Saturday Horse Racing Preview & Tips – 18th July – Seymour Biz

saturday horse racing tips and previews from expert tipster seymour biz on everytipFind all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.

Two top class meetings to look forward to this Saturday with Newbury and York being televised with four races from each course. Newbury features a nice fillies handicap, a couple of Listed races and a real top-class Group 3 sprint. Up at York it is John Smith’s Cup day and the big race is flanked by a couple of stakes races one of which is a Group 3.

The meeting is rounded off with another handicap over a mile and a half over the Knavesmire’s switchback course. The meetings will continue to be held behind closed doors but if you happen to own one of the flats that surround Newbury’s track you may find yourself very popular with friends coming to visit on Saturday afternoon (social distancing of course). So here are my thoughts for the best of the televised races for value rolled up into this week’s Lucky Fifteen.

Saturday Lucky Fifteen

  • 2.30 York. Caradoc
  • 3.05 York. Que Amoro
  • 3.40 York. Mayfair Spirit
  • 4.00 Newbury. The Tin Man

Bet this lucky 15 with the best odds on Bet365

Beginning with the big race of the day at York, the John Smith’s Cup Handicap at 2.30 and last year’s winner, Pivoine, returns to try to repeat his victory. He has been unable to win since but it seems trainer Andrew Balding has set him up for this after two runs on the all weather earlier in the year but he likes York having won here twice in the last two years. He has not had a run under his belt since lockdown and that is my concern.

The 2018 winner, Euchen Glen, returns for another crack at this race and trainer Jim Goldie has been able to get a couple of runs into him, however he has shown very little of his old form. Fifth Position won for Roger Varian at Doncaster last month but looks high enough in the handicap to me. Sir Michael Stoute send Solid Stone up north after his fine win last time at Sandown, he is stepping up in trip here and that goes against him.

Down at the bottom of the handicap Tim Easterby’s Dark Jedi has won on his last two outings, this local trainer ups him in class here and he may well claim a place at a nice price. But my liking here is Ed Walker’s Caradoc providing he is ridden with a little more enterprise than he was last time at Epsom a fortnight ago. That day he was held up in last place and the jockey did not make his effort until two furlongs from home, he was finishing like a train and if he is kept up with the pace here he should have the ability to take this.

At 3.05 we have the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes, a Listed 5f sprint. El Astronaute is a course and distance winner and won first time out last month at Doncaster. He had Paul Midgley’s Tarboosh behind him that day but with a 3lb pull in the weights I expect the placings to be reversed but Tarboosh may still have to settle for only a place. I was expecting Charles Hills’ Equilateral to put up a better show at Newmarket last week after his good second behind Battaash at Royal Ascot, but he ran disappointingly and is best watched. Que Amoro from Michael Dods yard has a great record here at York with two victories last summer, she hosed up at Ayr on her reappearance last month and I feel although she is only a young horse and her time is to come she can run well here, if she gets out of the blocks she may find some of her older contestants out. Looking at the forecast and it looks like there is some rain in the air and that will suit Major Jumbo, trainer Kevin Ryan will want it soft for his speedster who will go well with give in the ground.

The William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap is at 3.40 over just short of 1m 4f. Charlie Fellowes has had some success already this season with Mayfair Spirit after his fine victory at Windsor at the end of last month, he stayed on well that day to take the spoils. Where’s Jeff improved considerably last time at Hamilton compared to his first run at Newcastle last month if he can continue with that form he could make the frame at a nice price. Make My Day is the fancied horse in the field, Ralph Beckett’s gelding was last seen out twelve months ago when winning at Goodwood and I think he’s best watched on his seasonal reappearance. Richard Fahey’s Arctic Fox ran up a hat-trick of wins last season including two wins here at York, she had shown little since then until running third last time out at Ripon, she may well be placed.

Down at Newbury they have a Group 3 at 4.00, the bet365 Great Hackwood Stakes, a 6f sprint.Judicial had a fine victory at Newcastle last month but Julie Camacho’s prolific winner has a penalty for that win which may hold him back. Dakota Gold is still looking for his first win of the season after two efforts which can only be described as moderate, Michael Dods’s gelding seems to have lost last year’s sparkle. Andrew Balding’s Shine So Bright was a Group winner at York last September but that was over 7f and that seems his optimum distance now. Summerghand has been busy this year since the resumption of racing running thee times for trainer David O’Meara and finally getting his head in front last time out at Pontefract, but he is not a Group horse and will struggle in this company. Repartee is fancied in some quarters but Kevin Ryan’s 3-year-old will want good/firm going and he may have a hard time against these older horses. Talking of older horses, The Tin Man is in the lineup and James Fanshawe’s top class gelding returns to the race he last won four years ago. Since then he has had a stellar career and still retains all his ability, he was outpaced at Royal Ascot behind Hello Youmzain but he faces nothing of that class here.

Saturday Lucky Fifteen

  • 2.30 York. Caradoc
  • 3.05 York. Que Amoro
  • 3.40 York. Mayfair Spirit
  • 4.00 Newbury. The Tin Man

Bet this lucky 15 with the best odds on Bet365