Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Just seven races from two meetings being televised this week with a disappointing turnout in four of the Class 1s on offer.
There are four races from Newbury, a handicap, two Graded races and the highlight of the day the Betfair Hurdle which is a Premier Handicap and appears to have been targeted by Willie Mullins who won all eight of the Grade 1s run at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, some achievement.
It’s unusually nice to see Warwick shown as the second meeting being featured with a veteran’s handicap and two Class 1’s, including the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices Chase where Matata is looking to increase his reputation, shame about the small field.
After searching for value amongst these fields here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Newbury. Emitom
2.40 Newbury. Funambule Sivola
3.15 Newbury. Alvaniy
2.55 Warwick. Riders Onthe Storm
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first televised race at Newbury is the 1.30- the Betfair Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle a Class 3 race run over 3 miles. Nicky Henderson has two runners in this, On The Blind Side and Wiseguy and it’s the latter with the best chance of the two. However, his last two runs have been disappointing after winning at Exeter in November.
David Pipe’s American Sniper won at Cheltenham in November then ran fourth at Taunton the following month but he weakened before the last. He is upped in trip here.
Harry Derham’s Young Butler has won both his starts this season, including last time out here at Newbury, to go close.
Second to him that day was Alan King’s Emitom who returns for another crack. He was carried right that day and is 1lb better off here.
At the bottom of the handicap is Dan Skelton’s G A Henty who steps up in trip and class after running second at Market Rasen last month, fancied to go well but I prefer Emitom.
The 2.40 is the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase a Grade 2 race run over 2m 1/2f. This is billed as a match between Alan King’s Edwardstone and Harry Fry’s Boothill – there is a lot not to like about Edwardstone this season, after two defeats by Jonbon he went down relatively easily at Kempton last time finishing fourth, he drops back in trip hoping for better luck.
Boothill won twice at Ascot in November he then fell at Kempton in December when competing in a Grade 2. Gary Moore’s Editeur Du Gite won that Kempton won then beaten at Cheltenham last month in a tough Grade 1.
I take a chance with Venetia Williams’s Funambule Sivola was third in December at wwwwhoCheltenham in a Grade 2. He loves Newbury having won here on three occasions, including winning this race last year. He can do so again.
The big betting race of the day at 3.15 is the Betfair Hurdle, a Grade 3 contest run over 2m 1/2f. In its previous incarnations as the Schweppes Gold Trophy and Tote Gold Trophy, horses have always been laid out for this race and there have been some right ‘touches’ over the years so my advice is to watch the betting on the day. However, to give you some idea of those laid-out horses here are my thoughts.
I’ll start with the trainer who won all the Grade 1s at last week’s Dublin Racing Festival – the irrepressible Willie Mullins – he has three runners in the race all with chances.
Ocastle Des Mottes is the current favourite. He won at Auteuil last June but has never run in the UK or Ireland.
Onlyamatteroftime has bottom weight and was last seen just before Christmas when he finished sixth in a Grade 3 only 5 1/4 lengths behind the winner.
Alvaniy won over this distance at Galway in September and has had two runs over greater distances in the UK finishing fourth and sixth but not given a hard time, has the Master of Closutton seen something with Alvaniy? He is my choice of the three.
As to the best of the UK horses, Nicky Henderson’s Luccia is the class act of the field. He won a Grade 3 at Ascot just before Christmas beating several of the horses he meets here but he has gone up 4 lbs and carries top weight.
Another Henderson horse, Iberico Lord, was 7th in that race after going off favourite. He had previously won at Cheltenham and is probably Henderson’s best chance of success.
Harry Fry’s Altobelli was 3rd in the Ascot race and a place is the best he can hope for here. I can see no further than Mullins’s trio and Alvaniy is the pick for me.
Moving to Warwick for the final leg of the Lucky Fifteen and the 2.55 is the Unibet Middle Distance Series Veteran’s Handicap Chase. This is a Class 2 race run over 2m 4f.
Top weight is Paul Nicholls’s Diego Du Charmil who was last seen 21 months ago when he finished second. He is probably best watched.
The bookies’ choice is Charlie Longsdon’s Do Your Job who won well at Wetherby on Boxing Day. He was a Warwick winner earlier in his career and is sure to go well.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Jane Williams’s Fast Buck who was a fine winner at Wincanton last month. He races as a veteran for the first time and may find some of the old-timers too classy.
I prefer Richard Hobson’s Rider Onthe Storm who won a Grade 2 last season and is a previous Grade 1 winner. He disappointed at Aintree on Boxing Day where his jumping let him down. I’ll put that down to having his first run of the season over tough fences. He can make amends here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Newbury. Emitom
2.40 Newbury. Funambule Sivola
3.15 Newbury. Alvaniy
2.55 Warwick. Riders Onthe Storm
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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