Saturday ITV Racing Tips: Best bets for Lingfield, Ascot and Haydock on May 11

Oaks and Derby trials are the highlights of the four races from Lingfield, while the Victoria Cup (1440) is the feature of three contests from Ascot. Haydock provides the one race over the jumps.

Let's get the ball rolling with a quick run through our ITV tips and there's some reasons why we've made these selections further down the page.

If you fancy a punt or two, check out the Planet Sport race centre which will show you all the live odds, racecards and results.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)

 

Saturday's quick tips:

13:30 (Ascot) Way Of Life

13:50 (Lingfield) Aimeric

14:05 (Ascot) Topanga

14:25 (Lingfield) Danielle

14:40 (Ascot) Arabian Storm

15:00 (Lingfield) Defiance

15:15 (Haydock) Afadil

15:35 (Lingfield) Remarquee

 

13:30 (Ascot) Way Of Life

Way Of Life has been a model of consistency in recent outings. Joe Leavy takes off a valuable 5lb and it would hardly be surprising were he to go one spot better in the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap than when denied a neck over 1m3 1/2f at Windsor last time.

The 10L Salisbury (1m2f) winner Kotari faces very different conditions here however must be included under a penalty.

Think First was runner-up tackling 1m4f at Epsom in April, and Great Bedwyn cannot be discounted either.

 

13:50 (Lingfield) Aimeric

Aimeric took his record to three from four over 1m4f when a comfortable winner of a Beverley handicap in September.

The Roger Varian-trained gelding returns seven pounds higher in the weights but can kick off his campaign with a success in the William Hill Epic Value Handicap.

Flash Bardot thrived in recent starts. Cannot be dismissed lightly following her triumph on soft ground attempting this journey at Doncaster.

True Legend did well when second in this grade at Ascot last season and should be considered along with If Not Now.

 

14:05 (Ascot) Topanga

Kempton novice winner Topanga was out of her depth when fifth in the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury on reappearance.

That race did have substance with the third going on to land the 1000 Guineas.

Stepping up to 1m in the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% British Ebf Fillies' Handicap looks a plus and she can make a winning handicap debut.

Flying Finn looks progressive based on her stylish Doncaster win. Danger to all if handling the anticipated quicker surface.

Zouzanna won a seven furlong Class Four handicap here last season and may get involved returning for a yard going well.

 

14:25 (Lingfield) Danielle

Danielle made a splash at Wetherby at the end of last month and can take the step up to Listed level in her stride in the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes.

Third and second on her first two starts on the all-weather, switching to turf saw her open her account in style in a novice contest, powering home by 12 lengths with Kieran Shoemark having to do little more than shake the reins.

As a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami, Danielle is bred to be pretty smart and is another who should not be troubled by moving up to just short of Classic distance.

 

14:40 (Ascot) Arabian Storm

Arabian Storm can go well at decent odds in the Lavazza & Ascot 10 Year Anniversary Victoria Cup.

A close-up third in Listed company last May, Arabian Storm did not run again last term and only returned to action at Kempton in March, where he beat just one rival home on what was his handicap bow.

Given it was his first racecourse spin for 327 days, Arabian Storm can be expected to come on for the run and dropped 2lb by the handicapper for that six-and-a-half-length defeat, the Kingman colt could be underrated off a mark of 93.

 

15:00 (Lingfield) Defiance

Defiance can advertise his Epsom claims with victory in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes.

Varian’s charge beat Caviar Heights a short head on racecourse debut last August, with the value of that form well advertised by that horse’s four-length Listed victory at Newmarket last week.

Defiance went on to finish a four-length sixth to Ghostwriter in the Royal Lodge as a 33/1 chance, but he looked certain to be a better three-year-old and that appeared the case as he got going a touch too late in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his reappearance.

The Camelot colt was putting in all his best work at the finish over 10 furlongs after sitting off the early leaders, so his three-quarter-length defeat at the hands of Bellum Justum can be upgraded.

Moving up to just short of 12 furlongs here, Defiance can book his ticket to bigger things.

 

15:15 (Haydock) Afadil

Afadil can take top jumps honours in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls’ representative ran a cracker in the Scottish Champion Hurdle to finish a close-up fourth, racing prominently before just feeling his early effort in the closing stages on soft ground.

Unchanged on a mark of 130, Afadil should find Haydock’s sounder surface to his liking.

 

15:35 (Lingfield) Remarquee

Remarquee returns to action in the William Hill Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes after a three-year-old campaign that saw her fall just short at the highest level.

Beaten a length in the Coronation Stakes and five lengths in the Falmouth when second on both occasions, Remarquee has not run since coming home a fair fourth, beaten just under four lengths, in the Prix Rothschild last July.

That was a slightly disappointing effort and a subsequent wind operation could help her regain her upwards trajectory.

 

READ MORE: Naas afternoon racing tips: Best bets for Saturday, May 11