Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Two meetings being covered this week in the run-up to Cheltenham, a jumps meeting at Sandown and a flat meeting at Wolverhampton. There are three races being covered from the Midlands course, including a Lincoln trial. The big handicap itself which for me heralds the start of the flat season is only a fortnight away so it’s time to dust off the Flat Form Books!
Sandown has four televised races, including the Imperial Cup but there is no bonus this year for winning this then going on to win at the Festival and this may have detracted from the quality of the field.
So with the little choice of races to work with here are my thoughts from the four Sandown races for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Sandown Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Our Jet
2.25 Balco Coastal
3.00 Luccia
3.35 Danny Kirwan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first televised Sandown race is the 1.50 and to give it its full title is the European Breeders Fund Paddy Power ‘National Hunt’ Novices Handicap Hurdle Final, phew, a two and a half-mile race. The top weight here is Paul Nicholls’s Knappers Hill who started the season easily winning novice hurdles but has come somewhat unstuck since moving up to Graded races. But he was successful in Class 1’s in NHF races, both the weight and the distance is a worry.
The current favourite is Olly Murphy’s Thunder Rock, a triple winner, but he steps up in class here as do the rest of the field.
Peejaybee is another who is fancied but Richard Spencer’s gelding is stepping into handicap company for the first time.
Dan Skelton has three runners here the best of which could be Our Jet who has won his last two races. The latest was over an extended 2m 3f. He looks well handicapped.
David Pipe’s Kingofthewest is worthy of a mention after a couple of novice victories this year. He should get the distance and may be placed at a nice price.
Skelton looks to have the answer here with Our Jet who looks a solid improver.
The Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle is at 2.25 run over two miles. Paul Nicholls has the two top-rated horses here with Miranda, who was a well beaten favourite at Doncaster in January, and Samarrive, who was pulled up at Ascot in December. They both look highly weighted.
Nick Kent’s Mick Maestro has proved himself a Catterick specialist and he has won his last two at that track in 2022, this is tougher.
Hystery Bere has been very consistent for trainer Tom Symonds. He ran a fine third at Cheltenham a fortnight ago following up a victory at Fontwell on Boxing Day.
Another consistent sort is Bernard Llewellyn’s Zambezi Fix who always seems there or thereabouts but doesn’t seem to get his head in front.
Philip Hobbs’s Monviel has won his last two latterly here at Sandown but this is a major step up in class.
Howdyalikemenow was tipped in this column on his last run at Newbury in mid-February but Evan Williams’s gelding ran a strange race. After being up with the leaders he dropped to the rear before rallying and finishing 10th of 14. If he is ridden with more enterprise, he can go close at a nice price.
But my idea of the winner is Nicky Henderson’s Balco Coastal who won twice in December. He then ran second at Cheltenham in January after being hampered up the home straight. He can gain recompense for that defeat here.
At 3.00 it is the British StallionsStuds EBF Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, a 2-mile contest. These bumpers are notoriously difficult to judge. On form Milton Harris’s Mullenbeg must have a good chance after winning two in January latterly at Cheltenham where he beat Fairy Gem, Flirtacious Girl and Hidden Beauty and I expect her to confirm those placings.
But there are a couple of relative newcomers who may give Harris’s star a race and the first is Nicky Henderson’s Luccia who won a low-class bumper at Warwick, she did the job comfortably and could be anything.
The other is Paul Webber’s Eel Pie Island who was victorious at Exeter last October.
On balance I will plump for Henderson’s Luccia to continue her winning ways.
The final televised race is the Paddy Power Novices Handicap Chase at 3.35. This two and a half-mile contest has cut up badly with only six runners The top weight is Charlie Longsden’s Scene Not Herd who is on a four-timer after his latest win at Ludlow in December but this step up to Listed company may be a step too far.
Frenchy Du Large runs for Venetia Williams he won at Chepstow in January but then was a well beaten second at Lingfield last month.
Gary Moore’s Dorking Lad has won his last two in a lowly company but this is a big step up.
Similarly with Colin Tizzard’s Killer Kane who would really need to up his game to feature at this level. The answer here would appear to lie with the Paul Nicholls pair.
Flic Ou Voyou won a match at Doncaster in November then returned to Town Moor the following month to run a poor third after weakening before the last.
Danny Kirwan is a different kettle of fish, now something of a veteran at nine years old he began this season with a fine second at Cheltenham last October, then a fourth at Kempton in December before coming good with a clear-cut victory at Wincanton in January. He would not have to show much further improvement to take this prestigious contest.
Sandown Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Our Jet
2.25 Balco Coastal
3.00 Luccia
3.35 Danny Kirwan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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