Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We are treated to both the Red and White Roses this week with meetings from Haydock and Beverley. The Merseyside course will feature no fewer than five races including the prestigious John Of Gaunt Stakes and the Lester Piggott Stakes both of which are Grade 3 contests. These are backed up by a Listed race and a couple of handicaps.
The East Yorkshire course returns to ITV with three races which include a pair of 2-year-old Conditions contests and a handicap. It’s great to see this Yorkshire course being supported by ITV Racing.
Here are my thoughts with the best value from these eight races for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.15 Haydock. Equilateral
1.50 Haydock. All The King’s Men
2.25 Haydock. Dark Pine
2.40 Beverley. Miss Britain
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with Haydock and the 1.15 the Sky Bet Achilles Stakes, a Listed contest run over 5 furlongs. Edward Bethell’s Regional is the probable favourite after his fine win at York in May where he had Korker, Mondammej and Clarendon House behind him. He is a course winner over 6f and is sure to go close.
Robert Cowell’s Clarendon House was third in last week’s Epsom ‘Dash’ showing he is in good form.
Charles Hills has Equilateral in the lineup who ran second in a Group 2 here at Haydock a fortnight ago and a reproduction of that form will see him go close.
Last year’s winner Raasel was out with the washing in that race after Michael Appleby’s charge drifted left. He has another terrible draw here.
There’s a lot to like about Scott Dixon’s Fine Wine after his York run in May. He is making this move into the Listed company and may be placed at a nice price.
But Equilateral with Dettori on board and drawn 10 is my selection.
The 1.50 Sky Bet Reverence Handicap is another sprint this time over 6 furlongs. Top weight is John Quinn’s Mr Wagyu who ran third in an Epsom handicap last week, but he is struggling for a win at present and has plenty of weight.
The same thing can be said for Marco Botti’s Silver Samurai who won this last year and has only 1lb more to carry.
Clive Cox does well in these handicaps and he has Lethal Nymph here. He disappointed on his seasonal reappearance at Windsor last month but should improve after that run and may be placed.
At the other end of the handicap is Mike Murphy and Michael Keady’s Cooperation who steps up hugely in class but won at Thirsk last month then was not disgraced when finishing fourth at Ascot a week later. He can be placed at a decent price.
But I can see no further than George Boughey’s All The King’s Men who ran a close third at Epsom last week. He has run consistently well all season and deserves a victory here.
The Better Betting With Sky Bet Handicap is at 2.25 a 1m 4f contest. Saeed Bin Suroor’s Live Your Dream returns to action after a break of 20 months. He was a class horse in his prime but is probably best watched here.
David O’Meara’s Get Shirty has top weight but he is a course and distance winner. He has been running in Group company and reverts to a handicap here but the weight is a factor.
Lower down the handicap is Charlie Fellowes’s Cumulonimbus, who is a previous course winner, won last time out at Newmarket but steps up in class here.
Kevin Ryan’s Forza Orta won on good/firm at York last summer and is capable of springing a surprise despite his poor form.
But I like David Loughnane’s Dark Pine who was only beaten a neck at Chester last month and a continuance of that form could see him take this.
Moving east to Beverley and we have the bet365 Handicap at 2.40, a 7 1/2f contest. The top weight here is Michael Appleby’s United Front who ran second at Yarmouth last week. His weight may be a factor.
Richard Fahey occasionally drops one in and Outrun The Storm won twice last season. He has run just once this year and that was last month at Thirsk where he raced prominently before dropping back down the field to finish 14th of 15, He will come on for that run and may be placed.
One of the bottom weights is Ugo Gregory trained by Tim Easterby who seems to do most of his racing here at Beverley and has won three times over this course and distance but he hasn’t won for almost two years.
My preference is for Ian Mcinnes’ filly Miss Britain who won at Catterick in April and ran second at Thirsk last month. She can move up in class to take this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.15 Haydock. Equilateral
1.50 Haydock. All The King’s Men
2.25 Haydock. Dark Pine
2.40 Beverley. Miss Britain
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365