Today on Sky Sports Racing: Star Caliber returns in Chester feature on super Saturday featuring Ripon and Doncaster | Racing News

It is truly a super Saturday on Sky Sports Racing this weekend with a valuable Chester card, the launch of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival and high-class international action from Saint-Cloud and Saratoga.

3.41 Chester – Haseefah and Haliphon contest valuable handicap

With over £50,000 on offer to the winner, it is no surprise to see a strong field of 12 line-up for the class two Free Placepot Every Saturday At tote.co.uk Apprentice Handicap (3.41pm) at Chester on Saturday.

Early market favourite is Star Caliber, who is making his first start of the season having been off the track since October last year.

The son of Golden Horn was expected to take high rank among the three-year-old staying division last year after winning his sole start as a juvenile over the mile at Goodwood.

After disappointing in the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom last April, he found his form, without scoring again, finishing in the places in six starts in handicaps.

Assuming he is fit and ready to go here, that experience should come in handy on the Roodee, with champion apprentice jockey hopeful Harry Davies booked by trainer Andrew Balding and owners King Power.

The main danger could come from Ian Williams’ Haliphon, a winner of a weaker handicap at York last month and up 5lbs for that.

Alan King’s Haseefah gets in at the bottom of the weights and will be expected to put up another good effort after victory over course and distance in May, before victory at Goodwood and a solid runner-up effort at Newmarket last time.

3.28 Ripon – Global Heat and Alright Sunshine feature in red-hot renewal

Ripon has the honour of hosting the opening meeting of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival on Saturday afternoon, headlined by the class two Titanium Racing Ripon Bell-ringer Handicap (3.28).

Three of the seven runners boast course-and-distance victories including top weight Alright Sunshine from Keith Dalgleish’s yard.

The seven-year-old was last seen finishing in the middle of the pack in 10th in the Northumberland Plate after showing plenty of zest when fourth at Royal Ascot in the Copper Horse Stakes.

Leading owners Godolphin are represented by the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Global Heat, who drops below a mark of 100 for the first time since finishing third at Group Three level in Dubai in February.

Mark Johnston’s unexposed three-year-old Approachability receives a potentially valuable weight allowance as he takes on older rivals.

7.00 Saint-Cloud – Haggas’ My Prospero faces unbeaten Junko

Royal Ascot form will be on show at Saint-Cloud on Saturday as St James’s Palace Stakes third My Prospero heads to France for the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam (7pm).

William Haggas’ lightly-raced three-year-old should be hard to beat based on his terrific showing behind Coroebus and Lusail and has rarely put a foot wrong in any of his four starts, including May’s Listed win in the Heron Stakes at Sandown.

Unbeaten Junko steps up in grade having made it three out of three with victory over Maximus in the Group Three Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp back in April.

Trainer Andre Fabre has given his star three months off since that success and he is likely to be the main danger if fully tuned up on return.

Over in the USA, Charlie Appleby and Jamie Spencer represent the British challenge in the Grade One Diana Stakes (10.03pm) at Saratoga with Creative Flair, taking on three from the powerful Chad Brown team: Bleecker Street, In Italian and Technical Analysis.

Saturday racecards I Latest Sky Bet odds

Watch every race from Chester, Ripon, Doncaster, Saint-Cloud and Saratoga live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday, July 16.