Best Saturday bets from our Timeform analysts

ELRA MAY - 14:10 Haydock (David Johnson)

Elara May has an excellent record at 5f and has shown herself to be better than ever when returned to that trip on her last 2 starts, finishing third (Trilby just ahead) over C&D on her latest start despite not being seen to best effect, drawn and racing away from the rail and meeting some trouble. As a hold-up filly, she'll need the gaps to open up for her from a high draw this time, but the ground looked very holding at the track on Friday afternoon and with a strong pace forecast the leaders are likely to come back. With Trilby installed as second favourite, double figure odds for Elara May underestimate her.

HEADMASTER - 15:45 Curragh (Phil Thompson)

Headmaster wasted little time making an impact for the Edward Lynam yard when landing a hotly-contested premier handicap over 6f at this track in May and posted an even better effort when runner-up to Gleaneagle Bay in the 7f Mallow Handicap at Cork the following month. Things have gone a bit pear-shaped since, but he shaped better than the bare result back here last time, not ideally placed and not knocked about once held. Back up to 7f and now just 1 lb above his last winning mark, he makes plenty of appeal, particularly with excellent-value 7 lb claimer Reese Holohan booked.

SURE TOUCH - 15:50 Worcester (Dan Barber)

Hard to rule out any of this quartet but, on a day that sees Olly Murphy attack Market Rasen with gusto across the card, his Sure Touch, winner of the Summer Plate here in his prime, looks the bet at the current odds.

Sure Touch isn't quite what he was back then but his course record stands the closest scrutiny and he's spent most of his chasing career keeping better company. Add into the mix his latest Bangor third having been franked in defeat since by the front pair (Tamarind Bay and Thickthorn Tom), plus the likelihood of a good gallop to chase with Fringill Dike in the field, and it doesn't take much analysis to deduce Sure Touch should be nearer favourite than outsider of four.

ERZINDJAN - 15:40 Newmarket (Patrick Jupp)

It looks a typically competitive renewal of the Cambridgeshire, with a smattering of progressive 3-y-os and plenty of other in-form sorts in the line-up, but it’s the oldest runner in the field that I’m most interested in. Erzindjan ran a stormer in the corresponding event last year, finishing fourth but faring easily best of the stand-side contingent, ‘winning’ his race by 6 lengths, and underlined how well suited he is to this C&D when overcoming a pace bias to score on his reappearance. He added another good effort in a big-field handicap to his CV in the Hunt Cup and is best forgiven a poor run at York last time, uncharacteristically lethargic throughout and presumably not 100% on the day. Now only 1 lb higher than for most recent win, everything looks in place for another bold show.

WADACRE ICON - 17:15 Ripon (Rory King)

Ravenscraig Castle has developed into a serial non-winner of some repute on the Flat, but it’s worth remembering he was a promising 3-y-o once upon a time, winning a pair of handicaps prior to finishing a very close third in the Melrose. His brother Wadacre Icon managed to run to a not dissimilar level of form when second to a really promising filly on his belated debut at Carlisle recently and can take the 1½m novice race at Ripon. Bound to be sharper for that experience, he’s got a handy draw from which to hopefully adopt a prominent position, this extra furlong will suit well and he arguably already sets the standard on that debut effort as well as having greater potential than the other prominent ones in the betting, both of whom have had a handful of starts.

RAMAAH - 18:00 Market Rasen (James Davies)

Ramaah is well worth a second look in the concluding handicap hurdle at Market Rasen. Firstly, there have been much better signs of late since the visor went on, again going with zest on just his third start at around this trip back from a 9-week break at Worcester recently, the ground also possibly a bit softer than ideal for a Flat-bred type who’s spent most of his career over appreciably shorter. Secondly, he meets the reopposing Matoury with a recent run under his belt on 5 lb better terms than when finishing just 2¼ lengths behind that rival from 3 lb out of the weights in July and another good run can be envisaged back at a track where he’s been placed on his last 2 visits.

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