Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Tom Collins uncovers three enticing bets this weekend

Heavy rainfall across the country this week has led to ‘soft’ returning to our going descriptions. That lovely summer ground that we had for approximately two weeks has vanished for this weekend’s action - I suppose we should be grateful for what we had!

The Group 2 Temple Stakes (1.50 Haydock) is the featured event this Saturday as we build up towards Epsom’s Derby meeting in a week’s time, but it’s hardly a vintage renewal with only three of the 10 declared runners boasting an official rating higher than 110. I will be giving that race a swerve with Goodwood garnering my attention for punting purposes.

My first bet will come in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes (3.45 Goodwood), a 1m3f contest that has been won by some nice types in recent years that include Khalifa Sat (2020) and Lone Eagle (2021), both of whom finished second in a Group 1 on their next outing. This year’s renewal may not produce a horse capable of replicating that feat, but there are some interesting prospects nonetheless.

The bar is set by Meydaan, who is rated 97 after his third-placed finish in the Lingfield Derby trial won by Ambiente Friendly two weeks ago. This son of Frankel boasts tactical speed and a fair level of ability, but he has already proved that he’s vulnerable when he meets classy opposition and I wouldn’t want to bet him in this affair with that in mind.

Alrazeen and Lavender Hill Mob have experience on their side but need to improve a great deal on figures, as does the huge Pappano, who probably won’t be suited by this track. That leaves the unexposed types - Space Legend, Lyric and Royal Power. Any of these three could take a big step forward and build on their previous successes, but I believe Space Legend has the most natural talent at this stage of his career.

William Haggas’ son of Sea The Stars caught my eye when runner-up to a subsequent Listed-placed rival on debut last year and then he easily justified a short price when successful on his reappearance. Trouville chased him home that day and he has recently boosted the form by finishing second in an above average maiden at Newbury.

The further this horse goes the better and he should get his ideal ground. Haggas’ runners tend to hit top gear around June, so I’m hopeful that Space Legend will be the latest three-year-old to add his name to the trainer’s tally this season.

Onto the 1m2f novice event (4.20 Goodwood) that follows, which offers a huge £50,000 prize pot with just over 50% going to the winner. These are numbers we usually see in maiden special weight contests in the US, not over here!

Loves Loving is an interesting debutant for top connections while Crystal Flyer looks sure to build on her solid comeback run at Sandown, but I was taken by Candle Of Dubai on debut at Chelmsford and I’m convinced that she’s going to improve for the switch to turf.

This big, scopey filly looked a little raw in the early stages of that race and didn’t corner overly well, but she quickly moved into contention at the top of the straight and gave eventual winner Niigata all she could handle. Unfortunately that runner let the form down recently, but fourth-home Lautrec ran well enough at Newmarket a week ago to suggest it was a fair event.

Candle Of Dubai looks like an out-and-out galloper and this venue should suit her well. Providing Joe Fanning can get her to the front in the early stages, she may run her rivals into submission.

Finally, I’m interested in the 0-105 handicap (7.15) at Windsor due to the amount of speed on show. Tees Spirit is an absolute blazer, Desperate Hero usually adopts aggressive tactics, while Thunder Moor and Intervention are never far away in the early stages.

Hopefully they all set it up for a closer and Navello seems the perfect type. George Boughey’s five-year-old won the Epsom Dash in June last year off a mark of 88 before enduring a rough patch when he was unable to compete due to a range of different reasons (unfavoured surfaces/higher ratings). 

Boughey freshened him up over the winter and he bounced right back with a comeback success at Wolverhampton, before finishing with a flourish for second at Newmarket last time. Navello needs a fast early pace to chase and he gets that here. If they stop up front, he will pick up the pieces.

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips

Space Legend (3.45 Goodwood) @ 3.5
Candle Of Dubai (4.20 Goodwood) @ 4.5
Navello (7.15 Windsor) @ SP