Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Three decent meetings to look forward to this Saturday before owners, trainers and punters jump on the Eurostar to Paris for the Arc on Sunday in one of the most open renewals of this great race for several years. It would be great to see Mishriff put in a fine performance and take the crown.
But as for Saturday and the televised meetings at Ascot, Newmarket and Redcar where in total eight races are being shown, however only two are handicaps, there are a couple of 2-year-old races where penalties can come into play, including the William Hill Trophy at Redcar which is always a highly rated contest.
So here are my thoughts for Saturday and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.31 Newmarket. Crystal Estrella
2.06 Newmarket. Self Praise
3.36 Ascot. Rhoscolyn
3.21 Redcar. Maria Branwell
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Newmarket with the 1.31 the British EBF Premier Fillies Handicap run over 10 furlongs on the Rowley course. Roger Varian’s Al Husn is the current favourite after winning over a mile here at Newmarket a fortnight ago. She like many of the others in this race is trying this distance for the first time so it’s a case of whether she can handle the extra two furlongs.
George Boughey’s I’ll Be There only moved to his stable recently and won on her first outing for her new yard at Sandown earlier this month adding to a previous victory at Goodwood in June. Any reproduction of that form will see her go close.
William Haggas’s Morgan Fairy won at Newbury in July. Since then, she has been tried on the all-weather without success. She reverts to the turf for a stable in good form.
My preference is for Sir Michael Stoute’s Crystal Estrella who won over this distance in May. She has not been seen since and steps up in class here. However, Stoute knows how to place his horses.
The £150,000 Tatersalls October Auction Stakes is at 2.06 and run over 6 furlongs. Ed Walker has the top weight and favourite with Amichi and the trainer states he is in cracking form after his win here last month but my feeling is he has too much weight.
Walker also runs Union Court whose last run was in Listed company at Ayr but she steps up in distance here.
Rod Millman has won a couple of low-key races with Safari Dream but this step up in class may be too much for his colt.
Skysail trained by Marcus Tregoning won a Class 4 at Newbury a fortnight ago but he would have to show considerable improvement to take this.
Carl Burke’s Georgiava has won a couple of lowly Class 5 contests recently but I cannot see her being up to this standard.
I give another chance to Hugo Palmer’s Self Praise who ran up a string of seconds earlier in his career before winning a small race at Chester. He was beaten 5 lengths by Amichi here at Newmarket in August but is 8 lbs better off in this contest. Since then he was a beaten favourite at Haydock last week but suffered interference and only lost second in the final stride. He can redeem himself here.
The big handicap at Ascot is the Peroni Nastro Azzurro Challenge Cup at 3.36, a 7-furlong contest. James Fanshawe’s Fresh returns to try and rattle up an unlikely handicap treble at the Berkshire course. He meets several rivals he defeated in July and earlier this month and is sure to go close given that the handicapper has only put him up one pound.
David O’Meara has thrown the kitchen sink at this race with five runners Escobar, Rhoscolyn, Blue For You, Shelir and Orbaan and a case can be made for any of them.
Rhoscolyn looks the best of the bunch after running third at Goodwood then going to Leopardstown and running fifth under a big weight. He comes here looking to get off the mark for the season.
Clive Cox’s River Nymph was third behind Fresh last time but I don’t think a one-pound pull will make a difference for half a length.
The second that day was Charlie Appleby’s Silent Film who is now 2lbs worse off and perhaps the trainer could have found another race for his classy horse to get off the mark in the UK this season, but he may hit the frame again.
So while I expect Fresh to run well, I consider Rhoscolyn may have enough in the tank to take him on.
Moving north to Redcar, at 3.21 it is the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy run over 6 furlongs, a Class 1 Listed race. Karl Burke’s Cold Case is highly fancied after his third in the Gimcrack then winning at Doncaster earlier this month but he has a penalty for that win.
Similarly Richard Fahey’s Barefoot Angel carries a penalty after wins at Carlisle and Ayr, the latter in a Group 3 contest.
Michael Dods’ Tatterstall who cost 70,000 Gns is yet to win after four attempts but he has been placed on three of those runs and may hit the frame once again.
Another expensive purchase is Andrew Balding’s Holguin who has disappointed after winning first time out.
But I look to David O’Meara’s Maria Branwell to resurrect her career after some disappointing runs. She won her maiden at the first time of asking then won a Listed race at Sandown in May then seemed to lose her way. Last time out she was well beaten by Barefoot Angel at Ayr going down by 4 lengths but she is 6lbs better off here and I’m backing her to return to winning ways.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.31 Newmarket. Crystal Estrella
2.06 Newmarket. Self Praise
3.36 Ascot. Rhoscolyn
3.21 Redcar. Maria Branwell
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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