Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
A mixture of codes this week with nine races to look forward to, with four on the flat from Newbury and five over the sticks from Ayr. The Ayr card features three Class 1s and two Class 2s, all of which are handicaps.
The feature race is the Scottish Grand National. However, the meeting is dominated by the race for the Trainer’s Championship, which has turned into a head-to-head between Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton now. I’m not sure I’m very happy about this as I consider it’s the horses on the track we should be thinking about not their minders. I don’t think trainers start the season thinking, “I must win the Trainer’s Championship.” Surely, it’s about getting their horses as fit as possible to win races for their owners. The Championship is just a by-product of that.
Away from all this hoo-ha, the Newbury meeting features three Group 3s, including trials for the 1000 and 2000 Gns and a Class 2 handicap, the Spring Mile. So, there is something for everyone this week, and here are my thoughts.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.43 Ayr. Ideal Des Bordes
2.15 Ayr. Ethical Diamond
3.35 Ayr. Rock My Way
3.12 Newbury. James McHenry
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Ayr with the 1.43, the CPMSNovices Champion Handicap Chase. This is a Class 2 handicap run over 3 miles. The top weight here is Alan King’s Masaccio, who ran third in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival. His weight may be a problem.
Willie Mullins runs Loughglynn, who was a good second at Punchestown in February. He is sure to go close.
Lucinda Russell’s Whistle Stop Tour skips the National to go for this, but despite being a course and distance winner earlier in the season, he may find one or more too good.
Down at the bottom of the handicap, Hughie Morrison’s Eyed is a triple winner this season, latterly at Kempton in February. He was upped in class last time and was just beaten half-a-length in a Class 2 at Uttoxeter, he can go well against the big- hitters.
But I go along with Nicky Henderson’s Ideal Des Bordes, who won twice earlier this year. He was third behind Eyed last time but is 8lb better off here.
The 2.15 is the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle. This Grade 2 Limited Handicap is run over 2 miles. Willie Mullins has four runners in this, with probably the best being top-weight Ethical Diamond, who won at Punchestown in February but only finished fourth at Cheltenham last month. That form may be enough.
The favourite is Paul Nicholls’s Kabral Du Mathan, who started his season with a victory at Kempton in November. He has run twice since and is primed to go close.
Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos has scorched the turf with her victories in the last two seasons but has found it much harder this time around, but it must be said she has been running in Graded company, including last time when running in the Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham. This drop back to handicap company should see her go well,l but it’s Ethical Diamond for me.
The Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase is at 3.35. This is a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 4 miles. The current favourite is Willie Mullins’s Chosen Witness, one of six runners the trainer has in the field. He has yet to win over fences but did win over hurdles at this meeting last year. He fell at Navan in February when challenging.
Vying for favouritism is another Mullins contender, Macdermott, who won this last season but has had a pretty lousy time this term, being pulled up twice, unseated once and finished out with the washing on his only completion. However, the money has come for him and he is the defending champion.
Toby Lawes’ Surrey Quest was second last year and has been campaigned with this race in mind. He ran a fine third in February at Musselburgh when giving away lumps of weight. He can go close.
Jonjo & AJ O’Neill’s Hasthing has won twice this season but fell at the last in the Hunt Cup at Cheltenham last month.
Second in that race was Joe Tizzard’s Rock My Way and he is my selection, prior to his Cheltenham heroics he also ran second at Doncaster in January and can improve on those placings here.
As an e/w outsider Liz Doyle’s Flash de Touzaine’s could pay dividends. He won at Limerick in March in preparation for this and had previously run creditably in a Listed race at Fairyhouse.
For the final leg of my Lucky Fifteen, l will change codes and move to Newbury for the 3.12 OLGB Spring Cup Handicap, a Class 2 contest run over 1 mile. Top weight here is Richard Hannon’s Son who ran in Graded and Listed races last season. Firm going will help.
Dylan Cunha’s won at Meydan last month and will enjoy the sun on his back.
Jack Channon’s Metal Merchant won this last season, but his form tailed off as the season progressed.
Channon also runs Urban Lion, who won on the all-weather at Chelmsford in February, and he may have a better chance of being the trainer’s two runners.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Great Acclaim won a small race over this course and distance last July. He was upped in class later in the season without success.
My preference is for Edward Bethell’s James McHenry, who has begun his last two seasons with victories and makes his seasonal debut here. He ran consistently well all last season and finished a fine second at Newmarket in September. He is my selection.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.43 Ayr. Ideal Des Bordes
2.15 Ayr. Ethical Diamond
3.35 Ayr. Rock My Way
3.12 Newbury. James McHenry
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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