Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We have two televised meetings to look forward to this Saturday with action from Kempton and Warwick being shown. There are four races from Kempton on offer, including the Listed Lanzarote Hurdle and the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase where I’m looking forward to seeing Nicky Henderson’s Mister Fisher in action.
It’s just a shame he faces only three rivals but I think he will put up a better show than he did here at Kempton in the King George on Boxing Day.
Meanwhile, at Warwick, there are also four televised races, three of which are Graded contests making this the Midland course’s best meeting of the year. But the big disappointment here is the turnout as the first three televised races have only attracted sixteen entrants making each-way betting out of the question.
So besides the day’s two big handicaps, the other six TV races have a total of only 35 horses at the 48-hour stage which does not make for an exciting afternoon’s viewing. However, I have tried to find some value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.32 Kempton. Foxboro
2.40 Kempton. Highway One O Two
3.15 Kempton. Caribean Boy
3.00 Warwick. Head To The Stars
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first televised race at Kempton is the Coral ‘Fail To Finish’ Free Bets Handicap Chase at 1.32. Nicky Henderson has the top weight here with Falco Blitz who drops down in class after a couple of poor runs this season in higher grade company.
Kap Auteuil turns up after winning five of his last six for trainer Toby Lawes but he was found out at Cheltenham on his penultimate run when trying his hand in better company. He redeemed himself last time at Fontwell and should go close.
Jeremy Scott’s Champagne Court won well at Exeter last time and will want plenty of give in the ground.
Foxboro has gotten better and better with each run for trainer Richard Walford and very nearly got home in front at Wincanton on Boxing Day, he can go one better here.
At 2.40 it is the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle where Paul Nicholls’s Gelino Bello is likely to go off favourite. He won at Aintree in October and has gone very close twice since. Both occasions were at Cheltenham the latest of which was in mid-December. He should go well after his short break.
Another fancied player is Nicky Henderson’s Marie’s Rock who was an easy winner here at Kempton on Boxing Day, that was the mare’s first win for two years.
Dan Skelton’s Ch’tibello was a Festival winner back in 2019 but has been unsuccessful since despite running in lower-class contests. He still seems too high in the weights.
Jamie Snowden’s Up For Parol won at Haydock in December and may well be placed on that form.
Philip Hobbs’s Earth Lord has won his last two contests latterly at Ascot but this step up to Listed company may be a little soon for this young horse.
There are several other young horses down at the bottom of the handicap who may have claims. Among them are Green Book and Cobbler’s Dream. I think their time is to come.
My preference is for Chris Gordon’s Highway One O Two who won a Grade 2 contest here at Kempton two years ago. He got back to winning ways last month at Taunton and can build on that here.
The Coral Committed To Safer Gambling Handicap Chase is at 3.15 where Double Shuffle returns to try and repeat his victory in this race after winning it last year. He has 3lbs more on his back now and he is now a 12-year-old so I think it is a big ask for him to try and reprise his win.
Kitty’s Light ran second in his first two outings this season for trainer Christian Williams but was then pulled up in a Graded contest at Newbury. he ran fourth last month here at Kempton on his latest outing and may be placed here.
Williams has another runner with Strictlyadancer who won three times in Oct/Nov last year then was pulled up at Sandown in December, he may want further.
I tipped Nicky Henderson’s Caribean Boy at Ascot in December where he, unfortunately, fell at the first, but I have no compunction in tipping him again. He has been running in Class 1 contests and this drop down in class, provided he is more sure-footed, should be the ideal opportunity to open his account for the season.
Moving northward to Warwick at 3.00 it is the Agetur UK Ltd Classic Handicap Chase a 3m 5f contest. The top weight here is Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler who moves into handicap company for the first time after four victories in Novice races.
Alan King runs Notachance who won this last year. The trainer hopes he will come on after his sixth place in the Tommy Whittle at Haydock last month but he is highly weighted.
Dan Skelton’s Padleyourowncanoe only seems to win when running in the West Country. His only run in 2021 was at Haydock where he ran a fair third. He may be placed again here.
David Pipe’s Gericault Roque is fancied after two runner-up spots in his latest races but this is a step up in class.
Minella Encore has shown good form this season for trainer Dr Richard Newland winning twice the latest of which was at Ludlow in December but is another making a major step up.
Another Ludlow winner who is looking to move up in class is Henry Daly’s Head To The Stars who won there just before Christmas. Before that, he had run a fine third when beaten only one and a half lengths by top-rated Final Nudge here at Warwick in November. A reproduction of that form could see him take this at a nice price.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.32 Kempton. Foxboro
2.40 Kempton. Highway One O Two
3.15 Kempton. Caribean Boy
3.00 Warwick. Head To The Stars
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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