problem, and he deserves one of these.
13:55 Ayr – Doonside Cup (Listed): Fast Tracker (NB)
Fast Tracker is our next best — more unexposed than most, with plenty of encouragement on his two comeback runs this season after missing a year through injury. He built on his return to finish a good third in the Group 2 Celebration Mile behind the impressive Zavateri, and dropping to Listed company at peak fitness, a further step forward would put him bang there.
14:12 Newbury – Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2): Arapaho Gold
It’s hard to get away from Arapaho Gold, bidding for five wins from five this juvenile campaign. A genuinely progressive two-year-old getting better with every run, he won the Group 2 Gimcrack at York well, pulling clear with Final Objective — who has since boosted that form with a Group 2 win of his own. Thriving at present and over a course and distance he’s won at, he’s hard to oppose at this level.
14:30 Ayr – Silver Cup Handicap: Desert Falcon (EW)
Desert Falcon looks to be coming to the boil for the autumn and is worth an each-way interest. A good sixth in the competitive Portland Handicap last week, he did best of those drawn low who raced prominently. Cheekpieces go on for the first time — he tends to respond to first-time headgear, as the visor showed last week — and if that squeezes out a bit more, he can go well off his mark of 95 on a track that should suit his prominent style.
14:47 Newbury – 1m2f Handicap: Stem (EW)
Stem is our each-way pick in this tricky handicap. He brings a solid level of form and should be suited by this trip around a track he’s run well at, having hit the frame in three runs over the distance including a win. Jamie Spencer takes over and suits his hold-up style — he’s finished runner-up on him twice before, so hopefully it’s third time lucky.
15:05 Ayr – Firth of Clyde (Group 3): Ruby Moon
We’re happy to give Ruby Moon another chance in this 6f fillies’ Group 3. A better filly than she showed in the Lowther, where she raced keen and didn’t seem to enjoy the track, she’d previously backed up an encouraging Carlisle debut win with a fine fourth in a competitive Newmarket Group 2 that has worked out well. The Richard Fahey yard target their better fillies at this race, winning three of the last six, and she can resume her improvement.
15:40 Ayr – Ayr Gold Cup: Fine Interview (EW)
For the feature, Fine Interview is our each-way pick. One to take from the York Ebor Festival, he wasn’t given a hard time after a mid-season break but stayed on strongly to finish a close seventh, beaten just over a length — a run that should have him spot on, with this perhaps the primary target. He won’t mind what the weather does and has a right chance off his mark of 99.
Our Saturday NAP: Starlust
Our strongest bet of the day is Starlust in the World Trophy Stakes (13:02) — a Group 1-class sprinter dropping to Group 3 level and returning as good as ever. Our next best is Fast Tracker in the Doonside Cup (13:55). As always, these are tips based on form and profile, not guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NAP for ITV Racing on Saturday? Our NAP is Starlust in the 13:02 World Trophy Stakes at Newbury — the strongest bet on our Saturday card, with Fast Tracker in the 13:55 our next best.
What is your Ayr Gold Cup tip? Our each-way pick for the Ayr Gold Cup (3:40), the feature race, is Fine Interview off a mark of 99.
What are the ITV Racing tips for Saturday? Our selections are Starlust (1:02 Newbury NAP), Spoken Truth (1:20 Ayr), French Duke (1:37 Newbury), Fast Tracker (1:55 Ayr NB), Arapaho Gold (2:12 Newbury), Desert Falcon (2:30 Ayr), Stem (2:47 Newbury), Ruby Moon (3:05 Ayr) and Fine Interview (3:40 Ayr Gold Cup).
Which courses are on ITV Racing on Saturday? ITV shows racing from Newbury and Ayr, with nine races televised across the two meetings, headed by the Ayr Gold Cup.
More racing tips: ITV Racing tips · Best Odds Guaranteed · Tom Segal Pricewise tips · Horse racing tips
Tips are the opinion of the author and are not guaranteed. Odds and selections were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. Never bet more than you can afford to lose. GambleAware.org · GamCare.org.uk.
Andy Clark is a British betting analyst and the founder and editor of Thatsagoal, a UK sports betting comparison site operated by Thatsagoal Media Limited. He has over 20 years of betting experience across football and horse racing, and personally tests every bookmaker account reviewed on the site.
