Newbury Races: Tips, racecards and betting preview for the Diomed Stakes meeting on Saturday live on ITV

WE had a teaser at Newbury on Friday evening and the action notches up a level on Saturday, with the Diomed Stakes an intriguing Group 3 feature.

There are four races live on ITV in tandem with the action at Sandown. We take a closer look at those heats here.

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Race 4 – 1.50 It’s Not Rocket Science With MansionBet Handicap

The first on TV has a surprisingly small field – only five are set to go to post. Perhaps the 72 hour declarations have played a part with the unsettled weather heading into the weekend.

And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, three-year-old handicaps this early season are not to be taken lightly. The form takes some working out and who knows how these horses have kicked on from two to three.

MORISCO arguably showed the most at two and did look the type to improve with racing and not your typical forward youngster from the Tom Dascombe stable.

He has been gelded over the winter and this ten furlongs is an experiment he shaped like a step up in trip would suit in two runs towards the end of last year.

The yard do well at Newbury, especially with Richard Kingscote on board and he’d get the tentative nod here.

Clive Cox’s It’s Good To Laugh showed plenty of promise including a second to Kameko at two. If you put a line through his no show when he raced here last time, he’d probably be plenty shorter for this. Watch the market.

Nothing Mark Johnston runs can be ruled out and his Gold Souk looks another that thrives on their racing.

Sir Mark Prescott has started the season uncharacteristically strong and his Tell Me All has claims too.

TENTATIVE NOD: Morisco

Race 5 – 2.25 Watch And Bet With MansionBet At Newbury Maggie Dickson Fillies’ Stakes (Listed Race)

This looks wide-open. It’s a competitive, but a good chance for a few fillies to get that all important black-type on the CV.

It could be worth chancing Sir Mark Prescott’s MISS CELESTIAL who has the benefit of a run under her belt.

As mentioned, that yard have started the season well and she’ll improve for the extra furlong compared to her Haydock pipe opener.

She is versatile on the ground, and why she doesn’t win as often as she might, this race might just be a tad weaker than some of those she found herself in last year.

Preening has an obvious chance and signed off last year with a Listed win in France. She does carry a penalty for that, though.

Ryan Moore is booked and James Fanshawe can ready one first time out. She’s the danger.

Foxtrot Lady is consistent enough but often finds one or two a bit better at this level. However, with the form Andrew Balding is in you cannot rule her out.

Farzeen has a bit to prove at this level as do a good few of the outsiders. Of those at bigger odds, Final Option may be worth a few quid each-way.

Mubtasimah lost her way somewhat at the back-end of last season but is another with a solid chance.

SELECTION: Miss Celestial

Race 6 – 3.00 British Stallion Studs EBF/MansionBet Abingdon Fillies’ Stakes (Listed Race)

This looks an exciting race on paper for the season ahead but there isn’t heaps of form to go on for the punters.

It’s a race to get the notebook out for and keep stakes small, and CABALETTA is hard to oppose on her debut win where she saw off John Gosden’s smart Frankly Darling.

The absence of Domino Darling means she is the one to beat on that run and trainer Roger Varian has started the season well.

If she kicks on from that effort she should probably take this. Any rain wouldn’t matter – her debut win came on slow ground at Yarmouth.

John Gosden’s Franconia will need to improve on her debut second. But she’ll prefer this more galloping track and the fact Gosden pitches her into Listed company could be telling.

Shatha won at 66-1 on debut last week at Kempton, but it didn’t appear the hugest of surprises once she got going. There could be more to come yet but whether she is up to this is unlikely just yet.

Wonderful Tonight should not be discounted. She has proven stamina and trainer David Menuisier places his horses very well. Chamade is another that looks over-priced.

SELECTION: Cabaletta

Race 7 – 3.35 MansionBet’s Beaten By A Head Diomed Stakes (Group 3)

I’ve previewed this race in full elsewhere on the site, so won’t bore you with the details all over again. But the horse I’m keen on in this is Mark Johnston’s MARIE’S DIAMOND.

He ran a big career best last time and is clearly set to improve at four this season. Horses from this yard always take their racing well so I wouldn’t worry about the swift turnaround and he will have the fitness edge on his main market rivals.

King Of Comedy is a tricky customer and should probably have won more than he already has. Rain would be against him and it’s not the biggest vote of confidence that Frankie Dettori doesn’t stick around to take the ride.

Tabarrak can be passed over and Century Dream has plenty to prove once again.

SATURDAY NAP: Marie’s Diamond

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