Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Just the two flat meetings being televised this week from Newmarket and York with six races being covered but I find it disappointing the afternoon schedule is unable to fit in any of the races from a fine jumps meeting at Chepstow.
The South Wales card has a couple of Class 1’s that are worthy of being shown but I suppose we will have to wait for the Cheltenham meeting in a fortnight. Someone should tell ITV that jump racing takes place at venues other than Prestbury Park. Anyway, the six flat races being shown this week include two fine handicaps, the Cesarewitch from Newmarket and the Sprint Trophy at York. But besides those, it has been difficult to find much value on the cards but I have tried and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.35 Newmarket. Themaxwecan
2.05 York. Alotaibi
2.40 York. Faisal
3.15 York. Commanche Falls
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The big race of the day at Newmarket is the Together for Racing International Cesarewitch Handicap where we will have the usual thirty-odd runners and Willie Mullins will have five of them. He has won the race on the last three occasions and sends last year’s winner, Great White Shark, out to try to repeat that victory. He has not run on the flat since and his last run over obstacles was 7 months ago plus he has 6lbs more than last year.
The best fancied Mullins runner is M C Muldoon who has had just one run on the flat this year and was just beaten a short-head at Royal Ascot. He has since won over timber at Galway but would seem to prefer good going.
The other Mullins horse of note looks to be Burning Victory who has won twice in France this year but has yet to run in the UK or Ireland, she could be anything.
Richard Hughes’s Calling The Wind is fancied after showing good form throughout the year. He won at Goodwood in July and was only beaten a head at Newbury last month.
Rajinsky won well at Ascot for trainer Tom Dascombe at the beginning of this month and some give in the ground would suit him.
Down at the bottom of the handicap, James Ferguson’s Snowalot is not without a chance. After a tawdry start to the season, he has run consistently well and notched up a couple of wins at Salisbury and Goodwood but he would not be suited by any rain.
But I will go for a massive outsider to contest the Mullins challengers and that is Mark Johnston’s Themaxwecan who won at Goodwood in September and was a fine third here at Newmarket later in the month. Those runs have given him a fine preparation for this prestigious contest.
The 2.05 at York the Coral Beaten-By-A-Length Free Bet Rockingham Stakes has brought some fine 2-year-olds into action and William Haggas has the favourite with Canonized for this 6-furlong sprint. Canonized won three times early in the season but has failed to get his head in front in five attempts since then.
Tom Dascombe’s Ever Given was a course and distance winner in August and since then has run a close second at Doncaster, some give in the ground would be helpful.
Laheg trained by Marco Botti has shown fine form in both his races winning one of them but steps up in class here.
Richard Hannon’s Gisburn failed miserably when stepping up in class last time at Ascot. But I give a chance to John Gosden’s Alotaiby who won on his debut then did well to finish second when carried right on coming out of the stalls. He can fulfil the confidence his trainer has shown in him.
At 2.40 it is the Play Coral Racing-Super-Series For Free Handicap run over 10 and a bit furlongs. The favourite here is Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge who is a dual winner this year but has not been seen since May.
Roger Charlton’s Sinjaari is a course and distance winner and has run well in his last two recent outings without getting his head in front. He may have to settle for a place again with top weight.
Tim Easterby’s Dark Jedi has been pretty consistent this season notching up one victory but since that in July has found two or three too good.
My preference is for John Gosden’s Faisal who had his colours lowered for the first time at Doncaster last month. He can bounce back from that and add this contest to his list of victories.
The big handicap on the card at York is at 3.15 the Coral Sprint Trophy Handicap run over 6 furlongs. David O’Meara’s Gulliver is highly fancied after four career wins at York and two wins in this race but he has failed to record a victory since taking this last year and has run poorly this term.
I prefer O’Meara’s other runner Nomadic Empire who is also a course and distance winner by winning here last month adding to another victory four days earlier at Leicester but he has risen 3lbs in weight due to those efforts.
Tim Easterby’s Copper Knight is a course specialist and notched up his sixth win here in August but since then he has been beaten twice at Haydock by Anthony Brittain’s Mondammej. It should be a very intriguing battle between these two now Copper Knight is back on ‘home’ territory.
But while these two have their own private battle, I am keen on the top weight to beat the pair of them. That horse is Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls who has had a great season winning four races. On his latest run in the Ayr Gold Cup, he didn’t get away well and was playing catch up. Once he got going, he was travelling best in the field and finished 7th. He goes on any going and can defy top weight here.
I must mention Adrian McGuinness’ Irish raider Laugh A Minute who has sneaked in at the bottom of the handicap. He was a winner at Doncaster as a 2 and 3-year-old and may be placed at a big price.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.35 Newmarket. Themaxwecan
2.05 York. Alotaibi
2.40 York. Faisal
3.15 York. Commanche Falls
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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