Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
This Saturday, as we get over the wonderful racing that has been going on during this week at Prestbury Park, normal service is being resumed. The ITV cameras are covering seven races, three at Kempton and four from Uttoxeter so you would hope we have time to readjust before the end of season jamboree at Aintree in just three weeks. But no, that is not the case as the action comes thick and fast with those hurdlers and chasers who were balloted out at Cheltenham given opportunities at Kempton to taste glory in the Silver Plate and Silver Bowl.
Meanwhile, at Uttoxeter, they are staging the Midlands Grand National, their big race of the season, which is backed up with three top-class handicaps. So plenty to choose from to try and find value for this week’s Lucky Fifteen and here are my thoughts.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Kempton. Breffniboy
1.50 Uttoxeter. I’d Better Go Now
2.25 Uttoxeter. Shanty Alley
3.35 Uttoxeter. Time To Get Up
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Kempton Park with the Virgin Bet Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle at 2.40. This is a consolation race for those horses who were balloted out of races at Cheltenham and it has sprung surprises over the last couple of years.
This year’s renewal has a form horse in the shape of Nightboattoclyro trained by Samuel Drinkwater who has won all three of his outings this season. After wins at Chepstow and Doncaster, he completed the treble at Wetherby in February where he went off the favourite and landed the spoils somewhat cleverly but he has risen in the handicap and looks high enough to me.
Nicky Henderson has Son Of Camas in the lineup but he has shown very little this season. His latest run was here at Kempton last month where he finished tailed off last of four.
Johnny Farrelly’s Breffniboy showed some fine form in November last year, He followed this up with another victory at Cheltenham in December. Since then, he was a fine second here at Kempton in January before trying his luck in the Listed race at Exeter on Valentine’s Day but he was a well beaten fourth. That was a really hot race with some top novices in it. He can prove he is good enough to take this.
Moving north to Uttoxeter for their big meeting of the year, the card begins at 1.50 with the Subscribe to Attheraces on Youtube Handicap Hurdle.
Jonjo O’Neill’s stable is firing at the moment and he has top weight and bookies favourite in this with Theme Tune who is on a hat-trick. In his latest victory at Carlisle, he just scrambled home after some dodgy jumping, so I think he can be opposed.
Charlie Longsdon’s Saint Dalina has been running consistently this season, including a win here at Uttoxeter in December. On her latest run at Ascot, she was only beaten 3 lengths in a 3-mile handicap, but she looks high enough in the handicap to me.
Huntsman’s Jog from Fergal O’Brien’s yard is another horse who has been running over these longer distances. His latest run at Warwick was disappointing after he went off joint-favourite and could only trail home fifth.
I like the look of Dan Skelton’s I’d Better Go Now who won at Perth back in September. He appears to dislike soft going and can be forgiven his latest run at Ascot in December where he was pulled up after a mistake. He can get back to winning ways for Skelton.
At 2.25, we have the Visit attheraces.com Novices’ Handicap Chase over 3 miles. Phillip Hobbs runs his smart chaser St Barts whose career is moving along nicely. His latest win was at Newbury in December but as he carries top weight here, he can be opposed.
Emma Lavelle’s Eclair Surf also carries joint top weight and he has won twice this season on heavy going. He won’t find the going as soft as he likes here unless we have plenty of rain by Saturday and I think he may be overlooked.
Harry Fry’s yard has been out of form recently and his Ask Me Early comes here having been pulled up on his latest outing at Sandown after two earlier victories in December and January. I think he is best watched.
I want to give Anthony Honeyball’s Acey Milan another chance. After winning at Aintree in October, I expected better things from him but he has not lived up to his initial promise.
So that leaves me with Ben Case’s Shanty Alley, who has been very consistent this season winning twice, including one victory here at Uttoxeter. He would have been closer to the winner and may even have won had he been fluent over the last race at Wincanton. On his latest outing, he can gain recompense here for the trainer Case.
The big race of the day is at 3.35- the attheraces.com Midlands Grand National over 4miles 2 furlongs. The bookies choice is Jonjo O’Neill’s Time To Get Up who comes here after a fine victory at Wincanton last month where he had several of these behind him.
Venetia Williams will be hoping for better luck for her Achille after two runner-up spots this season latterly at Haydock in the Grand National Trial. I think he may well have to settle for a place again.
Top weight Regal Encore is ultra-consistent for trainer Anthony Honeyball, but he only wins at Ascot these days and for a 13-year-old to carry 11st 13lbs round here would be a miracle.
Paul Nicholls has a strong hand here with last year’s winner Truckers Lodge and Highland Hunter but the former has 18lbs more than last year. Highland Hunter looks more interesting after a good win at Carlisle last month. However, this is a step up in distance and class for him.
Tom George’s Springfield Fox is better than his form might suggest and he can be placed at a nice price. But I come back to O’Neill’s charge Time To Get Up and his handicap weight. He can use that to his advantage to take this prestigious contest.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Kempton. Breffniboy
1.50 Uttoxeter. I’d Better Go Now
2.25 Uttoxeter. Shanty Alley
3.35 Uttoxeter. Time To Get Up
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365