Horse Racing Tips Today – Ed Quigley’s Best Bets for Saturday 27 June

Written By Ed Quigley | Published at June 27, 2026

We have a day of stacked action, and Ed Quigley is back with his best bets on the cards with the Northumberland Plate taking centre stage at Newcastle...

Newcastle 2.10 - Diligent Harry

Diligent Harry has a terrific record on this surface, and I am backing last year's winner to notch back to back successes in this Group 3 encounter. The 8-year-old is a model of consistency, and always brings his best form to the table at this venue, as a record of three wins and one placed effort over course and distance from just five starts would suggest. The Clive Cox trained gelding had the perfect tune-up for this, running belter when fourth in a Group 2 at York, and he should be all set for another big performance here. Saffie Osborne takes the ride, and this combination look solid.

Newcastle 2.40 - Sax Appeal

The Charlie Johnston team are in good heart at present, and I wouldn't rule out a big run from the 6-year-old Sax Appeal who makes each-way appeal at attractive odds. Daniel Muscutt takes the ride on an individual who has hit the crossbar in recent times, but has assured stamina in the locker, and is a previous winner over Course and Distance, so this venue holds no fears. From a mark of 86 he is on the same rating as when last successful, so it would be far from a shock if he managed to hit the frame here in what naturally is a wide-open looking race. The blinkers are on which he has sported when winning on three separate occasions. He looks overpriced to me.

Newcastle 3.15 - Blazeon Five

It's the big one at 3.15, and I think Blazeon Five can get involved at the business end of proceedings from an each-way perspective looks to hold solid claims for the Alan King team who have a good record in this race. She didn't run badly from a poor draw when having to make up a lot of ground from the rear over Course and Distance in January, passing beaten runners inside the hard yards, to get up for sixth on the line. With a more handy posse here, she could easily make his presence felt, where an end-to-end gallop should really suit him, so the demands of this race look tailor-made for him. Callum Rodriguez takes the ride and together they look to have the tools to get involved for a yard who have been operating at around a 35% strike-rate for the last two weeks or so.

York 2.58 - Never So Brave

A return to the Knavesmire will suit Never So Brave who got bogged down in rain-softened ground at Epsom last time out, but will be much happier in this scenario, where we have the prospect of quick ground, and as a previous winner at the venue he looks to have a cracking chance of returning to the winner's enclosure. On figures he has a few pounds in hand, and he can make his class tell here. Oisin Murphy takes the ride and this combination can get the upper hand in this assignment.

Chester 3.33 - Copacabana Sands

Copacabana Sands has the class edge on official figures, and having made her yard and seasonal debut at Lingfield last month after 7 months off the track, she should be a lot straighter for this. Officially rated 104 she will be a tough nut to crack if she brings her A-game to the table. Jason Watson is in the saddle, and this pair have a very handy draw in stall 4. Still relatively unexposed, this 4-year-old could easily have more to offer, and with the prospect of quicker ground, she can make the most of this drop in grade for the Andrew Balding team. With only 12 starts to her name, it would be a surprise if we have seen the ceiling of her ability.

York 4.15 - Million Gold

Million Gold has no miles on the clock, and can easily take a step forward heading into this encounter. He has only had the two starts so far, winning in nice fashion on debut at Kempton, before finishing third at Newcastle last time out in a messy encounter. The 3-year-old delves into Handicaps off a mark of 77 which should be more than enough to see him run a big race here with Tom Marquand in the saddle. This thoroughly unexposed sort could easily be a step ahead of the handicapper here and I think looks the type to progress massively throughout the Handicap ranks for the Mick Appleby team.