Racing Tips – Top Tipster Steve Mullen’s best racing selections for Saturday, July 29
Steve Mullen guides you through Saturday's racing from Ascot, York, Newcastle, Chester, Newmarket, Salisbury and Lingfield
1.50 ASCOT
NYALETI has yet to race on anything other than fast ground but if she takes to this softer surface another win looks assured.
She’s taking a step down in class after tackling the Group 2 Duchess Of Cornwall Stakes at Newmarket last time. She was an excellent second in the Albany at Royal Ascot and is still very much improving.
2.05 YORK
STARLIGHT ROMANCE comes here in good form with two wins and a pair of places from her four runs this season. She went close at Chester last time after earlier winning well on the Roodee.
She was a close third behind Battered over course and distance in May and there should be a good tussle between them again here.
2.25 ASCOT - Mullen's star bet
JUANITO CHICO has the benefit of Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle and can motor in the Porsche Handicap.
The William Jarvis-trained three-year-old has hardly finished out of the frame this season and went down by a neck over course and distance 15 days ago.
It was a right ding-dong battle up front with the third horse a long way back.
He’d earlier run well in fourth at Newmarket after winning at Epsom’s Classic meeting despite meeting all kinds of trouble in running.
That was over 7f but this mile looks more suitable as he gains more experience. The handicapper has shoved him up 4lb for his latest excellent effort here and that looks fair enough.
2.40 YORK
SNAP SHOTS is an honest performer at this level and has been in the frame on his past three runs in similar grade.
He was a solid second at The Curragh last time on firm ground but he’s equally at home in softer conditions. This is a wide open race but he has a solid draw and should be thereabouts again.
FAWAAREQ looks a big price and must be backed each-way. He looked a real prospect last season as he landed a couple of hot handicaps at Newmarket.
His four-year-old season started with a solid third at Haydock where he looked like winning until tiring late on.
That was understandable after a break and he had three months off before running in the Silver Bunbury Cup on the July Course last time.
Again he was right in contention entering the final furlong and gave the impression that he would come on for the run.
They are two solid efforts that suggest he could be ready to find his best form again — just as he did this time last year. At huge odds, he could easily hit the frame.
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3.15 YORK
HATHAL has few miles on the clock for a five-year-old and can land a big pot.
He ran just twice last term, winning a Haydock Group 3 before finishing a creditable eighth in the red-hot QEII Stakes at Ascot.
William Haggas brought him back from nine months off to show plenty of promise when third in a Group 2 at the Queen’s track last time.
He stayed on well in the Summer Mile and gave the impression that his longer distance would suit.
Video courtesy of QIPCO British Champions Series
3.35 ASCOT
ENABLE looks the one to beat after winning the Oaks at Epsom and The Curragh on her past two outings. That means she’s already proven at the highest level and over this distance.
Despite her class, she’s getting some hefty allowances from her rivals here which make her even more attractive. The only possible negative is the switch from fast ground to a slower surface.
If she doesn’t handle it, Ulysses is at home on any ground and battled to beat Barney Roy in a bobbing finish for the Eclipse last time out.
YORK
2.05 Starlight Romance
2.40 Snap Shots
3.15 Hathal
3.50 Hey Jonesy
4.25 Frederic
5.00 Lady Bergamot
5.35 Validator
ASCOT
1.50 Nyaleti
2.25 Juanito Chico
3.00 Fawaareq
3.35 Enable
4.10 Another Batt
4.45 Georgian Bay
5.20 Royal Associate
CHESTER
2.00 Buridan
2.35 Rutherford
3.10 Original Choice
3.45 What A Home
4.20 Signore Piccolo
4.55 Sparte Quercus
5.25 Alexander M
NEWMARKET
2.15 Al Hajar
2.50 Anythingtoday
3.25 Gymnaste
4.00 Golden Apollo
4.30 Roussel
5.05 To Dibba
5.40 Oh So Sassy
NEWCASTLE
1.25 Highlight Reel
1.55 Celtic Power
2.30 Donnachies Girl
3.05 Inaam
3.40 Comprise
4.15 The Resdev Way
4.50 Cool Breeze
5.25 Maggi May
LINGFIELD
5.30 Dancing Dragon
6.00 Leapt
6.30 Night Generation
7.00 Ragstone View
7.30 Working Class
8.00 Tallulah’s Quest
8.30 Kings Heart
SALISBURY
5.15 Edge
5.45 Saroog
6.15 Zavikon
6.45 Manthoor
7.15 Killay
7.45 Waterville Dancer
8.15 Saluti