Plenty of horse racing action to get stuck into this weekend, Saturday's cards see Market Rasen host a seven race jumps card, and Newmarket takes centre stage for the flat, with Haydock playing a fantastic support role with two wide open class two contests.
I'll start with the action at Newmarket in the 3:00, and my first pick of the day is the charismatic individual who goes by the name of Blackbeard.
Despite his pre-race antics which he has now shown on more than one occasion, he is very talented, and possesses so much natural pace and ability that he is a very hard horse to go against.
His win at Deauville on his latest start in the Group 1 over in France where he beat Persian Force by half a length highlighted he is a class act, and I fancy him to do the business again here.
He bumps back into Persian Force who needs to improve if he wants to beat the Aiden O'Brien colt, and the danger comes from either Marshman or Mischief Magic.
Mischief Magic for trainer Charlie Appleby has been progressing quietly throughout the summer, stepping up to take a Group 3 at Kempton last time out, staying on strongly to win by two lengths.
This is another step up for him here taking on Blackbeard, and the story is similar with Marshman, who won his first two races this season before finishing a good second in a Group two at York, behind another above average Appleby colt Noble Style.
I think that's the best other form we have on offer here so Marshman is the danger for me, but I think at the time of writing this 11/4 is too big of a price for Blackbeard and I think he will definitely be going off much shorter.
My second pick from the action at the Suffolk track is an each way fancy in the Cambridgeshire Stakes at 3:40 who goes by the name of Kitsune Power.
There's 29 runners in this handicap and my pick runs here off a mark of 97 after winning easily at Beverley last time out off 91.
Kevin Stott gave him a peach of a ride that day, smuggling him into the race before delivering his challenge on the outside of the field at the two-furlong pole, and staying on the best up the run in to land the Silver Cup class two.
At the time of writing again he's available at 16/1, and that is plenty of value for us to have a go at, and I think he'll get plenty of cover in this race and again be produced late on again with an effort.
Moving onto Haydock now where we have a few wide-open races on the day, but I've got one or two that I like the look of here as well.
I'll go with my each way pick for the action here and it comes in the 2:05 Old Boston Handicap over seven furlongs.
Harrow got himself back on track off this mark of 93 last time at Doncaster with a good third in a class two handicap and seemed to be back in the right kind of race, after running in a big handicap at Ascot and two class ones the times before.
For me he's always gone better going around left-handed, and also over seven furlongs, his three wins in his career have all come over that trip and also going left-handed at Ffos Las, York and Doncaster.
Not to mention excellent claimer Harry Davies takes three pounds off so he's essentially running here off a mark of 90 which for me is just another positive.
He's 10/1 at the time of writing and should go well, and there's no negatives to him.
I move over to Chester for my next selection in the 1:40, I think Prepense showed that his first run of his life at Newmarket was one that suggested he was always going to improve a lot for it.
He doesn't have to do that for this contest apart from get out of the stalls a bit faster and travel a little smoother, and if he does that, he'll be an easy winner here.
Finally, we finish this week's selections off at Market Rasen, where we have an interesting looking Class 2 Novices' Hurdle alongside some other good contests.
My first pick here though comes in the race before that one, the 1:43, when Autumn Return runs for Ruth Jefferson, with the champion jockey on board.
She toughed it out well when winning on debut in a bumper at Ayr in April, and this race doesn't look to have much other form on offer, so I think she'll make a winning start over timber and keep her unbeaten record intact.
The class two looks really interesting at 2:18, and there's plenty of nice types on paper which appear here.
The Churchill Lad ran well on debut to win at Cartmel for Nathan Moscrop and Rebecca Menzies, but the favourite that day didn't do herself any favours by jumping out markedly to her right, but he is the benchmark here and he's the one they do have to beat because we just don't know how some of them are going to jump a hurdle in public for the first time.
I'm going to side with Exciting News though for the Skeltons, it's not a risk because they've done well in recent seasons for the owners with Allmankind and Too Friendly, and I do think if he transfers his flat form towards the end over to hurdles, he could a decent type.
Just Another One and Cape Helles will also be potential candidates and it shapes up to be a real good contest this.
The Churchill Lad though is the safe choice here because he did do everything right on debut over hurdles, but I'll take the risk in this one with Exciting News.
So that's all for my Saturday selections, hope you enjoyed it, listed below are a recap of them all and their prices at time of writing, and there is also my ITV 7 picks which I'll bet tweeting about tomorrow, and a placepot at Market Rasen to follow which I'll tell you how it does in the next one.
List of selections
Newmarket: 3:00 - Blackbeard 11/4 Win 3:40 - Kitsune Power 16/1 EW.
Haydock: 2:05 - Harrow 10/1 EW.
Chester: 1:40 - Prepense SP Win.
Market Rasen: 1:43 - Autumn Return SP Win 2:18 - Exciting News SP Win.
Ell's placepot selections: Market Rasen
1:43 - Autumn Return (3) - Battled on well to win a bumper at Ayr back in April, showed ability that day and also she could tough it out, doesn't take much to win this Novices' Hurdle so I think she'll be hard to beat.
2:18 - Exciting News (5) - First run over hurdles, and the safe bet in this race is The Churchill Lad, but I know the Skeltons have done well in the past few seasons with these horses off the owners from the flat and I'll take the chance that he's good enough to at least get placed here.
2:53 - Henry Brown (5) - Got off the mark at Hexham last time after a few really promising runs at bigger prices, looks sure to go well again in a similar contest.
3:30 - Champagne Court (1) - Dug deep to win at Perth over three miles last time after a few good efforts over this distance, a tricky race for sure, but one who's in form and doesn't have risks to him like some of the others.
4:05 - Hiconic (10) - Hasn't shown much on recent runs but stayed on well to the line last time out to suggest that he's ready to strike possibly, plenty in this race with points to prove, he's one of them, but he showed enough to me last time to suggest he's got a big run in him here.
4:40 - Good Bye (1) - Ran well since joining this yard, solid place claims are always and will give it his best shot off top weight, jockey on board Phillip Armson has been in excellent form in the summer as well.
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