Ted's Saturday selections: Nine best value picks ahead of the ITV racing

Ed 'Longshot Ted' Quigley is back, and seeks out the best bets for Saturday's ITV action, with Haydock's Sprint Cup taking centre stage...

Haydock - 1.15 Prague e/w

Kieran Shoemark is riding full of confidence at the moment, and I am going to side with PRAGUE to get back to winning ways in this belter of a Group 3 contest over 1m. 

If you rewind the clock back to this assignment 12 months ago, Prague was arguably unlucky not to win, having met all sorts of trouble in-running, before staying on to finish second. 

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A repeat of that effort would obviously see the five-year-old right in the shake-up here with conditions to suit. 

It is true that he hasn't quite hit the heights of last season over the course of the last few months, but looks the value play back at this track and we know he has a touch of class. On official ratings Dylan Cunha's representative doesn't have much to find and has to be taken seriously here.

Kempton - 1.35 Kalpana 

This may only be a 'warm-up' for next months, but it should be a straight-forward assignment for the Andrew Balding trained KALPANA, who won this last year and can get the better of Giavellotto en route to Paris. 

She hasn't managed to win this season but has produced some crackers in defeat, including when chasing home Whirl in the Pretty Polly Stakes, and Calandagan in the King George at Ascot last time out. 

This looks the perfect opportunity for a confidence booster, and should land this on her way to a crack at Europe's biggest prize. 

Haydock - 1.50 Publish

There was a lot to like about the performance of PUBLISH who went one better than his debut effort to score over 7f at Sandown last time out. 

I was impressed with his attitude as he met the rising ground towards the finish, and shaped very much like an individual who will find even more improvement now tackling 1m for the first time on underfoot conditions that should suit. 

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The John and Thady Gosden team are in cracking form, and it isn't hard to envisage this son of Kingman having the tools required to get the job done here. Will Buick takes the ride, and this combination looks to have major claims.

Kempton - 2.05 Local Hero e/w

LOCAL HERO hasn't been in great form recently, but is being given a chance by the assessor and is always a threat when returning to the Sunbury venue. 

The 4-year-old has been winless this year, but as a consequence, his official mark has slipped from 92 down to 86, and he now finds himself coming into this off a mark 2lb lower than when last successful. 

Local Hero often tends to raise his game at this track too, boasting three wins from five starts at the track, and specifically he has two wins from three starts over course and distance. 

The stars could be aligning here, and from Stall 1, Sean Levey will be looking for a positive ride. I wouldn't be surprised if this combination got involved at the business end of proceedings and rated an each-way play. 

Haydock - 2.25 Valiancy

This can go the way of the Wathan Racing representative VALIANCY, who has been a model of consistency in recent times. 

The gelding was beaten just over a length over course and distance on his penultimate start by the opposing Pole Star, and gets to tackle that individual on 5lb better terms here. 

A lightly-raced individual who is open to further improvement over this trip, the application of first-time cheekpieces only needs to bring about a small amount of improvement to see the son of Cracksman a tough individual to pass here. 

Saffie Osbourne takes the ride for the William Haggas team, and a bold show is expected here.

Ascot - 2.40 Native Warrior

We have Class 2 7f action here, and this looks a great opportunity for the Karl Burke trained NATIVE WARRIOR to strike in what is a fairly wide-open looking encounter. 

Jamie Spencer rides Ascot well, and should be tailor-made for a horse who perhaps hasn't won as much as his raw ability should entitle him to do. 

He didn't get much luck in-running when coming from off the pace at Goodwood last time out, but it was a good run nonetheless. 

The visor seems to have perked him up as he showed when winning on an artificial surface at Newcastle two starts ago, and he looks to have very solid claims here. He gets an 8lb pull with Great Acclaim from Goodwood, and cut in the ground shouldn't be a problem, so there are plenty of positives. 

Haydock - 3.00 The Reverend

I really liked the performance of THE REVEREND when annihilating the field at Ripon back in July, and I think this combination of 1m6f with cut in the ground look perfect for him. 

This unexposed 4-year-old has only jumped up 4lb in the Handicap on the back of that, and I imagine that the in-form William Haggas team will fancy that they have a few pounds up their sleeve off a mark of 98. 

Any rain that arrives will only enhance the credentials of this son of Lope De Vega, and another victory could easily be on the cards with top pilot Top Marquand in the saddle. 

In a field where there are quite a lot of unreliable individuals, he looks far more straightforward. 

Ascot - 3.15 Rogue Millions

We only have seven runners due to go to post, and this is a little bit of a head-scratcher. I am tempted to give another chance to the James Owen trained ROGUE MILLIONS who ran better than the bare result suggests when last of seven in Listed company at Hamilton last time out. 

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He tried to make a move from off the pace and didn't get a clear run in a messy encounter which ultimately cost him any chance he had of getting involved from a winning perspective. 

Back in Handicap company here he could easily show his true colours, as he looked potentially very smart when bolting up at Carlisle off a mark of 97 two starts ago. Soft ground suits and he can run well with Harry Davies on board. 

Haydock - 3.35 Sky Majesty e/w

It's the big one, as we have Group 1 action on our hands in what looks a much more wide-open event than perhaps the market is telling us. Lazzat is bound to be popular, but I am going to take a chance on the improving filly SKY MAJESTY to continue the winning thread. 

Her form has been going from strength to strength as she has made it back to back wins including in Listed and Group 3 company. 

She's in the deep end now, but she looks worth another crack at this level for in-form connections. Any rain that hits the track will not be an inconvenience to her, and if anything only heightens her chances. Tom Marquand takes the ride and she looks a solid each-way runner.

Ted's ITV Racing Selections

Saturday:

Haydock - 1.15 Prague e/w (13/2 Coral)

Kempton - 1.35 Kalpana (1/2 Ladbrokes)

Haydock - 1.50 Publish (5/4 Betway)

Kempton - 2.05 Local Hero e/w (15/2 Betfred)

Haydock - 2.25 Valiancy (4/1 Ladbrokes)

Ascot - 2.40 Native Warrior (5/1 Betway)

Haydock - 3.00 The Reverend (4/1 Betfred)

Ascot - 3.15 Rogue Millions (9/2 Ladbrokes)

Haydock - 3.35 Sky Majesty e/w (9/1 Coral)

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Odds correct at the time of writing.