Saturday horse racing tips: Four fancies from Dave Nevison

The rain - or lack of it - may continue to be a major factor in the outcome of the King George which will still be a fascinating race. However, I’m heading for Newmarket’s mid-afternoon card as well as York for my weekend bets.

Regular readers know I’m a fan of Ella McCain and have often put up her mounts in this column. I think I’m right about her skills as a rider, but it would now be nice to land on one of the winners – McCain has scored on four of her last 10 mounts and I haven’t been on any of them!

McCain rode Music Society last time in the Scottish Stewards’ Cup and might have won with a clearer run close home, going down by a nose to the very progressive Commanche Falls.

I have no doubt Music Society can go well here but it’s a slight worry that - unusually for a decent Tim Easterby sprinter - he hasn’t made the frame at York in the past. However, few of his rivals showed such good form last term and I’ll take a chance that he breaks his Knavesmire duck.

Ghadbbaan only went down narrowly in a course-and-distance handicap last time behind a back-to-form winner and that was a very good effort. He was drawn on the outside of a big field and ran much further back than usual, and I feel that may have cost him – while losing valuable momentum two furlongs from home when trying to make his move wouldn’t have helped, either.

Ghadbbaan has been in pretty good form all season and I definitely think two miles is his trip nowadays. Although drawn eight of eight here, I feel he might get himself into a more prominent position in a field a of hold-up horses and enjoy a more comfortable race.

This race presents an ideal opportunity.

Although the margin of victory was extremely narrow, I was always pretty confident C’mon Kenny was going to win at Sandown earlier this week. He definitely showed that he really needed a step-up in trip and it’s no surprise that this engagement is over two furlongs further, while he escapes a penalty after landing an apprentice handicap.

This is a big lift in grade, but this bumper winner looks very unexposed and is bred to be useful. He looks one to stay with under his very astute trainer.

He’s definitely shown form on plenty of occasions to win off this sort of mark but remains a maiden. I’ve never backed him before so I’m prepared to give him one roll of the dice now that his bang in-form trainer reaches for the kitchen sink in terms of equipment, with both blinkers and a tongue-tie being added.

It’s very possible that jockey James Doyle recommended the headgear switch as he is back on board again. I am hoping the blinkers liven Yankee Stadium up a bit as he has been at his best when ridden in the van and has been beaten through lack of speed in his many starts in novices and maidens.

If he gets galloping in front – at this level, and particularly on this track - he may just be difficult to pass.