Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
The ITV is very busy this weekend after last Saturday’s washout with coverage from three meetings. The main meeting this Saturday is Ascot with two fine chases- the Reynoldstown where Full Back goes for a treble and the Ascot Chase where Cyrname makes a return, plus two other races from the Berkshire track.
There are two races from Haydock being televised that include a Grand National Trial and the Kingwell from Wincanton where we see the return of Goshen after his disappointing run at Cheltenham in December.
So we can expect to see some top class racing this weekend in the lead up to Cheltenham and with the rearranged Betfair Hurdle at Newbury being televised on Sunday. I’m sure the trainers will be glad to get some action into their horses as they don’t want their charges to go into the Festival without a run under their belts.
So I have trawled through Saturday’s racing for value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Ascot. Cobolobo
3.00 Ascot. Malaya
2.05 Haydock. Main Fact
2.40 Haydock. Potter’s Legend
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Ascot with the ‘My Oddsboost’ On Betfair Swinley Chase at 2.25 where Anthony Honeyball’s veteran Regal Encore heads the weights. He is now a 13-year-old and with the burden of 11st 2lbs, I really don’t expect him to figure in a race he won in 2018.
Alan King has been taking up the chance of his dual winner this season Notachance but he will probably run at Haydock.
Phillip Hobbs’s Jerrysback is the bookies choice here after his good third place run here last month but he would need to show a significant improvement to take this.
Hill Sixteen started the season well for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies winning at Ffos Las and Newbury but he was pulled up at Haydock on his latest outing in December and may have had his problems. He is possibly best watched.
Venetia Williams sends Cloudy Glen here in preference to Haydock. He won at Fontwell in November but has been unable to replicate that form since his latest run at Chepstow was very poor finishing over 50 lengths behind the winner. He drops back in trip here hoping to improve on that run but is probably best watched at present.
Jonjo O’Neill’s yard is going well at the moment and he has Cobolobo entered here. He is stepping up in class but his form this season justifies this move. His win at Exeter on heavy going preceded a good second here at Ascot last month in a race he could have won barring mistakes with his jumping. If O’Neill has sorted out that part of his game, he can add to his tally here.
At 3.00 we have the Betfair Cheltenham Free Bet Pot Builder Handicap Hurdle and this looks a wide open contest. Nicky Henderson sends out L’Ami Serge for his first run of the season. He is lightly raced in recent seasons and this is a run to see if he’s fit for Cheltenham but top weight here may hold him back.
Phillip Hobbs’s Pileon is having his first run since being pulled up at Ludlow in November, he jumped left that day and is probably best watched after his long lay off.
Albert’s Back is on a hat-trick for trainer Michael Easterby after his latest wins at Wetherby and Haydock. The latter was on heavy going and won comfortably but he has risen in the weights since those victories.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Arrivederci was well beaten into second here at Ascot last month. He took that place on the run-in from Kateson and while he should confirm those placings, he may well have to settle for a place once again.
Adam West has Thibault In at the bottom of the handicap after winning an NHF race at Lingfield. He moves up considerably in class here but has won on heavy at Hereford and he could be an interesting contender against these big boys. He may even take a place at a big price.
But my idea of the winner is Paul Nicholls’s Malaya who is a classy individual and is now moving up in distance. He won here at Ascot back in 2018 and then won a Grade 3 the year after. He has been highly tried since at 2 miles and the trainers move to step him up in trip should not be ignored.
Moving north to Haydock, the first televised race is the William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle run at a little over 3 miles. Nicky Henderson’s On The Blind Side comes here as a favourite on his way to the Festival after his return to hurdling proved more profitable than his efforts over fences last season. His latest win at Market Rasen was a hard won affair and Haydock can be a course for individuals used to the track. He may be found out.
Itchy Feet is another horse who comes here full of promise for trainer Olly Murphy. He has been runners up on his two latest outings at Ascot and heavy going at the Merseyside track may not suit him.
Emitom’s last victory was in this race last year for trainer Warren Greatrex but he has 6lbs more to carry this year and has not been out since October.
Lisnagar Oscar comes here on his way to reclaim his crown in the Stayer’s Hurdle at Cheltenham. He has won at Haydock but has run poorly on his two efforts this season.
Another past winner of this event is Chris Grant’s Donna’s Diamond who won it back in 2018 but surely, the grey’s best years are behind him and I can’t really see him being competitive here.
But one who will be is David Pipe’s Main Fact who won here in November and was then tried in a Grade 1 at Ascot where he was well beaten. He returns to the scene of his biggest win to try and be victorious again.
At 2.40 is the William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase which is Alan King’s preference for his classy gelding Notachance. He will probably go off favourite here on the strength of his two wins already this year. However, he is creeping up the handicap and he may find one or two too good.
Nicky Martin’s, The Two Amigos and Venetia Williams’s Achilles have already been beaten by Notachance at Bangor and Warwick respectively this season and they have little chance of reversing those placings.
Anthony Honeyball’s Sojourn is very lightly raced and has shown good form this year. He was second here at Haydock last time but he is stepping up in class.
This race is also a massive step up for Dr Richard Newland’s Enqarde who unseated his rider when running here in December.
Up near the top of the weights is Richard Hobson’s Lord Du Mesnil who won the Tommy Whittle here in 2019, but that was 14 months ago and he has not shown anything like that form since.
I prefer looking down the handicap to Lucy Wadham’s Potter’s Legend who is having a fine season. After winning at Warwick in November, he ran a fine second at Cheltenham and was only beaten a length. From there, he went to Sandown for the Veterans Final and unluckily, stumbled when short of room and could finish only fifth. His latest outing was here at Haydock last month where he ran into hot-pot Royale Pagaille, who is expected to win everything at Cheltenham, and finished a distant second easily beating the rest of the field. If he puts in a performance like that, he can take this at a nice price and go on to greater things.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Ascot. Cobolobo
3.00 Ascot. Malaya
2.05 Haydock. Main Fact
2.40 Haydock. Potter’s Legend
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365