Saturday Horse Racing Preview & Tips –01st May– Seymour Biz

saturday horse racing tips and previews from expert tipster seymour biz on everytip

Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.

Saturday sees the first Classic of the season, the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and it looks to be one of the most open renewals of this great race for many years. Currently the favourite is on offer at a bigger price than the favourite for the Grand National was and it’s the first time I can ever remember that happening.

ITV are covering four races from Newmarket including the Guineas and are then scooting from one end of the country to the other with a Listed race from Goodwood in the south before a mouth-watering handicap from Thirsk in the north. But it’s HQ that claims the spotlight on the day with three Group races for us to enjoy backed up by a classy handicap, so here are my thoughts for best value and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.

Saturday Lucky Fifteen

2.40 Thirsk. Astro King
1.50 Newmarket. Dubai Legacy
2.25 Newmarket. Aljady
3.40 Newmarket. Thunder Moon

Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365

Beginning at Thirsk with the Cliff Stud Thirsk Hunt Cup Handicap at 2.40 where David O’Meara’s Hortzadar is one of the top weights. He has had two runs already this season finishing third in the Lincoln at Doncaster in March and then a poor sixth of seven at Newmarket in mid-April, he never got going that day and I cannot fancy him with top weight. The other one at the top of the handicap is Richard Hannon’s Nugget who has also had two runs this April latterly at Newbury where he won a 16 runner handicap reasonably comfortably but his high weight may be a problem. Looking down the runners Acquitted looks on a handy mark for Hugo Palmer after his fine second at Doncaster in March and he should figure in the shake-up. Tom Collins is having his first run of the season for trainer William Haggas, he finished last season with a victory at Pontefract but that was on soft going and he won’t find conditions in his favour. But the one I like here is Sir Michael Stoute’s Astro King who won a couple of times on the all-weather last season, then he came out this time around and won on turf at Nottingham in early April with Nugget in third place. I expect him to confirm those placings and take this and move up the rankings.

Moving to Newmarket at 1.50 it’s the “My Oddsboost” On Betfair Suffolk Stakes over 9 furlongs. One of the favourites and top weight is Charlie Appleby’s Bright Melody who has had a couple of runs in Dubai during the winter winning once but top weight is a daunting task. Just 1lb behind him is Andrew Balding’s Bell Rock who is having his first run of the year, he won on his reappearance last season on the Rowley Mile here at Newmarket and should go close here. Maydanny from Mark Johnston’s yard won at Goodwood last July but didn’t fare well on his latest runs, he is another who won first time out last year and may go close if showing his best form. Mascat trained by Ralph Beckett has had a couple of runs already this season finishing a fine second on his latest appearance at Ripon , he may well be placed again. Saeed Bin Suroor sent the aptly named Dubai Legacy to Dubai for the winter where he ran three times, his best run was on the final occasion when he finished third. He has won here at Newmarket on the Rowley course back in 2019 and after having the sun on his back can go well here and take this.

At 2.25 we have the Betfair Palace House Stakes and I must admit I really enjoy these Group race sprints over 5 furlongs. Top weight and favourite is Charlie Appleby’s Lazuli who wintered in Dubai finishing third on his only run there but he did win twice last season and has a 3lbs penalty for those wins. Came From The Dark had a couple of runs in April for trainer Ed Walker winning the latest at Newbury a fortnight ago but it’s a big step from handicap company to a Group 3. Julie Camacho’s Judicial has been the star of her stable over the years with numerous victories to his credit including two Group 3’s one of which was last June at Newcastle but this is his first run this year and I think he is best watched. Charles Hills runs Garrus who has run twice this season winning at Wolverhampton and then second to Came From The Dark, he would need to show drastic improvement to step up to Group grade. One I do think can step up is Robert Cowell’s Aljady who was a four time winner last season, he has had a prep run at Chelmsford just over a week ago and finished second, beaten by just a nose, he will have come on for that and has the ability to take this.

The big one is at 3.40, the Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes and what a fine classic we have in prospect. First let me deal with the AP O’Brien horses, he has three in the lineup. Battleground won the Chesham and Vintage Stakes last summer then has a coughing problem but he got over that and went on to run second in the Breeders Cup Turf despite being trapped out wide, Van Gogh won the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in October and Wembley who was second in the Dewhurst here at Newmarket. Battleground is probably the best of these three but who can tell except the enigmatic O’Brien. Richard Hannon’s Chindit had a fine 2-year-old campaign then came out this season and promptly won the Greenham at Newbury a fortnight ago, he must go close on that form. Charlie Appleby’s Master Of The Seas is a triple winner here at Newmarket including the Craven, he wintered in Dubai in preparation for this campaign, he also runs One Ruler who was a dual winner last season including the Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile. Mutasaabeq has been supplemented for this by trainer Charles Hills after two Newmarket wins but they were small field affairs, the hustle and bustle here may be a problem. An outsider I like is Ralph Beckett’s Devilwala who impressed when winning at Haydock last year, he lost a shoe when finishing fourth behind Master Of The Seas here a fortnight ago, he may be placed at a big price. But my idea of the winner is Joseph Patrick O’Brien’s Thunder Moon who won the National Stakes at the Curragh last September showing a tremendous burst of speed. His subsequent third in the Dewhurst can be put down to the heavy going and I prefer to rely on that Curragh form, he can take this for his young trainer.

Saturday Lucky Fifteen

2.40 Thirsk. Astro King
1.50 Newmarket. Dubai Legacy
2.25 Newmarket. Aljady
3.40 Newmarket. Thunder Moon

Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365

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