Knockout Saturday of Sport: Our Picks for the Racing and Boxing

Saturday rarely disappoints on the sporting front, and this week certainly delivers, with a world title fight in the ring at Wembley Stadium and a host of quality racing events. Here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, we pick out our best bets for Joshua vs Dubois and the headline acts from Newbury and Ayr.

Saturday: Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes - Newbury, 3:15

This juvenile event from Newbury tends to be won by a smart sort and presents an intriguing cast of youngsters in 2024. Ten go to post, all bar one has at least one win to their name, and four won on their most recent racecourse appearance.

Richard Fahey’s Powerful Glory and Shadow Of Light from the Charlie Appleby operation are the two the market has latched onto, with the pair currently vying for favouritism at around 11/4. Shadow Of Light brings the stronger form to the table, having finished second in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, but Powerful Glory arrives with a tall reputation and scored in emphatic style on debut at Pontefract.

There’s plenty to like about the market leaders, but both have raced only on good or quicker ground. With the going currently described as good to soft, with storm warnings in place, there looks to be a reasonable chance that very soft ground will be the order of the day.

If the forecasts prove correct, the two we want on our side are Defence Minister and Brian, with a narrow preference for the latter. Having already raced six times, this Sylvester Kirk runner lacks the sexy profile of some of his rivals, but, crucially, he appears to relish soft ground.

The Shaman colt has finished in the top three in five of seven starts, with his standout effort coming in a 6f soft ground event at Newmarket in August. Whilst others struggled to pick up that day, Brian and his rounded knee action scythed through the mud to win by an easy 4¼l. We suspect that he won’t be the best of these in time, but with conditions in his favour, he rates an excellent bet to at least hit the frame.

• Recommended Bet - Brian each way @ 9/1 with BetGoodwin

Saturday: Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup Handicap – Ayr, 3:35

In contrast to Newbury, the weather is set fair at Ayr ahead of their flagship flat contest. As ever, the Ayr Gold Cup has attracted a maximum field of 25 in this hugely competitive event.

2023 runner-up Ramazan heads the betting for Richard Fahey, having bounced back to form with a close second at Ripon last time. That proven ability counts for plenty, but he’s 5lb higher than 12 months ago, which won't make life easy.

The in-form Jim Goldie duo of American Affair and Jordan Electrics are others to note, whilst five-time winner Kevin Ryan sends four into battle, headed by the improving Room Service.

You can make a decent case for a fair few of these, but the one we like at a nice each-way price is Orazio from the Charles Hills operation. Touted as a potential Group class performer earlier in his career, he hasn’t lived up to that billing but is more than capable in this sort of race. A close sixth in a 27-runner Wokingham Stakes in 2023, he was beaten by a similar margin in this race before being packed off for a gelding operation. He has been up and down since, but his most recent effort in a big field sprint handicap saw him go down by just ¾l in the 2024 Wokingham. He’s 1lb higher here but looked unlucky in running that day, and the excellent Billy Loughnane takes over in the saddle. Take the 14/1 with LiveScoreBet, who are paying out on the first six.

• Recommended Bet - Orazio each way @ 14/1 with LiveScoreBet

Saturday: Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois – Wembley Stadium, approx. 11:00pm

Saturday evening is lit up by an all-British heavyweight dust-up at the national stadium as Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois battle for the IBF title. Joshua may be the bigger name, but Dubois arrives as the champion, having been handed the title vacated by Oleksandr Usyk. Will the 27-year-old hold onto his crown, or can Joshua become a world champion for the third time?

Both men boast similar records – Dubois 23 fights, 21 wins, 20 KOs, and Joshua 31 fights, 28 wins, 25 KOs. The pair's most recent defeats also came against the same opponent, namely Oleksandr Usyk – Dubois suffering a ninth-round KO in a controversial 2023 contest, and Joshua twice outpointed in 2022.

Since those losses, Dubois has posted the two best performances of his career to stop the highly regarded Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgović. Impressive as those displays were, it is hard not to be more taken by the change in Joshua since teaming up with trainer Ben Davison. Moving away from the plodding caution which had crept into his style, Joshua has returned to his main strength – devastating power. Having blown away Robert Helenius and dismantled Otto Wallin in five, AJ produced a frightening two-round destruction of Francis Ngannou – the man who had previously taken Tyson Fury the distance.

One punch is all it takes in the heavyweight division, but Joshua looks a worthy favourite. He has only come unstuck against the lightning-quick hands of Andy Ruiz and ring mastery of Usyk – two qualities Dubois doesn’t boast in his locker. Slightly quicker and significantly more powerful, the former Olympian can end this early.

• Recommended Bet - Anthony Joshua to win in Round 2 @ 28/1 with BetMGM