Oli Bell's ITV Racing selections for Saturday August 19

With a touch of wizardry, a rising star and a particular personal first, it’s safe to say this week’s column has something for everyone.

Saturday brings seven live races from around the country on ITV4 with four from Newbury, two from Newmarket and one from Ripon.

I’m looking forward to leading the afternoon coverage from Newbury, alongside Francesca Cumani, Luke Harvey and Hayley Turner from 1.30.

Rishi Persad is presenting The Opening Show and will be joined in the studio at 10am on ITV4 by trainer Eve Johnson Houghton.

Studying the form ahead of another busy weekend of live action? Take a look at who I'm backing...

1.50 Newbury - Denford Stakes 7f

Money Back with Sky Bet if your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd

The horse I like in this one is Red Mist who was impressive on debut at Sandown last month and also holds an entry in the Group 1 Dewhurst. He may only have won by a short head, but he was well-backed, he was green and the front two pulled away by nearly four lengths. As an opening effort it was a very good start to his career.

The two-year-old son of Frankel would have learned a lot from knuckling down late on and racing with a horse alongside him. Because he’s won, connections’ hands have probably been forced to go down this route on only his second start but I think he's talented enough to run in this company.

Although the top two in the betting have achieved more than enough to show they are capable of winning this race, from a value point of view I would take a chance on Red Mist.

2.10 Newmarket - Randox Health Grey Horse Handicap Stakes 6f

Sky Bet paying FOUR places instead of three (1/5 odds)

Cheval Blanche is the horse that I’m tipping up in this. She’s actually run okay this season, despite her form figures not being as impressive as rival Dark Power’s.

The key to this horse is settling and essentially on a couple of occasions she hasn’t been able to do that however dropping back in trip from 7f and a mile to 6f should give her a chance of racing with zest and enthusiasm and lasting home.

She's also been running against better opposition than she’s facing in this line up and ultimately when I look at the entries I think she's one of the most talented horses there.

Dark Power is very progressive, looks very good and ticks a lot of the boxes. But Cheval Blanche, for in-form trainer Michael Bell who is having a great season, is - I think - about to have her best opportunity for some time to get back in the winners' enclosure.

2.25 Newbury - Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes 1m 5f 61y

Bet on the Geoffrey Free Stakes with Sky Bet here

In my opinion this realistically comes down to the top two in the betting market. Frontiersman is the best in the race but I’m not sure he puts it all in at the finish. He hung at Epsom in June’s Investec Coronation Cup and travelled like the winner at Newmarket almost six weeks later only to be beaten by Hawkbill. I’m not sure if the four-year-old is entirely genuine late on.

While I’ve no doubt he’s an incredibly talented racehorse, when it comes down to it I would say that Defoe has probably more reliable credentials, even though his achievements to date don’t quite match up to Frontiersman if you look at them quite literally.

Frontiersman is better than Defoe, but Roger Varian’s three-year-old is on the up and had his form franked by Frankuus live on ITV last weekend.

The victor of Haydock’s Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes was beaten into second by one-and-a-half lengths by Defoe at Hamilton in July and I was quickly shot down by Francesca and Jason live on air on Saturday when I questioned Frankuus’s form.

They were both very quick to tell me I was a fool because Defoe has been very progressive. Hopefully they will be proved right by him winning this.

2.45 Newmarket - Randox Handicap Stakes 6f

Back Merlin to win the 2.45 at Newmarket right here

According to legend, Merlin was the wizard of choice during the reign of King Arthur. However, I believe the horse of the same name can conjure victory for our current monarch Her Majesty The Queen at Newmarket on Saturday as my bet of the day.

He made all to win convincingly at Haydock last time out and I think he’s got a lot of upside, with the race likely to be run to suit. The pace of the contest could come down to fractions and if jockey Sean Levey gets it right, he will be very hard to pass.

I’m well aware that this means I’m breaking new ground by tipping two of my uncle’s horses. Last week I backed Hayley Turner for wins aplenty in the Shergar Cup, and this week I’m going for Mike - and I know that may not bode too well!

Apart from the mighty Big Orange, I don’t think I’ve ever tipped any of his horses to win, so this is the week for that to change. Merlin has an outstanding chance to weave magic at Newmarket.

3.00 Newbury - Betfred TV Ladies Day Handicap Stakes 7f

Sky Bet paying FIVE places instead of four

I thought Noble Peace ran really well at Goodwood last time out and I don’t think he’s quite had things go his way on his last couple of starts. On what is a competitive handicap on paper, I think he’s got a good chance and is a really good place bet.

He might be a horse that the handicapper has exactly where he wants him, but conditions haven’t ideally helped him so far. The way races have unfolded haven’t been in his favour on a couple of occasions now and he’s the sort of horse that if I saw run at 10/1 I’d consider it to be a fair price. Henry Candy’s four-year-old will definitely give you a run for your money and is an attractive each-way offering.

3.15 Ripon - William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap Stakes 6f

Sky Bet paying SIX places instead of four

I’m going for one either side of the draw. In stall one, Kachy offers very good value. This horse has been cutting his teeth in Group 1 and Group 2 races.

He was second in a conditions race behind Magical Memory at Haydock in July and the long and short of it is that in these races he's been coming up against the best sprinters in Europe.

In 90 per cent of these contests he’s pitched in against his rivals and his pace has made him competitive even if maybe he hasn’t been quite in the same class.

This is Kachy’s first run in a handicap since his last victory in a Chester handicap in May 2016. Since then he's finished runner up in the G1 Commonwealth Cup last year and countless good runs in group races since. I think that counts for a lot because he’s already proven with his runs in defeat this year that he’s as talented as any of them in this line up.

He’s very quick and I don’t think he’s a handicapper - he's better then that.

Al Qahwa from stall 20 was well-backed last time out in the Qatar Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, but ran into trouble. He ran very well to win at York in May and deserves to have a line drawn through that run at the start of the month. The Gallop Racing-owned horse is very well handicapped, is a decent price and I think is one of the two that will be challenging at the end.

3.35 Newbury - Betfred TV Hungerford Stakes 7f

Sky Bet's latest Hungerford Stakes odds right here

Librisa Breeze was unbelievably unlucky at Goodwood. If you backed him from stall 14 and saw the position he was in going into the straight you would’ve been absolutely delighted, before he then hit typical Goodwood issues and ran into a wall of horses.

He may have finished ninth, but it wasn't a far-beaten ninth with Robert Winston having a lot of horse underneath him. He arguably would have won with a clear path.

The thing with an animal like Librisa Breeze and his running style is that you always take the risk of him being unlucky like that.

He comes off a strong pace and finishes well, but when you’re backing a horse at a short enough price like that you’re almost always watching the race through your fingers.

Taking that into consideration, I think Kaspersky has done very little wrong this year and his run last time out behind Mutakayyef was strong. His run at Royal Ascot was good and he's a very solid horse in this company who will run well as a worthy alternative to Librisa Breeze.

Related links

Sky Bet's Great St Wilfrid odds
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