Saturday horse racing tips: O’Brien charge can rule in King George

Saturday looks set to provide a cracking day of action, with the best quality entertainment hosted by Ascot and York, while meetings from Gowran Park, Chester, Newcastle, Lingfield and Salisbury are also on the schedule.

Ascot’s feature race is the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and it’s one of the biggest events on the calendar.

York also provides some top-quality action in the shape of the Group 2 York Stakes, so there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained.

Below are our three horse racing betting tips for the day’s action, including an Aidan O’Brien-trained challenger in the King George.

Saturday horse racing tips

• 14:20 Ascot – Touleen @ 4/5

• 14:55 Ascot – Extremely Zain @ 17/10

• 15:35 Ascot – Benvenuto Cellini @ 5/1

14:20 Ascot – Touleen @ 4/5

There’s a clear-cut contender for the Group 3 Valiant Stakes, the third race on the card at Ascot, with the Owen Burrows-trained TOULEEN very difficult to oppose. William Buick has been booked for the ride and she’s well set for a return to winning ways.

She managed to get off the mark at the first time of asking on debut and followed that up with an even more impressive success under a penalty in novice company.

Failing to fire in the Rockfel on her final start at two, she’s much better than that effort suggests.

Only Sukanya was too good for her in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes and she looked in need of the run on that occasion.

Burrows’ filly finished sixth in the 1000 Guineas, but produced a career-best when runner-up in the Coronation and a similar effort will be enough in this grade.

14:55 Ascot – Extremely Zain @ 17/10

With £150,000 on offer in this heritage handicap, it promises to be a very competitive affair.

Unexposed and lightly raced runners could have the advantage and, with that in mind, William Haggas’ runner EXTREMELY ZAIN fits the bill, having had just three starts.

The first of those came in a Newcastle novice back in December and he could hardly have been more impressive that day, scooting clear in good style to score by seven lengths.

He defied a penalty score over this trip at Newbury on his first start of this season as well.

Maintaining his unbeaten record on handicap debut at York last month, he was strong at the finish on that occasion, despite over-racing in the early stages.

An 8lb rise is potentially reasonable and he can win again before the handicapper catches up.

15:35 Ascot – Benvenuto Cellini @ 5/1

You can’t argue with the prize money on offer in the King George and the £1,134,200 first-place prize could be heading back over the Irish Sea to Ballydoyle.

Aidan O’Brien has maintained a high opinion of BENVENUTO CELLINI and further progress is expected.

The legendary trainer has been very complimentary of this horse in the build-up and he believes that the son of Frankel has improved since his last run.

Landing the Irish Derby at the Curragh last month, he got the better of stablemate and Epsom hero Christmas Day.

He showed a fair amount of potential at two and was an impressive winner of the Chester Vase on his first start of this season.

This represents a step up in class and more will be needed if he’s to beat the older horses here, but the best is surely yet to come.