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33-1 to 3-1: once-raced juvenile the gamble of a busy Saturday at Doncaster

Archie Watson: sent out his third juvenile winner of the season
Archie Watson: sends out the well-fancied Chiefman on Saturday nightCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

There is high-class action across the afternoon but a major gamble has emerged on a once-raced juvenile at Doncaster's evening fixture, with support continuing to come for Chiefman who is 3-1 having opened up at 33-1 last night.

The two-year-old son of Cracksman was subject to big support on debut at Wolverhampton last month but ran below market expectations when fifth of seven. Yet supporters have continued to back Archie Watson's raider in the 7f novice stakes (7.15), and his price dropped all the way down to 4-1 last night.

Watson's two-year-olds appear to be flying, with his 13 juvenile runners in July yielding five winners. They include Action Point, who produced a 14-1 surprise in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury yesterday. Chiefman's jockey Hector Crouch has also ridden six winners for the trainer already this season. 

The Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.45) is the big race of the day and Savethelastdance has been strong at the head of the market according to Paddy Power.

She appears the Aidan O'Brien first string in the Classic with Ryan Moore set to ride and is seeking to go one better after finishing second in the Oaks at Epsom. The Galileo filly was sent off odds-on last month having produced a dazzling performance on soft ground in the Cheshire Oaks and she is set to encounter a similarly testing surface here. She is a 5-6 chance.

Warm Heart, the ride of Seamie Heffernan, meanwhile has been described as "friendless" in the betting with Paddy Power. Last month's Ribblesdale Stakes winner is 4-1 (from 100-30).

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “The 7mm of rain that sprinkled the Curragh overnight won’t inconvenience favourite Savethelastdance, who is firm at 5-6, but chief market rival and stable companion Warm Heart is friendless and drifting, possibly quite alarmingly for anyone who fancies the Ribblesdale Stakes heroine.”

At Market Rasen sustained support for Born Famous has seen her head to the top of the betting for the Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase (3.15). The four-time winner set to represent Iain Jardine is 4-1(from 8).

Newbury
1.50 Al Aasy 7-2 (from 9-4)
4.10 Mr Wonderful 5-1 (from 9)

Market Rasen
2.40 Myristica 9-4 (from 9-2)
3.15 Born Famous 4-1 (from 8)

Updated at 1.30pm


Non-runners: Garrus out of Hackwood, Super Sprint omission leads to jockey reshuffle

William Buick is without a ride in the only Group race in Britain on Saturday after his mount in the bet365 Hackwood Stakes (3.00) was taken out due to lameness.

Garrus was an 18-1 shot before being taken out of the Group 3 sprint. In an open race, he was a live outsider on the form of his length second at the same grade at Longchamp last time, while he beat Commache Falls earlier in the season. His omission reduces the field to 11.

Rosario is another absentee on the card in the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes (3.35) and his jockey George Rooke will now ride Fegari for Jack Jones. 

Sparks Fly will not attempt for a seventh consecutive victory in the 1m handicap after she was taken out of the 1m fillies' handicap (5.20).

In Ireland, Okita Soushi is also a notable non-runner in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup (4.20). He was due to make his first start since winning the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 contest at the Curragh.

Curragh
1.30
5 King Of Gosford, 11 Versatile

2.35
10 Dandyville

4.20
2 Okita Soushi

4.55
7 Lia Fail

Newbury
1.15
9 Lost In Music (not eaten up)

2.25
15 Cormier (going)

3.00
1 Garrus (lame)

3.35
16 Rosario (pulled muscle)

4.45
4 Deep Dive (bad scope)

5.20
1 Sparks Fly (going)

Market Rasen
2.05
7 Sea The Clouds (going)

2.40
11 Nibras Gold (not eaten up)

5.00
2 Rakhine State (going)
7 John The Baptist (temperature)

Updated at 1.30pm


Going changes to soft at the Curragh as wet day set to alter conditions across Saturday's key fixtures

A wet night at the Curragh has eased conditions to soft, yielding in places for Irish Oaks day and and further rain is expected across Britain and Ireland ahead of a busy Saturday of racing.

Showers are forecast on the Classic afternoon in Ireland, but clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan is expecting only 2-3mm. It comes after the going eased thanks to 7mm of overnight rain.

Sheridan said on Saturday morning: "We were very lucky and didn't get the bulk of the rain as it went either side of us. It has changed the ground a little on both tracks to now soft, yielding in places.

"The forecast is for a possibility of passing showers but not too much, only 2-3mm, and another 2mm overnight and the same again on Sunday."

The ground is good at Newbury following a drizzly morning at the track. It dried out from good to good to firm earlier this morning but further rain on Saturday has eased conditions back to as they were for racing yesterday. Further rain, and in heavier quantity, is forecast this afternoon.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "There's moisture there from the rain earlier in the week and that'll accept any rain quite quickly. We could have between 6 to 7mm of rain throughout the afternoon."

Last year the 1m2f fillies' novice stakes on the card did not take place after no declarations were made as part of a boycott over poor prize-money but a major increase from £6,500 to £50,000 – and an upgrade to class 2 level – means 13 runners are scheduled to go to post. 

"I'm pleased we've had 102 declarations across the card, which is way up on last year," Ottesen added. "It was very hot that day so the ground was hard to keep but it's really good. Improved prize-money shows in the runners and it looks an interesting day. Everybody loves the Super Sprint so it should be great fun."

Rain is also expected at Market Rasen for its flagship Summer Plate day, where the ground is good. The track has had 3mm of rain in the early part of Saturday morning.

Clerk of the course Alice Cosgrove said: "It's good but a bit on the easy side in places. We've had a bit of rain this morning but I'm not anticipating we'll get a huge amount more before now and 3pm, mainly just a little bit of drizzle. I'm reasonably happy with it.

"We selectively watered yesterday, just 4mm along the back straight to maintain consistency because we've got two different soil types."

Updated at 1.30pm


Read Saturday's previews

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the eight races on ITV on Saturday 

2.25 Newbury: 'There should be improvement to come' - key quotes and analysis for wide-open handicap 

3.00 Newbury: Can Lezoo confound the doubters and prove she has trained on at three?  

3.10 Curragh: 'He's the real deal' - can course specialist Art Power maintain perfect track record with success in the Sapphire Stakes? 

3.15 Market Rasen: Can Francky Du Berlais complete a famous hat-trick and make it nine wins for Bowen?  

3.35 Newbury: 'She has grown and thrived since the Queen Mary' - analysis and key quotes for Weatherbys Super Sprint  

3.45 Curragh: 'She's done very well physically' - Savethelastdance out to restore her reputation after Epsom reversal 

4.20 Curragh: Ease in ground forces Aidan O'Brien rethink as Emily Dickinson bids for Curragh Cup success  


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West Country correspondent

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