Seven key pointers to help you beat the bookies on Saturday

There are seven meetings in Britain and Ireland on a busy Saturday with Newmarket offering the headline action on July Cup day. Navan, Ascot, York, Chester, Salisbury and Hamilton also host fixtures and here are statistics from each track which could help your punting . . .

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Navan

Fozzy Stack gained a breakthrough top-level success in the Belmont Oaks last weekend, and he sends out his first runners since at Navan on Saturday, with Parting Glass set to tackle the 5½f handicap (3.00) and Bright Legend declared to run in the following race over 1m2f (3.35).

The latter benefitted from the step up to today’s trip when landing a maiden at the Curragh when last seen in April. That form has since been franked with the runner-up now rated 103, and there should be plenty of improvement still to come from this son of Zoustar.

Bright Legend15:35 Navan

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Jky: J M Sheridan Tnr: J A Stack

Newmarket

Saeed bin Suroor struck with Live Your Dream – his only runner on yesterday’s card – to bring his record on the July course in the last five years to 19 winners from 59 runners for a healthy 32 per cent strike-rate.

He is solely represented at the track on Saturday by Shining Blue, who carries topweight in the ultra-competitive Bunbury Cup (4.00).

This five-year-old impressed with a four-length victory at York in May before finishing runner-up in Listed company back at that venue last time out. He returns to handicaps on a career-high mark, but dropping back in trip with suit and Rob Hornby is an interesting booking on what will be only his second ride for the yard.

Shining Blue16:00 Newmarket (July)

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Jky: Rob Hornby Tnr: Saeed bin Suroor

Ascot

David Evans’ stable star Rohaan is back in action at Ascot on Saturday (1.45), a track where he has won four times from just seven starts for an impressive 57 per cent strike-rate.

Rohaan was not at his best in the QEII Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting last time, but he now drops markedly in grade and is two from two in handicaps at Ascot.

The return to softer ground conditions will suit but the 5f trip is a slight unknown given that he has raced over the minimum distance only once, when a fast-finishing fifth in the 2021 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

Rohaan13:45 Ascot

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Jky: Adam Kirby Tnr: David Evans

York

Monte Linas was an 8-1 winner for the training team of Simon & Ed Crisford at York yesterday, and that brought their record at the course to nine winners from 29 runners for a 31 per cent strike-rate.

The pair's only runner on Saturday’s card comes in the feature John Smith’s Cup (3.10), where Sea The Casper bids to follow up last month’s Lingfield success.

The son of Sea The Stars bounded clear to score by four and three-quarter lengths last time, and he comes into today’s race 4lb well in under a penalty.

Sea The Casper15:10 York

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Jky: Andrea Atzeni Tnr: Simon & Ed Crisford

Chester

Julie Camacho is a trainer to note at Chester where six of her last 18 runners have won for a 33 per cent strike-rate. Backing those horses blindly would have yielded a healthy £30.50 profit to a level-stake and those figures point positively towards the chances of Winter Crown – Camacho’s only runner on Saturday’s card – in the 6f handicap (3.17).

The three-year-old returned to winning ways at Nottingham last time out and enjoyed a positive experience of the Roodee earlier this season when runner-up to Radio Goo Goo, who is now officially rated 17lb higher.

Winter Crown finds himself on a 6lb higher mark, up 3lb for his Nottingham success, and should still have room to manoeuvre off of this rating.

Winter Crown15:17 Chester

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Jky: Ryan Sexton (3lb)Tnr: Julie Camacho

Salisbury

Sir Mark Prescott has had 18 runners at Salisbury in the last five years and eight have won for an impressive 44 per cent strike-rate.

Prescott sends Alexandretta to the track on Saturday, with the filly running creditably in two starts at Kempton last September.

She returns to action in a 7f novice (6.45) and – being out of a mare that stayed 1m4f – the soft ground conditions should help to bring her stamina into play.

Alexandretta18:45 Salisbury

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Jky: Luke Morris Tnr: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

Hamilton

Ed Bethell has sent out two winners from his last four runners and is worth following when sending horses to Hamilton, where he has had four winners from 13 runners for a 31 per cent strike-rate.

Representing the Bethell stable on Saturday, Powerful Response takes his chance in the closing 1m½f handicap (8.30).

The son of Starspangledbanner stayed on strongly to land a Newcastle handicap last time out and the 4lb rise received looks manageable now that he steps up to what should prove a more suitable trip.