A formidable filly is the fancy of Seymour Biz, in Saturday’s Gigaset International Stakes. Here are his Lucky 15 picks.
It’s one of the great racing weekends of the year with the King George at Ascot. The course will have been well watered but the going is still advertised as good to firm. It’s a similar case at York so top of the ground specialists will have a field day. Several of the handicaps have horses double declared but my picks are the obvious choices for the trainers involved. As to the King George, Aiden O’Brien has five horses declared however Michael Stoute has the top two in the betting, Crystal Ocean and Poets Word. Cracksman is unlikely to run due to the ground but Andre Fabre has Waldgeist entered, a horse who has won on a good surface, so he could go well at a big price. For this weeks Lucky Fifteen we have four great handicaps and here are my thoughts for them.
Firstly the 2.05 at York is the Skybet Britain’s Most Popular Online Bookmaker Handicap with Get Knotted going for his third victory in this race. He has been installed as second favourite after his decent run behind Wadilsafa last time at this course. Culturati is having his first run for 13 months and is best watched. I like the look of Masham Star here, he has been highly tried and was a close up fourth last time to Vintager. He could be the answer here.
The 2.40 is the Sky Bet Dash Handicap over 6 furlongs and Saeed Bin Suroor has Reach High declared, a top class gelding who has had just one run this summer. That was at Doncaster where he ran a good second he will have come on for that. Culturati is at the top of the betting and is also very high in the handicap, I would not be sure about his fitness for this. Golden Apollo was fifth las time at Newcastle but raced on the ‘wrong side’ and finished well. The one I like is lower down the handicap, Roger Fell’s Harome looks the answer. He has won four times on good/firm and at this course last time he was running on so strongly at the end his young jockey had difficulty pulling him up, so I don’t think the extra furlong will be a problem.
Down south at Ascot the second race on the card at 2.25 is the Porsche Handicap for three-year-olds. Favourite for this is Escalator from Charlie Fellowe’s stable who is going for a hat-trick, but he is 10lbs higher than his last victory. Another going for his hat-trick is Aquarium from Mark Johnston’s stable but this is big step up in class. Crack On Crack On let himself down last time in the Britannia at Royal Ascot when he dwelt in the stalls then was badly hampered when trying to get up with the pace. He ended up out with the washing, beaten seven and a half lengths, but I will take him to gain amends and take this prize.
At 3.00 is the Gigaset International Stakes Handicap over 7 furlongs. Makzeem from Roger Charlton’s yard is at the top of the betting. He was tried in Listed company but has reverted to handicaps, he ran a good fifth in the Bunbury Cup. The winner of that race was Burnt Sugar who had several of these opponents behind him, but he 3lbs extra for that win and that may anchor him. Firmament was sixth that day and he can run into a place on that form at a big price. John Gosden has Il Primo Sole who ran fifth at Royal Ascot after fading in the last 100 yards, perhaps coming back to 7 furlongs will suit him, he certainly looks the best of the three-year-olds. The horse I do like here is Victory Wave, the filly needs a few to drop out to make the cut, but I think she will get in. Her victory last time at Doncaster was very impressive and she can take this contest.
Saturday Lucky 15
2.05 York. Masham Star
2.40 York. Harome
2.25 Ascot. Crack On Crack On
3.00 Ascot. Victory Wave
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Contact Seymour Biz, with your own thoughts, tips and questions, at the following address: ahroberts99@yahoo.com