Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
There are three meetings being covered this Saturday by ITV Racing with four races from Goodwood, two from Windsor and one from Newmarket. Unfortunately out of those seven races being televised there is only one handicap so it will be difficult to find any value amongst Saturday’s Racing. This is Goodwood’s second most important race meeting of the year and although Saturday’s card features the Celebration Mile the better racing for punters appears to take place on Sunday with three handicaps being shown.
That said I have trawled the cards to look for value and I have laid out my thoughts below along with this week’s Lucky Fifteen, on what is, in all honesty, a really poor day for punters, it should be interesting watching the TV presenters talk the day’s racing up.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Goodwood. Cardsharp
3.35 Goodwood. Century Dream
2.05 Newmarket. Summerghand
2.40 Windsor. Le Don De Vie
Beginning with the only handicap of the day, the 2.25 at Goodwood the Brian Chattaway Celebrating 50 Years At Ladbrokes Handicap. This 7f race has at the head of the weights Richard Hannon’s Oh This Is Us, a 7-year-old who has been a prolific winner for his trainer since his first victory in 2016. But he has struggled to get his head in front this year as the handicapper has found his measure, on his last outing he finished down the field behind stablemate Magical Wish who reopposes here on 4lb better terms. William Muir’s Jack’s Point was successful at Newmarket in June but has been unable to make the grade after moving up in class since. Milltown Star is having his first run of the year for trainer Mick Channon since winning in France last November but he has little experience against these seasoned performers. One of which is my fancy, Mark Johnson’s Cardsharp, this race looks the perfect opportunity for him to add to his tally. He is a past Group winner and his run at Ascot last month was an excellent effort, he then came here to Goodwood but weakened a furlong out when running over a mile, this drop in trip should suit Johnson’s gelding perfectly.
At 3.35 we have the big race of the day, the Ladbrokes Celebration Mile Stakes and Saeed Bin Suroor sends his classy Benbatl into the fray. But this is his first run since coming back from the Middle East and he is conceding weight to his rivals so I think he maybe best watched at this stage. Sir Michael Stoute’s Regal Reality won at Salisbury at the beginning of this month and faces two rivals he defeated that day, Positive and Duke Of Hazzard, I expect him to confirm those placings but he is facing some better opposition here. Sir Busker ran a great race in defeat at York last week but this step up out of handicap company may be a step too far for William Knight’s charge. Simon and Ed Crisford’s Century Dream will relish some cut in the ground over Goodwood’s mile, he ran well when winning at Newbury in June but was found out when trying his hand in Group1 company in France last time when he was beaten 5 lengths, this drop back in class should suit.
Newmarket stages the Close Brothers Hopeful Stakes At 2.05 and David O’Meara’s Summerghand is the bookies choice. This gelding is a fine handicapper winning twice already this year, however when he tried to step up to Group company at Newbury last month he was beaten almost 5 lengths. He may have more joy in Listed company and the going should suit him. Simon and Ed Crisford’s Jash was a Listed race winner in May last year and was highly tried in a Group1 at Royal Ascot so his trainers must think something of him but he was well beaten that day and has also been beaten on the all-weather at Newcastle since. Sunday Star from Ed Walker’s yard ran well to take third in a Group race at York in July, he is also a course and distance winner but does seem to like to race on the top of the ground, so would want no more rain and may have to settle for a place once again.
Moving to Windsor, at 2.40 we have the August Stakes which looks like a race for losers as none of these has managed a victory this season. Desert Encounter looks the favourite for this and trainer David Simcock has sent out the winner in the last two renewals. His fine second in a Group race at Goodwood last time showed him coming back to the form he showed last season. Andrew Balding’s Alounak was fifth that day and Mark Johnson’s Communique sixth and I expect those placings to be confirmed. One who did finish closer in third was Hughie Morrison’s Le Don De Vie who was denied a clear run that day and may well get recompense for that unlucky defeat.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Goodwood. Cardsharp
3.35 Goodwood. Century Dream
2.05 Newmarket. Summerghand
2.40 Windsor. Le Don De Vie