Horse racing tips for Saturday: Dave Nevison marks your card

The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes and the BetVictor London Gold Cup top a fantastic Saturday afternoon at Newbury with the highest rated horse in the country, Palace Pier, odds-on for the former.

The handicap is usually a fantastic source of future winners but I will duck out of trying to find the victor. I have spread my bets across three Racing TV tracks.

Broke his maiden in emphatic style at Nottingham last week (watch below) and very much looks a sprinter to follow now that Mick Appleby has won with him

He was campaigned in a fairly odd manner in Ireland, reverting to maidens having established a handicap mark with some fair runs. He was beaten narrowly by one or two decent types and was perhaps fortunate to be rated 75 for his first handicap run on these shores and he was heavily backed before bolting up.

The ground won’t be quite as soft but he will clearly relish conditions and Paul Hanagan, who has been in such good form for Richard Fahey, keeps the ride.

Was clearly felt to have been freshened up by a six-month break when well backed on his reappearance, and with more luck in running he might have gone close to beating Ventura Rascal, who he now meets on 4lb better terms.

Irv shot up the handicap after a couple of good wins in 2019 but was not up to marks in the mid 80s. He has now dropped to a mark 6lb below his latest win, so his chance is obvious.

Trip and ground are fine and I am not worried about the wide draw, as he will be dropped out to finish well. He has yet to win at Thirsk but has run some of his best races at the track. The 7lb claimer who rode him last time keeps the ride and he has since been amongst the winners.

The handicapper may have been a little too literal in assessing this two-time winner in novice events and he might have been very generous giving him a mark of 87.

He has certainly looked impressive in his wins, which came ten months apart, and my only niggle is that, physically, the four-year-old may be fragile as he has had only three runs.

However, he is in the best of hands and, out of a Pivotal mare, he should be suited by underfoot conditions. If he handles this handicap test in the same style as he has his races so far he could well be looking at Ascot events next time. Up against exposed rivals, I am expecting him to succeed.

This is the last time I back this horse if he doesn’t come good here as he has taken quite enough of my money over the past couple of seasons.

He simply has everything in his favour for him to run a big race. Firstly, he is returning to the track where he has won twice before. Indeed, Newbury is the only track he has ever won at.

He has ideal ground conditions and a straight mile suits him well. Also, he is back in a visor, rather than the cheekpieces that didn’t seem to work in the Lincoln on his reappearance.

He has been dropped a couple of pounds in the weights for that effort and the booking of Oisin Murphy is eye-catching, even though he always has a good jockey on board.

He is ideally drawn equidistant from the two likely pacesetters and should get cover and a good tow into the race. To cap it all, his trainer has had three winners in the past week or so. If he is still a racehorse, King Ottokar must go well here.