Horse Racing Tips: Paddy Power’s epic Saturday ITV Racing Cheat Sheet

James Evans has a real star on his hands with Dream Composer. He is very solid and he can handle soft ground. The ground was good when he won at Sandown. He didn’t get much of a rise in the ratings for that, and being on a roll has to be a positive.

There is a fair bit of risk involved, given he’s proven hard to win with, and sports new headgear here, but Whenthedealinsdone has track and ground in his favour and can get back to winning ways in a race that is sure to be suit his style.

WHENTHEDEALINSDONE is on a handy mark of 92 and might enjoy carrying just 8st 8lb against classier types. The Roger Teal runner has blinkers on first time and hasn’t been totally disgraced this season. Last term he ran and won well at this track off a mark of 90 and he can race here off 92. Has an each-way chance if anywhere near his best.

Preference is for ZARZYNI, who has shaped well the last twice and is 10 lb lower than when a good third in this contest 12 months ago. Vintage Clarets, Harry Brown and King’s Lynn make up the shortlist in what looks a highly-competitive opener.

I find it interesting that Jim Crowley has chosen to go to Ascot, and  this horse will have influenced that decision. Aldaary was slightly disappointing at Newmarket, but I’m hoping with that run under his belt he will be ready for this test.

Aldaary almost certainly needed the run after a long absence when fourth in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket a fortnight ago, certainly looking sluggish from the stalls before eventually warming to his task. He should have gained plenty of benefit from that 7f run, and the return to a mile at Ascot will suit this dual course winner.

MASTER OF THE SEAS has never been the most straight forward but he’s a class act at his best. If right after a lay-off he should take a lot of beating under James Doyle.

MASTER OF THE SEAS is very classy at his best and is taken to bounce back from a disappointing run in Dubai when last seen in March. Jimi Hendrix will have a say if he can reproduce the level he achieved when a comfortable winner of the Royal Hunt Cup here last month. The reappearing Mighty Ulysses is another to consider.

Clive Cox made a slow start to his season but it is fair to say he is in full flow now. This son of Havana Grey won nicely at Newmarket last time. He has gone up in the ratings for that win, but I feel is worthy of the rise and handled soft ground as a two-year-old. For that reason Havana Blue has to be the one.

Quantum Impact is easily forgiven an unplaced effort in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot where he somewhat bizarrely ended up in the unfavoured stands-side group despite a low draw. He had looked like taking a hand in the finish for much of that contest, and is worth another chance to deliver on previous promise.

ROYAL DUBAI should go nicely  having won at Chelmsford two runs ago and then upped his game when second at Chester over a trip a little shorter. He stayed on well that day so must have an each-way chance if repeating the effort.

Ralph Beckett saddled Jimi Hendrix to win this race last year and QUANTUM IMPACT is taken to follow in his stablemate’s footsteps. The Invincible Spirit colt landed a good York handicap in May and subsequently shaped far better than the bare result at Royal Ascot, leaving the impression that his mark will be well within reach.

Charlie Appleby had a very poor Royal Ascot and it didn’t really happen for him, but his team seem to be in much better shape now.  You can be comfortable backing the Boys in Blue again, and Great Truth was well backed when winning at Leicester, even when Charlie’s horses were not flying.

City of Troy looks a high-class prospect, but is going to take a large chunk of the market here, and that may create some each-way value for the exposed Haatem. Richard Hannon’s colt blew the start when fancied for the Woodcote at Epsom before staging a strong late rally, and he again kept on well when fifth behind River Tiber in the Coventry. Bred to stay 7f well, he can improve enough for the longer trip to get in the money here.

GREAT TRUTH was expected to score on debut at Leicester and duly did so by nearly six lengths. Can improve again for the Charlie Appleby team.

CITY OF TROY looked an exciting prospect when scoring at the Curragh a fortnight ago and can take the step up to Group company in his stride. Great Truth impressed with the manner of his debut victory at Leicester and is feared most, whilst Haatem should relish this stiffer test of stamina and is also much respected.

The booking of Ryan Moore is eye-catching for Ralph Beckett-trained contender Biggles. He is proven on soft ground . May have found conditions too quick for him at Royal Ascot, but the combination of the jockey booking and soft ground definitely makes him attractive.

Streets of Gold was right back to form on his second start after a breathing operation when third in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and while that was probably not a vintage renewal, the son of Havana Gold was merely confirming the huge promise of an unbeaten juvenile campaign, and he still seems to be reasonably treated with the weight-for-age allowance. His BHA rating of 105 is translated into a racing weight of 9 stone.

RAINBOW FIRE is ideally suited by 7f and has an each-way chance. I suspect he didn’t run to form on the soft ground last time but can bounce back now.

AWAAL has produced cracking placed efforts in two of the biggest 1m handicaps of the season and can land a big pot now dropping back to 7f. Spangled Mac shaped well in a pair of Royal Ascot handicaps 48 hours apart and is second choice.

While Shaquille’s clearly the one to beat, I’m taking an each-way swing at old favourite Art Power, who has often fared badly with the draw in the big sprints here. He’s been ridden too aggressively, been badly drawn or had some other misfortune in most of his tries in Group 1 sprints at this trip, but he has still run with credit on most of those occasions. For once, his draw looks perfect, and the rain that’s fallen will ensure the ground is as he likes it, so I can see him outrunning big odds – if not breaking his Group 1 hoodoo.

If LITTLE BIG BEAR runs he will be doing so having missed six crucial days of work. He has to reverse Royal Ascot form with Shaquille, but  can hopefully bounce back to his best under Ryan Moore.

AZURE BLUE has been kept fresh for this since winning the Duke of York Stakes and this most likeable filly (travels strongly and responds well) looks a Group 1 performer in the making. Shaquille produced a remarkable performance when overcoming a terrible start in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot but his issues with the stalls remain a slight concern.