Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
There are two meetings being televised this Saturday- there’s a fine flat card at Newbury and a jumps meeting at Market Rasen. Now, I have to say I am not a great fan of summer jumping but these are top class contests, especially the Summer Plate Chase which is a Grade 3 contest.
So I searched through the seven TV races for the best value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Newbury. Blue Cup
2.25 Newbury. Withhold
3.40 Newbury. Gubbass
2.40 Market Rasen. Mercian Prince
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Newbury with the 1.50 the bet365 Stakes where Sir Michael Stoute saddles the top weight and one of the favourites Solid Stone. This horse won at Windsor in May then went to Royal Ascot and ran second in a hot handicap where he beat Blue Cup, Felix and Fox Tal. That was a good performance but those chasers may get to him this time.
The best of them may well be Blue Cup who was only three-quarters of a length behind Solid Stone, David Menuisier’s gelding dwelt at the start that day and had to come from the last place to challenge. He kept on but didn’t seem to be given a hard race when it became obvious he wasn’t going to get there. If he gets away from the stalls and keeps up with the pace, he has the ability to take this.
Of the 3-year-olds who race here, the Gosden’s Derab looks the pick he won at Newmarket in May before being soundly put in his place at Chantilly in a Group 1 next time out. He may take a place off his lightweight.
At 2.25, we have the Bahrain Turf Series Cup, a handicap that is run at just over two miles. The top weight here is Mark Johnston’s Mildenberger who won on the all-weather in January and was a fair third at Sandown at the beginning of this month but he has not won on turf since 2018.
Roger Varian’s Zeeband won the Northumberland Vase last time and is looking to follow up that success but this is a much tougher contest.
David Simcock’s Rodrigo Diaz has shown consistent form this year but this is a huge step up in class for this young gelding. Jumps trainers target races like this and Paul Nicholls sends Scaramanga here. He won over timber at Sandown in April and may well take a place here.
But the standout horse in this race for me is Roger Charlton’s Withhold, who won this in 2019 after previously winning the Cesarewitch and the Northumberland Plate. Since then, he has been trying his luck in Group races and has won a couple of Listed races. This drop back into the handicap company should give him his first success of the season.
The Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes is at 3.40 and this 5-furlong contest for 2-year-olds has attracted some of the hottest prospects in training.
Eve Johnson Houghton has the favourite here with her Royal Ascot winner Chipotle who stormed away to win easily and if he reproduces that form, he may well do the same thing again, but it’s a big ‘if’.
The other fancied hose here is Richard Fahey’s Vintage Clarets who finished a fine third at Royal Ascot after two victories in minor contests. A bold show is also expected from him but I can’t help thinking this pair was trained with Ascot in mind and even at this stage of the season, they may be over the top.
Tom Dascombe had high hopes for his filly Delmona after her victory at Bath in June but she disappointed at Newmarket later in the month where she hung badly. Second to her at Bath was Richard Hannon’s Symphony Perfect. She then went back to the same course and won two weeks later. is she improving?
My preference is for another Hannon horse, Gubbass. He had had just one outing and that was at Leicester in April where he won cosily. He could be anything and Hannon could win this race for the third time in four seasons with him.
Moving codes and tracks I go to Market Rasen for the final leg of my Lucky Fifteen. The 2.40 is the BetwaySummer Plate Handicap Chase.
Dr Richard Newland has the favourite here with Captain To Cat who has won three times already this season but this is a big step up in class for this young horse.
Dan Skelton’s Solomon Grey was unseated last time at Uttoxeter when favourite. He was the course winner here at Market Rasen back in 2018 and he is expected to put up a bold show.
Fire Away, trained by L J Morgan is having a tremendous year winning five of his last seven contests but he will meet a better class of opponents here.
Amy Murphy won this last year and this time she sends out Mercian Prince. He was second here in early June then went out and won at Worcester later in the month. Murphy has had this race in mind for some time.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Newbury. Blue Cup
2.25 Newbury. Withhold
3.40 Newbury. Gubbass
2.40 Market Rasen. Mercian Prince
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365