Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s a busy afternoon on ITV Racing this Saturday, with three meetings being covered from Ascot, Lingfield and Haydock.
There are three handicaps being televised from Ascot on their first flat meeting of the year. It’s always a chance for trainers to send their horses there in expectation of their hopes of what is to come next month.
Lingfield’s turf meeting offers us a couple of Classic trials. One each of the Oaks and Derby, where the hopefuls are put through their paces over a longer distance than previously. These two races are backed up by a Class 2 Handicap and Group 3 Fillies Stakes.
Finally, the cameras move north to one of the country’s few mixed meetings of the season at Haydock Park to cover their last hurdle race of the year, the Class 1 Swinton Hurdle, before they revert to their flat card.
There is plenty to look forward to this week, and here are my thoughts on what can be described as a ‘hopeful’ Saturday for owners and trainers. Here is this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Ascot. Think First
2.05 Ascot. Topanga
2.40 Ascot Popmaster
1.50 Lingfield. Flash Bardot
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The Ascot card begins at 1.30 with the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap. This is a Class 3 contest run over 1m 4f. Top weight here is Neil Mulholland’s Think First who ran a fine second on his seasonal reappearance last month at Epsom. I am sure there is more to come.
Jonathan Portman’s Way Of Life has been busy this year, running four times and finishing second on three occasions, latterly at Windsor. He takes a step up in class in this race.
Great Bedwyn makes his seasonal reappearance for trainer Richard Hannon. He finished last year with a victory at Goodwood in June. He is probably best watched after an 11-month break.
G and J Moore’s Kotari is the bookies’ choice after he won at Salisbury earlier this month and Windsor last month, but those were pretty lowly affairs, and he finds himself with a 5lb penalty.
I take a chance with Think First and follow the old adage – “always back 4-year-olds carrying top weight in a handicap”.
The 2.05 is the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% British EBF Fillies Handicap, a Class 2 one-mile contest. Top weight here is William Haggas’s Mystic Pearl, who wintered in Dubai and raced without success. Since then, she had a run on the all-weather at Kempton last month in a Listed race finishing 6th. More is required.
Ed Walker’s Rose Prick was third in that race at a big price, 50/1, and the trainer fancies her chances now the ground is drying out.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Adrian Keatley’s Flying Finn, who won two lowly contests at Doncaster and Ripon last month. This is a huge step up in class for his filly.
The same applies to Richard Hughes’s My Margie, who is also a dual winner on the all-weather. She also has more to find.
Harry Charlton’s Zouzanna won twice last year, including first time out at Haydock then here at Ascot in September. If she has trained on here, she can go well and be placed.
Andrew Balding’s Topanga won at the end of last season but disappointed on her reappearance last month at Newbury, failing to see out 7 furlongs in a Group 3 race. She has a big chance in handicap company.
The highlight on the Ascot card is the Victoria Cup at 2.40. This Heritage Handicap is a Class 2 and is run over 7 furlongs. This looks very competitive, with some old favourites involved.
At the top of the handicap is Ed Walker’s Popmaster. He loves Ascot, having won there twice. Also, he was desperately unlucky last autumn, finishing second here twice, beaten a neck and a nose. Walker is upbeat on his chances.
George Margarson’s Ropey Guest ran second here last October but won well at York and Goodwood earlier in the season. However, he has a poor record at Ascot.
I have a soft spot for Roger Varian’s Fantastic Fox. But he seems to do most of his running on the all-weather now.
Adrian Keatley’s Wobwobwob won a small race at Thirsk last week, but this is much tougher.
David O’Meara’s Pearle d’Or was a course and distance winner last July but he ran poorly on his seasonal reappearance at the Craven Meeting last month.
As to the 4-year-olds, the best of those is John and Thady Gosden’s Mostabshir, who was a fine winner at York last May, but his form rather fell off a cliff after that. He has had a prep run on the all-weather at Kempton in March, but I feel his sights may be set on York next week, so I’ll stick with Popmaster.
Over at Lingfield the 1.50 is the William Hill Epic Value Handicap a Class2 contest run over 1m 3 1/2f. Roger Varian runs Aimeric who was last seen when winning at Beverley last September. He also won first time out last year and looks the one to beat.
Jamie Osbourne’s Kolossal won his first three last season, but he looks to have plenty of weight here.
Sir Mark Prescott’s True Legend comes here with a very low weight. His form last season was consistent. He ran a fine second at Ascot in September.
My preference is Jack Channon’s Flash Bardot, who won well at Doncaster last month, adding to her two victories the previous season. The stable is currently flying and she can continue their success.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Ascot. Think First
2.05 Ascot. Topanga
2.40 Ascot Popmaster
1.50 Lingfield. Flash Bardot
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Related Reading