Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It is quite difficult to find much value in this Saturday’s fields. ITV are covering four races from Lingfield which includes two Classic Trials one for the Oaks and one for the Derby but they both have small fields and Aidan O’Brien’s entries look interesting. There are two further televised races from the Surrey track, a Fillies Stakes and a Handicap, both also with small fields, so I will pass them over.
There are three races being televised from Ascot, including the Victoria Cup and I have used them for this week’s Lucky Fifteen. To make up the final leg, there is a Grade3 hurdle race being covered from Haydock’s mixed meeting, so I have used that as there is some value to be found in the race and here are my thoughts for this week.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.55 Ascot. Dreamloper
2.30 Ascot. Tyson Fury
3.40 Ascot. Chiefofchiefs
3.10 Haydock. Shanroe
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first race at Ascot is the Ascot EBF Premier Fillies Handicap at 1.55 over the straight mile and Sir Michael Stoute has the favourite here with Lights On. She didn’t really carry all before here as a 3-year-old but on her return last month at Nottingham, she won comfortably so justifies favouritism.
William Haggas’s Conservatoire is having her first run of the season after a couple of wins last year but she did somewhat blot her copybook in her last race at Newcastle where she ran second when a hot favourite.
Andrew Balding’s Hold Fast has won three times already this year on the all-weather and is looking for her first win on turf. But my preference is for Ed Walker’s Dreamloper who was a course and distance winner last September. She made her seasonal debut at Haydock last month and found herself trapped behind a wall of horses after being covered up. I don’t think that will happen over Ascot’s straight mile and she can take this.
At 2.30, we have the Carey Group Buckhounds Stakes over 1m 4f. Simon and Ed Crisford’s Without A Fight is fancied here on the strength of his three victories last season but he was well beaten on his reappearance.
Laafy has been a course and distance winner for Sir Michael Stoute but he was well beaten on his return to racing this year at Nottingham and I must oppose him on that form.
Richard Hannon’s Lost Eden has won twice on the all-weather at Lingfield but it remains to be seen how he takes to turf.
Albaflora drops back in trip here for trainer Ralph Beckett but perhaps is best watched in his first run of the year.
Tyson Fury was fourth in Without A Fight’s race last time for trainer Richard Spencer after running too freely early on in the race. I think he can finish closer this time and while I expect the race to be between these two, I’m hoping Tyson Fury can show enough improvement to take this.
The Tote Victoria Cup is at 3.40 and this 29 runner handicap is always an open contest. Top weight is Richard Hannon’s Motakhayyel, a course and distance winner but he was beaten at Thirsk last time when a warm favourite. He looks to have too much weight here.
Jamie Osborne’s Raising Sand is something of an Ascot specialist having won here four times but he looks high enough in the handicap.
I have been disappointed with David Menuisier’s History Writer this season. He ran into trouble in the Lincoln, then dwelt at the start at Newbury. If he can get his act together, he may run into a place.
Fox Champion caught the eye when running a fine third at Haydock after not getting a clear run. Ralph Beckett has had this race in mind for him for some time.
But I must make a case for Charlie Fellowes’s Chiefofchiefs who was a Royal Ascot winner over 6 furlongs last year. On his reappearance, he ran fifth at Doncaster in March in preparation for this.
Down at the bottom of the handicap, I think Roger Varian’s Jumaira Bay may run a big race at a nice price. He may want some cut in the ground but he has place claims.
Moving to Haydock and changing codes it is the Pertemps Network Swindon Handicap Hurdle at 3.10. This contest over just under 2 miles occasionally has horses involved that can move onto the flat and take on the Handicap Cup contests.
Alan Kings Scarlet Dragon is one such horse. He won at Royal Ascot last year and has a couple of runs over hurdles. He can be placed at a nice price this year.
Fergal O’Brien has the favourite with Teqany who won twice last September but he has not been out since November and is probably best watched.
Olly Murphy’s Copperless had a couple of victories last season, the latest at Taunton in March but he fell two out at Aintree last time when going easily.
The winner of that race was Rowland Ward trained by Stuart Edmunds with Phillip Hobbs’s Camprond in second and I expect those placings to be confirmed but I expect Copperless to gain revenge over the pair of them.
Unfortunately, he may have to settle for a place. That’s because there are a couple of Irish raiders, Shanroe and Politicise, and the former trained by Karl Thornton looks the pick of the pair. He has been running really well in Ireland and won his latest contest at Fairyhouse at the beginning of April coming home by 9 lengths. He can be the latest of the raiders to cross the Irish Sea and plunder one of our races.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.55 Ascot. Dreamloper
2.30 Ascot. Tyson Fury
3.40 Ascot. Chiefofchiefs
3.10 Haydock. Shanroe
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365