Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Newbury has its big meeting of the year this week with the highlight being the Ladbroke Trophy, which used to be known as the Hennessy back in the day.
The cameras are showing four races from the Berkshire course. It is a pity the programme doesn’t start a little earlier as there are two fine contests named after John Francome and the late Peter O’Sullevan on offer. Look out for Southfield Stone and Canelo in them.
As a second feature but certainly not a ‘B’ movie, there is Newcastle where two races are being shown. The Fighting Fifth Hurdle with Epatante, the Champion Hurdler, as a contender and the Rehearsal Chase, which I have reviewed below. So with some great racing on offer, here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Newbury. Flash The Steel
3.00 Newbury. Cloth Cap
3.35 Newbury. Ibleo
3.15 Newcastle. Whatmore
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the 1.50 at Newbury, a Handicap Hurdle over 2 miles 4 1/2 furlongs where Tom Lacey’s Tea Clipper looks like going off favourite. He won well last time at Chepstow beating Flash The Steel, but the runner-up is 4lbs better off here and may well reverse those placings.
Paul Nicholls has a couple of classy entries with Christopher Wood and Amour De Nuit. The latter won well at Plumpton last time, but I just give Dan Skelton’s Flash Of Steel the nod.
The big race of the day is at 3.00- the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase over 3 miles 2 furlongs. Kim Bailey’s Vinndication is fancied after running second to Cyrname in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby. He had Aye Right, La Bague Au Roi and Ballyoptic behind him and he should confirm those places but he does have a lot of weight.
Ben Pauling’s Kildisart ran third that day in a hurdle race on the card but this is a big ask. Colin Tizzard has a strong hand with Mister Malarky and Copperhead, but the latter was pulled up in Kildisart’s race.
I like the look of the bottom weight Cloth Cap. Jonjo O’Neill’s stable is really firing and this gelding was a good third behind Frodon last time at Cheltenham.
At 3.35, there is a 2-mile Handicap Chase and Venetia Williams sends Ibleo here for this after his fine second at Ascot in October where he was just beaten on the nod. Moonlighter looks to be his main rival.
Nick Williams’s 7-year-old ran a fine race in the Halden Cup at Exeter and only found one too good.
The King Of May is having his first run since winning at Sedgefield in January and may be placed at a decent price for trainer Brian Ellison.
Moving north to Newcastle, it is the Betfair Exchange Rehearsal Chase over just short of 3 miles at 3.15.
Pym from Nicky Henderson’s yard is the bookies choice after his victory at Sandown earlier in the month but he may want good ground. Takingrisks won this last year for trainer Nicky Richards but he is now an 11-year-old and he prefers heavy going.
There are two horses running that I have tipped up recently in this column, Cool Mix and Whatmore. Both were placed but I prefer Henry Daly’s Whatmore who was a fine second at Ascot in October. He can go one better here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Newbury. Flash The Steel
3.00 Newbury. Cloth Cap
3.35 Newbury. Ibleo
3.15 Newcastle. Whatmore
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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