Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
With Royal Ascot uppermost in most people’s minds as it draws closer, we are left with some pretty meagre fare for this Saturday’s ITV programme. They have chosen to feature races from three different courses, York, Chester and Sandown, to try and find some competitive racing for our afternoon enjoyment.
York has four races being covered the best of which is a Sprint Handicap which I have summarised below but the first race on the card is the Queen Mother’s Cup.
This race has thrown up some pretty strange results over the years. The inaugural running, which I remember well was won by Princess Anne riding the Queen’s horse. You could practically see the other jockeys waving her past! For this try Billy Roberts who has a young 5lbs claimer aboard.
As backup meetings to York, there are three races being shown from Sandown and one from Chester so at least there are plenty of handicaps to try and find some value in. So here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.40 Sandown. Aldhaja
2.15 Sandown. Coase
2.35 York. Lion Tower
3.40 York. Gisburn
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin at Sandown with the first race of the card, the 1.40 Trafalgar Square Handicap, a Class 3 race run over 9 furlongs. The top weight here is Paul and Oliver Cole’s Sanitiser who showed good form as a 2-year-old winning three times. This is his first run of the season and the weight is a worry.
Another having his first run of the year is Hamaki, trained by William Haggas who won here at Sandown last August but this race is over 2 furlongs further.
Jonathan Portman’s Two Tempting has shown good form on the all-weather this year and ran quite well here at Sandown last month finishing second. That was his first effort on turf but he steps up in class here.
Saeed Bin Suroor’s Night of Luxury won at Leicester last month. He wintered in Dubai but was unsuccessful in his races there, he may be placed here.
But I prefer Charles Hills’ Aldhaja who was victorious at Haydock in early May adding to win at Southwell last February. He can continue those winning ways here.
At 2.15 it is the Claremont Handicap which is a one mile Class 2 contest. John Flint’s Lyndon B is a dual winner here at Sandown but he was a poor third here last month and would need to show improvement.
The second in that race was Jamie Osborne’s Ouzo who was only beaten a neck but he has risen 4lbs since then and although further improvement is possible, I consider that may hold him back.
Encouraged has won twice on the all-weather this season for trainer James Fanshawe and was only beaten a neck on turf at Leicester in April. He steps up in class here. However, he may still hit the frame.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Eve Johnson Houghton’s Sheer Rocks who won a couple of minor races at the end of last season. This year, she had decided to run him in a Listed contest at Epsom in April where he finished last in that 10f contest. She has dropped him back in trip and class and he looks like an interesting participant.
Charlie Fellowes’ Via Serendipity has been one of the stalwarts of the stable and his trainer invariably finds a couple of races he is capable of winning during the season and this could be one of them. However, he meets Michael Wigham’s Coase who beat him at Newmarket in April.
Coase cut his teeth on the all-weather winning three times in early spring. He was then tried on the turf at Newmarket in April and just got home in a Class 2 contest. He then disappointed at Leicester earlier this month but can redeem himself here.
Moving north to York and it is the JCB Handicap at 2.35 a 7 furlong Class 2 contest. David O’Meara has the top weight here with Azano who has been highly tried without success since winning a Listed race at Redcar last October. His latest run was in handicap company at Chester where he failed to cope with the bends and finished at the rear of the field.
The winner of that Chester race was Tim Easterby’s Boardman, his third win of the season, who won going away. He is a course and distance winner here at York having won in May last year. He looks sure to go close despite a 4lb penalty.
John Quinn’s Titan Rock is having his first run of the year after signing off at the end of last season with a victory at Ayr in September.
Richard Fahey’s Maywake steps up in class here after wins on Newcastle’s all-weather and a course and distance victory last month where he beat Mykonos St John but even with a 7lbs difference in the weights. I think Scott Dixon’s horse will struggle to reverse those placings.
I like Grant Tuer’s Lion Tower whose last two runs have both been at York where he finished third. Then second last month, he can go one better this month and take this.
At 3.40 we have the best race of the day the Paver’s Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint Handicap a 6 furlong Class 2 contest. Mick Channon’s Ingra Tor is the bookmakers favourite here after his fine victory at Newmarket in April, a reproduction of that will see him go very close.
Clive Cox’s Harry Three was second to Ingra Tor that day then came out in May and won at the same course running on from the opposition.
Cox has another runner with Watchya who has won on the all-weather at Lingfield and Wolverhampton already this season but this is a big step up in class here.
Kevin Burke’s Lethal Levi had a fine 2-year-old season and has carried on the good work this year winning twice already and deserves this step up in class, he may be placed.
Tim Easterby’s Roach Power looks the best at the bottom of the handicap. He was beaten into third in a close race won by Devaste at Leicester but is 4lbs better off here so should reverse those placings.
The second horse that day was top weight Gisburn and Richard Hannon’s classy colt is a couple of pounds better off with Devaste and is my choice for this sprint.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.40 Sandown. Aldhaja
2.15 Sandown. Coase
2.35 York. Lion Tower
3.40 York. Gisburn
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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