Five key horses to follow on Racing TV on Saturday

Racing fans have stacks of action to enjoy on Racing TV on Saturday, with Group One action at Leopardstown on day one of the Irish Champions Festival, and the Group One Betfair Sprint Cup taking centre stage at Haydock.

Throw into the mix more action on the level at Thirsk, an all-weather card at Kempton, which features the Group Three September Stakes, and Jump action at Stratford, it promises to be a special day on the channel.

To keep you entertained amidst Indian Summer conditions across Britain and Ireland, here are five horses to keep on side. Best of luck, and please remember to gamble responsibly.

Race:Bresbet: Back to Bookmaking Nursery Handicap - 2.05pm, Thirsk.

I always strived to be a an A-grade student at school and I’m hoping those IT, DT and Art lessons spent studying the form, rather than concentrating on the work at hand, can bear fruit here.

Harry Eustace’s charge was a good winner at Yarmouth on his second start when powering clear in good style over six furlongs.

He plainly hated the soft ground when well beaten at Doncaster in September where he was stepped up to seven furlongs for the first time, and he continued his promise at York last time out over the same trip.

Only seventh, he shaped much better than the bare result suggests on the Knavesmire as he was held up at the back of the field before making steady headway entering the closing stages.

Only beaten two and three-quarter lengths, he has his sights lowered here and, stepped up to a mile for the first time, he makes plenty of appeal.

Race:Unibet Zero% Mission Sirenia Stakes (Group 3) - 3.25pm, Kempton.

He is bred in the purple given his dam, Joyeuse, is a full-sister to the mighty Frankel, and Group One-scorer Noble Mission.

Andrew Balding’s charge shaped with plenty of promise on debut at Newbury when his inexperience caught him out and, on the face of things, it was disappointing that he could not justify odds-on favouritism at Goodwood on his penultimate start.

However, I think jockey error played a part as Oisin Murphy failed to really get him rolling until close home when he was nabbed on the line. A strong traveller, he also still looked quite raw at Goodwood and easily opened his account at the third time of asking at Newmarket.

He looks like a horse who is only going to improve with more racing and a first start on the all-weather is no issue. In fact, it could even yield more improvement.

There are a number of similarly unexposed types in this event, but he makes plenty of appeal for a trainer currently operating at a 16 per cent strike-rate.

Race:Dullingham Park Stakes (Solonaway) (Group 2) - 3.55pm, Leopardstown.

The son of 2000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior took a while to warm to the task of getting his head in front as it took him five starts to open his account for Aidan O’Brien.

However, he did not look back from that stage onwards and landed Listed and Group Three events in France before narrowly plundering the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

He returned from a 284-day break when seventh to the classy Ace Impact at Deauville on his reappearance. However, he looked badly in need of the run and did shape with some promise before his lack of a recent start took its toll.

Interestingly, that was also his first start over ten furlongs and connections have decided to revert back to the mile for this assignment. A return to quicker ground will also be a boost and I loved the battling qualities he displayed last year.

This looks a canny bit of placing by the Ballydoyle handler, and his charge can get the better of market rivals Bold Discovery and Buckaroo in the Dullingham Park Stakes.

Race:Paddy Power Stakes (Kilternan) (Group 3) - 4.30pm, Leopardstown.

The Paddy Power Stakes has attracted a small, but select field for this 12-furlong event in which the John Joseph Murphy-trained White Birch makes plenty of appeal.

The gallant grey is already proven at the track having landed a Derby trial over ten furlongs and went on to finish third in the Derby at Epsom where he was not helped by being held-up at the back of the field with an awful lot to do leaving Tattenham Corner.

Things went awry in the Irish Derby, but he was beaten early, and that was not his true running. Back at Leopardstown and with the strength of his previous form in mind, he warrants close attention.

The enigmatic Al Aasy will have his supporters plus is likely to be ridden in a similar disposition to the selection, whilst Adelaide River returns from a small break following excellent runner-up efforts in the Irish Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris.

White Birch possesses a potent turn of foot, though, and that could prove crucial in a race which looks likely to get tactical.

Race:Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Sovereign Path' (Premier Handicap) - 5.40pm, Leopardstown.

A 6lb rise does not make things easy for Natalia Lupini’s stable star, but the manner of his performance in handicap company at Galway reiterated that the five-year-old remains firmly on the upgrade, and may still be out of the handicapper’s grasp.

He powered clear in taking fashion under Billy Lee last time out, and his turn of foot could again prove vital on his first start at Leopardstown.

The seven and a half-furlong trip for this assignment looks another positive as he is a horse who clearly gets a mile, and will be staying on strongly at the finish.

This contest features a number of unexposed contenders, namely Aidan O’Brien's €620,000 purchase Broadhurst, and Dermot Weld’s Kayhana.

However, Dunum has a CV which boasts a myriad of fine efforts in handicap company, and he looks sure to play a leading role at the business end.