Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Two fine meetings to look forward to this weekend from my favourite courses, Ascot and Haydock, from where the television cameras will cover four races on each card. My only little niggle is the small fields, especially for the big chases of the day, but this is repaid by the quality of the fields, not the quantity.
I can only presume these two meetings have come too quickly after Cheltenham’s big 3-day Paddy Power meeting for the trainers to get their horses ready after what was a gruelling experience round at the Prestbury Park.
Trainer Alan King described the ground there as diabolical and good horses failed to handle it and he was backed up by Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson. So let’s hope for better going for this Saturday and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.15 Ascot. Abbey Magic
1.50 Haydock. Le Ligerien
2.25 Haydock. Relegate
3.35 Haydock. Pobbles Bay
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Ascot with the Coral Hurst Park Handicap Chase over 2m1f where Paul Nicholls sends out Magic Saint very quickly after his victory at Cheltenham last Friday. That was a fine win but he has risen in the weights due to that and I feel that may anchor him and he represents no value.
First Flow has his first run of the season for trainer Kim Bailey. He was ultra-consistent last season, winning four times but he moves up in class here and will come on for the run.
Adrian Keatley has Drumconnor Lad in the lineup. He won well at Ayr last month but it is another stepping up in class, and as a 10-year-old, he may find some of these speedy youngsters too good.
Paul Nicholls’s Capeland unshipped his jockey here at Ascot last month and his jumping was far from fluent before that and that is a cause for concern.
Dan Skelton has a couple declared the best of which is Amoola Gold who won the race Capeland tipped up in. If he can continue with that form, he should go close off a low weight.
But my preference is for Henry de Bromhead’s Abbey Magic, who won a top-class handicap at Cork last month. He has had his problems in the past but has returned to chasing this autumn with his old vim and vigour. He can add this to his list of career wins.
At Haydock, the first televised race is the 1.50- the Betfair Racing Only Better Handicap Hurdle. Anthony Honeyball’s Kid Commando has joint top weight after winning last time at Ascot, but I am concerned about his rise in the handicap.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Arrivederci also won last time at Wetherby but he moves up in class here. Minella Charmer comes here for his first run of the season for trainer James Moffat. He has not been seen since he won here at Haydock in December last year. I think he is best watched.
At a decent price is Phillip Hobbs’s Le Ligerien who led for a long time in the County Hurdle at the Festival then stopped like he’d been shot. He returned to action at Chepstow in October and continued with his front running style, eventually finishing third. He can stay in front here in the Haydock mud to take this.
The Betfair Exchange Stayers Handicap Hurdle over 3 miles is at 2.25 and there have been some great winners of this prestigious contest and this year’s reprise looks to be a thrilling encounter.
The current favourite is The Jam Man, an Irish raider trained by Roman McNally, who recently put a top-class field to the sword at Navan. That was a tremendous run where he won by 18 lengths and reproduction of that form would be a joy to watch, although I don’t think he will have things all on his own way here.
David Pipe’s Main Fact had a tremendous season last time winning his final five races but he is upped in trip here and meets some better class opponents. One of which is Amy Murphy’s Kalashnikov, a Grade 1 winner at Aintree. However, he is trying this longer trip for the first time and has tons of weight.
I like the look of another Irish runner, Colm Murphy’s Relegate, a horse I have always thought would be a distance hurdler ever since she won the Cheltenham bumper in 2018. She had a prep run for this at Navan two weeks ago and can go well here.
I must also mention a big outsider, Flashjack, whose trainer Henry Daly won this race last year. He is a course and distance winner and can be placed here at a nice price.
Finally, at 3.35 is the My Odds Boost On Betfair Stayers Handicap Chase over 3m4f and top weight. The bookies fancy is Midnight Tune, who is having his first run of the season for trainer Anthony Honeyball. Although he has consistent form figures, he has been pulled up twice in his last three outings once here at Haydock over a distance of 3f. Less than this, I feel he is best watched.
Kerry Lee’s King’s Monarch stayed on well in heavy going to win at Ffos Las last month and if he can reproduce that form, he may go close.
Sheneededtherun is coming out for the first time this season and may well need the run for trainer Sam Allwood. She may be aimed at longer distances later in the season.
Pobbles Bay had his first run of the season at Aintree last month for trainer Evan Williams and he ran a very creditable second in a classy field. He can go one better here and take this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.15 Ascot. Abbey Magic
1.50 Haydock. Le Ligerien
2.25 Haydock. Relegate
3.35 Haydock. Pobbles Bay
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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