Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
In the run-up to the festivities, we have had some great racing during December and this Saturday looks to be no exception with top-class cards at Haydock and Ascot. Television cameras are at Haydock for two races, including the Tommy Whittle while at Ascot four races are being covered with the Long Walk Hurdle being the highlight.
The Ascot card also features the Silver Cup Handicap Chase where Regal Encore goes for his third win in the race that he first won back in 2016 but as a 13-year-old, he may be getting rather long in the tooth now! So with these two cracking Christmas meetings to look forward to, here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Ascot. Guy
3.00 Ascot. Caribean Boy
3.35 Ascot. Samarrive
2.40 Haydock. Calipso Collonges
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Starting at Ascot with the 1.50 the Howden Handicap Chase where Jonjo O’Neill saddles the favourite Palmers Hill who returned to action this season with a fine victory at Wetherby last month but this is a step up in class from that race.
Anthony Honeyball’s Sully d’Oc Aa won at Punchestown in April and there were high hopes for him this season but he has failed to live up to the hype managing one place in three outings.
Financier makes his seasonal reappearance for trainer Kerry Lee. He finished off last season with a victory at Hereford but this is a much bigger ask.
Dan Skelton’s team are going great guns and he sends Knight In Dubai out for only his second run since he came to grief at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. However, his run at Aintree last month showed he needs to improve more to take this.
Colin Tizzard’s Slate House is a pale shadow of the horse that won at Kempton two years ago but he could be placed at a big price.
I will give another chance to Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Guy who has finished second in both his outings this season latterly here at Ascot last month. He kept on well up the straight then and should improve after that run.
The Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase is at 3.00 and this 3 miles Listed race has brought out a top-class lineup. One of the favourites is Venetia Williams’s Belami Des Pictons but he hasn’t won since 2017 and that form seems a long way away now.
Paul Nicholls’s Grand Sancy is another that seems to have lost his form after winning the first time out last season, he has been unsuccessful in six attempts since.
I mentioned Regal Encore earlier and his successes in this race in 2016 and 2019 are to be admired but he is coming up to 14 years old and it would be some achievement to win this for the third time.
The top weight is Jonjo O’Neill’s Cloth Cap who is using this race as a prep run on the way to another tilt at the Grand National. He seems to have too much weight here.
Evan Williams’s Annsam is highly fancied and went close at Newbury last month. He will be there or thereabouts.
But I can see no further than Nicky Henderson’s Caribean Boy who ran very disappointingly at Cheltenham last month. I put that run down to the fact that he hates Prestbury Park. I think he will be better suited by Ascot.
At 3.35, we have the Betfair Exchange Trophy, a 2-mile handicap hurdle that may be run in the dark as we come close to the shortest day.
The top weight here is Gary Moore’s unfortunate Goshen who has only won once since that incident in the Triumph Hurdle almost two years ago. He would appear to have too much weight here.
Dan Skelton runs West Cork who returned to action after a 21-month lay-off with a fine victory at Cheltenham last month. He will be the one to beat.
Nicky Henderson’s No Ordinary Joe was third in that race after two wins last May and is 4lbs better off here so may have a chance to reverse those placings.
Neil King’s Onemorefortheroad has won his last three, including a great win at Newbury last month but that was a four-runner tactical affair.
Paul Nicholls’s Samarrive looks the one to be on if his run at Sandown earlier this month is anything to go by. He toyed with his rivals that day winning by over 8 lengths with Benson and Metier well beaten. He has risen in the weights but the manner of his victory shows there is more to come.
Moving to Haydock for the 2.40 the Virgin Bet Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase run at just under 3m 2f in the Lancashire mud.
David Pipe’s Remastered is highly fancied here but he has a lot of weight and added to that, he took a crashing fall at Newbury last time, which may have dented his confidence.
Sue Smiths’ Vintage Clouds is something of a Haydock specialist having won here three times. His win at Cheltenham last March was a joy to behold but his weight is a worry.
Lucy Wadham’s Potter’s Legend finished in front of Vintage Clouds last time at Warwick and can repeat that feat – he may even be placed.
Buzz de Turcoing won last time out for trainer Samuel Drinkwater and he is a course winner on heavy going. He is not without a chance. Another who won last time is Olly Murphy’s Calipso Collonges, that was at Kelso in early November and he is also a past Haydock winner. So my thoughts are between these two with Murphy’s charge just getting the nod.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Ascot. Guy
3.00 Ascot. Caribean Boy
3.35 Ascot. Samarrive
2.40 Haydock. Calipso Collonges
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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