Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
My two favourite courses, Ascot and Haydock, are holding jump racing this Saturday and they are both being covered by ITV so I am really looking forward to the weekend’s racing. There are three races from Ascot, including two Grade 2’s and four from Haydock with a Grade 3 and the Grade 1 Betfair Chase where the beautiful chaser Bristol de Mai goes for an incredible fourth win in the race. The only problem I have this Saturday is the low turnout of runners, the ground at both courses is pretty much perfect, there is plenty of prize money, yet both cards have smallish fields with only 53 horses running in all 7 televised races and 16 of those are in one race.
So it has been quite difficult to find a lot of value with the shortish prices on offer. However, here are my thoughts on the two meetings.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Haydock. Orbys Legend
3.00 Haydock. Waiting Patiently
3.35 Haydock. Fidux
3.15 Ascot. Sky Pirate
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Haydock with the 2.25 the Betfair Exchange Stayers Handicap Hurdle, a race with a decent turnout of 16 runners. The top weight is Harry Fry’s If The Cap Fits who comes here as a Graded race winner. Last time out he ran second at Aintree but the weight may be a problem for him.
At the other end of the handicap, there is an Irish raider Rightplacerightime trained by Emmet Mullins who was a winner last month at Fairyhouse. His ultra-low weight may see him in the frame.
One of the current favourites is Dan Skelton’s Riggs. He could finish only sixth at Aintree in October and would need to up his game here however the stable is on fire at present.
Phillip Hobbs’s Orbys Legend was a winner last time out at Chepstow in October. He also won two of his four starts last season and must be respected even though he steps up in trip.
But I also like another who steps up in trip and that is Sandy Thomson’s Bass Rock who was a winner at Carlisle in October. He had a fine consistent season last time and will go close.
So I am between the two but I just give the nod to Hobbs’s gelding Orbys Legend on the strength of his latest victory in a Graded race.
The 3.00 is the big race of the day the Betfair Chase run over 3m 1f. Nigel Twiston-Davies runs Bristol de Mai to try and win this race for the fourth time. This iconic horse loves it around Haydock but may not get the soft ground he loves. His latest outing was in the Grand National where he was pulled up and he is not getting up any younger.
The warm favourite is Henry de Bromhead’s A Plus Tard who was the runner up in last season’s Gold Cup at Cheltenham and comes here with that future contest in mind once again. And although he has got great form lines, he has been second more often than first.
Kim Bailey’s Imperial Aura has been winning at around two and a half miles and steps up in trip here but he did win a three-mile race at Fakenham back in 2019 so the stamina is there but this may not be his day.
Waiting Patiently looks very interesting after moving yards and is having his first run for Christian Williams after Ruth Jefferson was unsuccessful in sending him down the Grade 1 route. He runs well early in the season and was a fine second in last year’s King George, a reproduction of that form could see him take this prestigious contest.
The My Odds Boost On Betfair Handicap Chase is at 3.35 which is run over the same distance as the Betfair Chase. The top weight here is David Pipe’s Ramses de Teillee who ran a good third at Newton Abbot in October. He is a course winner but has too much weight here.
Empire Steel is having his first run of the season for trainer Sandy Thomson. He won the first time out at Ayr last season then went on to win at Kelso. He was then outclassed at Aintree and that may be the case here.
Christian Williams’s Strictlyadancer won at Cheltenham last month, his second victory there this season. He comes here on a low weight but is stepping up in class.
I like the look of Alan King’s Fidux who won at Worcester in June. Since then, he has run twice without success, but he will get the good ground he loves here at Haydock and King says the race could suit him this year.
Moving south to Ascot, at 3.15 it is the Gerard Bertrand Hurst Park Handicap Chase which looks like being a fine contest despite there only being 7 runners. The top weight is Jonjo O’Neill’s Sky Pirate who won at the Festival in March. He was well beaten by Before Midnight back at Prestbury Park in October but Sky Pirate is 8lbs better off here.
Sam Thomas’es Before Midnight was crowned last season with a fine win at Chepstow and his win at Cheltenham shows him as a top-class 2-mile handicap horse but now he has risen in the weights, he won’t find things so easy.
Dan Skelton’s Amoola Gold has won twice at Ascot the latest of which was in October when he had Monsieur Lecoq and Sully d’Oc Aa behind him. I expect him to confirm those placings but may have to settle for a place himself.
As to Jane Williams’s Monsieur Lecoq, although he comes here off a low weight he is only 1lb better of with Amoola Gold that does not seem enough to reverse those placings. Despite his weight, Sky Pirate looks the one to be on.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Haydock. Orbys Legend
3.00 Haydock. Waiting Patiently
3.35 Haydock. Fidux
3.15 Ascot. Sky Pirate
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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