Horse Racing Tips: Mick Fitzgerald’s Lucky 31 for Saturday’s Shergar Cup

Mick's got 5 picks for a Super Saturday at Ascot in the Shergar Cup.

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Mick Fitzgerald’s Lucky 15 ITV Racing Tips

Ascot 13:35 – Adaay in Devon
Ascot 14:10 – Samui
Ascot 14:45 – The Goat
Ascot 15:20 – Thunder Blue
Ascot 15:55 – Houstonn

Ascot 13:35 – Adaay in Devon

The international appeal of Shergar Cup day is well established now but sometimes because the jockeys aren’t as well known to the British and Irish racing public. That can mean there’s value to be had. I spoke to Nanako Fujita who rides ADAAY IN DEVON for the Rest of the World team and she thinks previous experience of Ascot will really help her now. This 5f trip is made for her mount and she can kick the day off in style.

Ascot 14:10 – Samui

This is an open contest but the problem is that the likely favourite, SAMUI, is a reserve and may not get a run. Gordon Elliott’s charge was a good winner of this type of 2m trip at Killarney last time and was chinned at Bellewstown before that in a decent contest over 1m 4f. The winner subsequently won again at the Galway Festival. He looks progressive and this isn’t the deepest of races. If he doesn’t run our Lucky 31 drops back to a Lucky 15 so no real harm done.

 

Ascot 14:45 – The Goat

I’ll stick with an up and coming ‘home’ rider now in Billy Loughnane who rides THE GOAT for Andrew Balding. He won last time and there should be no stamina issues at this track either. I expect him to be ridden handily up with the pace gain.

Ascot 15:20 – Thunder Blue

Jamies Osborne’s runner THUNDER BLUE finally got his head in front at Wolverhampton last time and despite that – may still be overlooked in the market. His two runs before that as Newmarket and this venue were better than the bare form suggests and he could spring a surprise under Marie Velon.

Ascot 15:55 – Houstonn

I don’t think we’ll have a problem with Richard Hannon’s HOUSTONN who’ll also be ridden by Marie Velon. He won over 10f at Windsor last time and the step up in trip to 1m 4f now could bring out a little bit more improvement again. His owners are better known for their jumping exploits and I’m sure we’ll see him in the National Hunt code one day, but he can claim this prize along the way.

Mick Fitzgerald’s ITV Racing Tips

Ascot 13:35 – Adaay in Devon
Ascot 14:10 – Samui
Ascot 14:45 – The Goat
Ascot 15:20 – Thunder Blue
Ascot 15:55 – Houstonn

*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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