Racing Tips – Top Tipster Steve Mullen’s best racing selections for Saturday, June 17
Steve Mullen guides you through Saturday's racing from Musselburgh, York, Bath, Sandown, Hexham, Lingfield and Leicester
YAAR'S the star at York today.
EKHTIYAAR looks a Group horse in waiting — and he takes on a field of handicappers in the 3.30.
Roger Varian's three-year-old scorched home to win at Newmarket last time where he hardly got out of second gear despite winning by just a neck.
There always looks to be more power to call on there and Jim Crowley can use it today.
Thanks to not winning by half the track, the handicapper has stuck him up a very reasonable 5lb to 94 — and he looks more than capable of going well into three figures.
Varian has taken his time with him so far and this looks like another stepping stone onto bigger and better things.
Golden Apollo looks the forecast pick after an impressive victory at Pontefract last time. This son of Pivotal would probably like the ground a little softer but quick conditions were no problem when he won at Doncaster last season.
RASHEEQ was unlucky not to win at York last time and can make up for it by taking Musselburgh's 2.05.
He was given a mighty task to make up a lot of ground in the closing stages at the Knavesmire and did really well to finish second.
The form of that contest is working out well and he has plenty of zip for this 5f trip. He seems to go on any ground and his solid claiming rider means he's 3lb lower than last time.
He has proven himself in a big field and has been handed a decent draw in stall 10.
Looking for dangers, Showdaisy has a lot of pace and wasn't knocked about after missing the break here last time. That was her first run after a long break and she should get a lot closer today.
SALATEEN looks capable of running well at a big price in York's 2.20.
This race is wide open like the jaws of a crocodile are wide open — and almost as dangerous.
But this five-year-old is more than capable of winning it and he's been given a nice break after a busy spring campaign.
He won a valuable handicap on the turf in Dubai before striking in Listed class on his UK debut this season at Wolverhampton. Those efforts were over this 7f distance and he performed with credit when upped to a mile for Lingfield's Mile Championship on Good Friday.
He was a close-up third to wonderhorse Sovereign Debt there — and he's gone on to win a Group 2 since.
Connections then turned him out within a few days for a Newmarket handicap which proved a step too far after five races in just over two months.
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So he comes here fresh to a track where he has won before and on ground he likes. There should be double-figure prices around and he looks more than capable of figuring in the finish.
Another big-priced horse who could go well is Fingal's Cave. He has an unfortunate habit of missing the kick but when he gets out with the others, he's a force.
That was evident when he won easily at Catterick last time and a 6lb penalty shouldn't put the brakes on.
FASHION QUEEN played a blinder when winning after a nine-month break at York last time out. That was in Listed class and trainer David O'Meara is keeping her to that level in Sandown's 2.40.
The impressive thing about that Knavesmire success was the way she dug deep to win back the lead once headed. That takes some doing in a sprint and she's clearly got plenty of improvement to come on just her fifth run.
This looks a bit better than your average Listed race and Copper Knight is feared leaping out of handicap company.
He was a game winner in a big field at York 21 days ago where he blitzed them from the gates and was never pegged back. It may be tougher to do that against Listed-class sprinters but he's another who looks progressive.
YORK
1.50 Masterpaver
2.20 Salateen
2.55 Spark Plug
3.30 Ekhtiyaar
4.05 Dark Intention
4.40 Knockout Blow
5.15 B Fifty Two
SANDOWN
2.10 Bonjour Steve
2.40 Fashion Queen
3.15 Battered
3.50 Laidback Romeo
4.25 Dr Julius No
5.00 Ididitforyoooo
5.35 Vuela
MUSSELBURGH
1.35 Donny Belle
2.05 Rasheeq
2.35 Khamaary
3.10 Caspian Prince
3.45 Great Fighter
4.20 Great Colaci
4.55 Rosie Crowe
5.30 Tavener
BATH
1.55 Grams And Ounces
2.25 The Daley Express
3.00 Short Call
3.35 Realize
4.10 Mowhoob
4.45 Zambezi Queen
5.20 Compton Prince
HEXHAM
2.15 Bestwork
2.45 Jimmy Breekie
3.20 Midnight Shot
3.55 Beyondtemptation
4.30 Talkofgold
5.05 Pekanheim
5.40 Fred Le Macon
LEICESTER
6.10 Glyder
6.40 Sir Jack
7.10 Goodwood Crusader
7.40 Izzy Bizu
8.10 Mulzim
8.40 Deep Challenger
9.10 Maggi May
LINGFIELD
5.50 Orithia
6.20 Tripartite
6.50 Fab
7.20 Cartographer
7.50 Gypsy Rider
8.20 Margherita
8.50 Buxted Dream