Horse Racing Tips: Mick Fitzgerald’s Saturday ITV Racing Picks

Mick's got his crystal ball out for the ITV Racing at Ascot & York including a hotly-contested King George VI.

Mick Fitzgerald Royal Ascot 2

Mick Fitzgerald’s Horse Racing Tips

13:50 Ascot – Dazzling Star
14:05 York – Ey Up It’s Maggie
14:25 Ascot – Random Harvest
14:40 York – Hyperfocus (each-way)
15:00 Ascot – Vafortino
15:15 York – My Prospero
15:40 Ascot – Hukum

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

13:50 Ascot – Dazzling Star

Blue Point has made a fantastic start to his career as a stallion and Dazzling Star could be another of his offspring to do well. A good winner at Newmarket over 6f on the July course, my selection certainly looks open to improvement and gets the nod in a trappy contest.

14:05 York – Ey Up It’s Maggie

This is a Flat race for jump jockeys. Kevin Ryan has booked Brian Hughes who was a very good apprentice on the Flat for Kevin Prendergast in Ireland back in the day. His Sound Reason deserves respect.

I liked the chances of Ey Up It’s Maggie with Irish champion jockey and multi Cheltenham winning rider Paul Townend on board. He was a winner at Doncaster on soft ground and could spring a bit of a surprise.

14:25 Ascot – Random Harvest

This daughter of War Front ran a hell of a race in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the Royal meeting. Random Harvest is pretty versatile ground-wise as she won a Group 3 at the San Siro in Italy on soft ground last October and this looks the perfect fit for her.

14:40 York – Hyperfocus (each-way)

Trainer Tim Easterby has a couple of runners in here but stable jockey David Allan has plumped for Hyperfocus who has run some good races at the track. He will handle softer conditions which is very important and looks a good each-way play in a trappy contest.

15:00 Ascot – Vafortino

This five-year-old is a course and distance winner, which is always helps at Ascot. Vafortino was very unlucky to get chinned as York last time by Northern Express and is 8lbs better off at the weights now if you take into account the rider’s 7lb claim. That swings it for me. Bless Him could run well for the king of the straight course at Ascot, Jamie Spencer.

15:15 York – My Prospero

Trainer William Haggas has campaigned My Prospero in Group 1 contests for his last three starts with no success. He reverts to Group 2 company now and he won one such contest in France last July. He is held in high regard and this looks the perfect opportunity for him to get back on the winning train.

15:40 Ascot – Hukum

This is as competitive a King George VI Stakes as I have seen for some time. You can make a strong case for any number of the runners. Emily Upjohn was arguably undone by the way the race was run in the Eclipse at Sandown and has every chance now. She’s a course and distance winner from Champions Day last October.

The dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin appeared to fall in at the Curragh last time, leaving plenty to think they can take him on. The runner-up to him at Epsom, King Of Steel, won the King Edward at the Royal meeting and comes here firing. He looks smart.

I’ve deserted Pyledriver as the slower ground will play to the strengths of Hukum who has not run since winning the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May where he beat last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown convincingly. Ground conditions are perfect. Trainer Owen Burrows is doing really well at the moment and that tips the scales in his favour. What a race we have in store!

Mick Fitzgerald’s Horse Racing Tips

13:50 Ascot – Dazzling Star
14:05 York – Ey Up It’s Maggie
14:25 Ascot – Random Harvest
14:40 York – Hyperfocus (each-way)
15:00 Ascot – Vafortino
15:15 York – My Prospero
15:40 Ascot – Hukum

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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