Six key pointers to help you beat the bookies on Saturday

There are six meetings in Britain and Ireland on Saturday with Newbury and Kelso providing the terrestrial action on ITV4. Bangor, the Curragh, Lingfield and Wolverhampton also host meetings and here are statistics from each track that will help your punting . . .

Bangor

Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Darragh O’Keeffe heads to Bangor for the one ride aboard Oscars Leader in the 2m1½f handicap chase (2.33). 

The ten-year-old hasn’t shown a great deal in four starts this season but as a result has slipped 9lb below his last winning mark. He is 1-2 at Bangor, and trainer Jennie Candlish is operating at a 22 per cent strike-rate with her chasers at this track in the past five seasons.

Backing those horses blind would have yielded a healthy £15.08 profit to a £1 stake.

Oscars Leader14:33 Bangor-on-Dee

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Jky: Darragh O'Keeffe Tnr: Jennie Candlish

Newbury

The Alex Hales-trained Boldmere catches the eye in the 2m7½f veterans’ chase (5.00).

He came good at the second attempt for this stable when justifying favouritism at Doncaster last month and a 6lb rise remains manageable given he was rated in the mid-140s at his peak.

Hales has been profitable to follow, recording a profit of £17.75 to level stakes with his runners at Newbury in the past five years and his chasers are 2-4 at the track during that period. Those statistics make Boldmere of strong interest under Harry Bannister.

Boldmere17:00 Newbury

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Jky: Harry Bannister Tnr: Alex Hales

Curragh

The Irish Flat turf season begins at the Curragh with a 5f maiden (1.40) where we have nothing to go on in terms of form.

Kieran Cotter sends Sturlasson here for the Invincible Army colt’s debut, and backing juveniles from this yard blind at the Curragh in recent seasons would have yielded a £31.50 profit to level stakes.

Declan McDonogh has been booked for the ride, and he is profitable to follow (£10.03 to level stakes) when riding in Ireland for Cotter.

Sturlasson13:40 Curragh

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Jky: Declan McDonogh Tnr: Kieran P Cotter

Lingfield

Backing George Baker’s runners at Lingfield to a £1 stake in the past five years would have produced a profit of £53.38. The trainer’s sole representative at the track on Saturday is Ikkari in the concluding 6f handicap (5.15).

This daughter of Mehmas hasn’t really kicked on from a 50-1 debut second, but her latest run indicated that she would be worth trying over a sprint trip and it came on the back of a 270-day absence – so she is entitled to improve.

Ikkari makes her handicap debut off what looks a potentially lenient mark of 69, and Group 1-winning jockey Rob Hornby is booked to do the steering on what will be only his fourth ride for Baker.

Ikkari17:15 Lingfield (A.W)

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Jky: Rob Hornby Tnr: George Baker

Kelso

Ann Hamilton has an excellent record with her chasers at Kelso in the last five seasons. Six of her 13 runners during that timeframe have won for an impressive 46 per cent strike-rate, and backing those horses blind would have produced a £32.71 level-stakes profit.

Those figures make Bavington Bob – Hamilton’s only runner on Saturday’s card – of obvious interest in the 3m2f handicap chase (3.35).

This eight-year-old has failed to finish at Newcastle the last twice, but on his start prior to those he was beaten just a length and a half into second here at Kelso. Bavington Bob is now only 3lb above his last winning mark, and first-time cheekpieces have the potential to spark an improvement in form.

Bavington Bob15:35 Kelso

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Jky: Ross Chapman Tnr: Ann Hamilton

Wolverhampton

Marco Botti holds two live chances in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, and the Newmarket trainer also sends the one runner to Wolverhampton in Storyinthesand (6.00).

This filly bombed out at Newcastle on her handicap debut when last seen, but has been given a 134-day break since. 

She makes her reappearance off a 4lb lower mark with first-time cheekpieces added. The Botti stable is worth following at Wolverhampton, with their runners yielding a £46.83 profit to level stakes, and that is enhanced to a whopping £81.33 when focusing on their three-year-olds. Representing that age group, Storyinthesand must enter calculations here.

Storyinthesand18:00 Wolverhampton (A.W)

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Jky: Stefano Cherchi Tnr: Marco Botti

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