Saturday horse racing tips: River Of Stars can defend her title at York

With plenty of top quality English and Irish racing on offer this Saturday our horse racing tipster picks out three different Class 1 races from three different venues

Haydock Temple Stakes (1.50pm): Vadream

Six-year-old mare Vadream has been racing in Class 1 races for over three years now, with multiple ups and downs. But she definitely seems to be bang in form at the moment being unlucky to narrowly lose to Seven Questions at Newmarket three weeks ago.

Seven Questions is a very temperamental sort that makes it hard to back him. And with the ground expected to have plenty of give in it, the three-year-old might well tire himself out this time. Whereas all of Vadream’s Class 1 wins have come on soft or heavy ground and she can take full advantage of the going to deliver a career-best performance and notch her fourth Class 1 victory.

Curragh Greenlands Stakes (2.30pm): Shouldvebeenaring

Second in last year’s Haydock Spring Cup, Shouldvebeenaring was hugely disappointing at Newmarket last month. Where despite being sent off as the favourite he was a complete non-entity in the race, being in touch before weakening from almost two furlongs out.

Clearly something wasn’t right that day for whatever reason, and you can put a line through that performance as he has returned to form since. He came second at York 10 days ago, losing out to Mill Stream on the line, and this race is slightly easier so should notch career win number six.

York Bronte Cup (3.20pm): River Of Stars

Winner of this last year, River Of Stars makes her seasonal reappearance as she looks to defend her title. This race was her only victory last year but she did have two very valuable second-placed finishes at Paris Longchamp and Goodwood.

Just as 12 months ago, this is her first race of the year. That was in good-to-firm ground but the conditions shouldn’t be an issue as the two seconds, which were arguably better performances, came in soft and heavy ground. She should have no issues winning this again before setting her sights on bigger targets.