Saturday’s terrestrial races come from the north, with racing screened from Haydock and Beverley. Ever looking for the early value, Matty Sutcliffe has three selections for you to follow.
Published: 9.30am (Prices correct at time of publishing)
2:05 Beverley – Hilary Needler Trophy Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 2) (2yo) – Over Spiced 12/1 (generally) 1pt EW (1/5 odds 1-3 places)
OVER SPICED looked badly in need of the experience on debut at Brighton in April, unshipping Jack Mitchell on the way to the start and hanging under pressure when mounting a challenge. That was a promising debut as she looked the winner two out, and she duly came on for the effort when winning in game fashion at Leicester last month in a field predominantly made up of colts.
The daughter of Adaay still looked far from the finished article there given she was lit up early doors and hung right into her sole challenger in the final furlong, but the latter point suggests she’ll be comfortable around Beverley should they drift right toward the far side rail. The form of her last race has worked out very well as the second won gamely next time out, as did the third who followed up in a valuable maiden as Windsor nine days later.
She galloped on strongly at Leicester and her dam won over seven furlongs, so this stiff finish at Beverley should help. Her trainer’s record here reads 9-2-9 in the last five seasons.
2:25 Haydock – Betfred “Play Fred’s £5 Million” Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) – Divina Grace 10/1 (generally) 1pt WIN
DIVINA GRACE was evidently well thought of by connections to be tried in the G2 Sweet Solera as a two-year-old, and while her form dipped from then onwards, she returned to progressive ways last season when winning going away on seasonal debut at Chepstow. She backed that effort up with a second at Goodwood before an excellent third in a competitive fillies handicap at Newbury, beaten two lengths behind rivals both now rated 14lbs higher. She can be forgiven for two bad subsequent efforts, the first when well beaten in a G2 on heavy ground before perhaps not taking to cheekpieces at Newmarket.
The daughter of Golden Horn regained the winning thread at Bath, before taking a competitive handicap at Newmarket back again the boys off a mark of 82, beating Ebor-bound Crystal Delight by a length who’s now rated 105 (20lbs higher) after bolting up a combined ten lengths in two starts this season.
Her reappearance run this season saw her post a career best RPR of 96 after finishing third at Goodwood, beaten a length into third off top-weight giving 8lbs and 5lbs to the pair ahead. That effort can be upgraded given she shaped as if needing the run, and she fared best of those to the fore throughout as the 1st, 2nd and 4th had all come from way off the pace. She’ll be thankful not to be carrying chunks of weight here, and her record in handicaps over 1m4f read 2123. If she’s come on from that effort, then there’s not much in the way of competition who I’d fancy her to struggle against. Haggas’ is making his reappearance and I suspect will have a bigger pot in mind, Hills’ has to back up a disappointing effort at Redcar as does at Iron Lion who was turned over at 7/4F last time out, Knightswood has been beaten three times off this mark already this season and is vulnerable to a well handicapped sort, and Scenic is 0-7 on turf.
3:15 Beverley – bet365 Handicap (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-80) – Cliffcake 50/1 0.5pt EW (1/4 1-4 places)
Remarkably, seven of the eight horses Roy Bowring has sent out since January have won, and he had a double at Doncaster at the start of the month, so given CLIFFCAKE is his only entry in the upcoming days, he has to be considered for his in form stable despite having to bounce back from a dismal effort at York last time out.
He requires some faith on the back of that run, but he travelled well to a point before Harrison Shaw looked to take a couple of pulls, and his momentum had gone, leading him to finish in his own time. Prior to that effort, he posted a career second best RPR at Southwell in March, so it’s possible to forgive him for that run at York and if he can bounce back, then he’s seriously overpriced back over a winning C&D. The ease in competition should suit, and three of his five turf wins have come at this distance (including in this grade) so conditions should suit as will the forecast drying ground.
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