Horse racing tips for today FREE: Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon – Steve Mullen’s betting preview for ITV’s racing

DARK SHOT can hit the bullseye in Ripon’s 2.05.

Scott Dixon’s speedster reminded us of his class when finishing a close-up fourth at Glorious Goodwood last time out.

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He relished this trip and the big field there and it looked a wise move to step him up from the minimum distance.

For a horse that’s used to blasting from the off, he measured his race well and was closing at the line.

The handicapper has finally given him a tiny bit of help and that could make the difference in a typically tight sprint.

Quick Look did well when winning at York last time and a 5lb rise in the weights gives him every chance of following up. He ran right through the line there so he should have no problem getting home at Ripon.

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Mr Wagyu has done well this season and looks one of the more progressive runners in the field. He was less than a length off the front at Newmarket last time after earlier winning at the same track. He’s also got a success at Haydock under his belt from earlier in the campaign. More improvement is needed but that should be on the cards for a three-year-old.

If SABADOR finds the form that saw him finish fourth in the Victoria Cup at Ascot earlier this season, he will be a major force in Newbury’s 3.00.

This is a couple of notches down the grades from that hot contest and he was only half a length off winning it. He’s only been seen twice since then — once when not enjoying Chester’s turns before another solid enough effort at Ascot last time.

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Veteran Gerald Mosse could easily get a tune out of him today and that would make him a major threat over a distance that clearly suits and off a fair mark.

Rogue looks a progressive three-year-old and he had loads in hand when scoring at Newmarket latest. He’s shot up the weights since winning a handicap over course and distance last season but keeps improving.

He drops back from a mile to this 7f and Ryan Moore is a big upgrade in the saddle.

Mizaah and La Rav are both having their first run of the season for classy connections and are worth a look in the betting. The former showed some promise in Ireland and has come right down the weights.

La Rav won on his last visit here and Luca Cumani has clearly been patient with him so he must see something there to work on.

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LIBRISA BREEZE usually comes to the boil in the second half of the season and he can run a big race in Newbury’s Hungerford Stakes (3.35).

Dean Ivory’s star has had just a couple of runs this season and was far from disgraced when fourth in a Deauville Group 1 last time out. That was over an extended 6f but this slightly longer trip suits him better and he was staying on at the finish in France.

He was second in this race last season when he met trouble in running behind a useful type in Massaat before going on to grab glory in the Champions Sprint at Ascot in October.

That’s clearly the plan again but he could go there with the Hungerford in Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s trophy cabinet this term.

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Gustav Klimt could be the main danger as he takes an overdue drop in class. He was fancied for the 2,000 Guineas at Newarket as this season kicked off. He came up short there before a better effort in third for the Irish version. He was a good second in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot before another fair run at Glorious Goodwood.

He should be up to winning a Group 2 and it could be a cracking race between him and Librisa Breeze.