Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
There are three tremendously exciting meetings this Saturday and the ITV cameras are covering each of them with ten races being shown. The top meeting is on the July course at Newmarket, probably one of the most beautiful courses in the land, from where four races are televised the highlights being the Bunbury Cup, a 7f handicap, and the July Cup which is a 6f Group 1.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen1.45 Ascot. Equilateral2.00 York. What’s The Story3.10 York. Sonny Liston4.00 Newmarket. Streets Of Gold
There are four contests being shown from York on John Smith’s Day with the sponsor’s Cup Handicap being the highlight of the day.
Finally, there are a couple of races from no lesser course than Ascot with a Group 2 and a 5f handicap on offer.
I cannot remember a better lineup of Saturday racing for a long time and there are plenty of handicaps for us to enjoy and to try and find some value. Here are my thoughts along with this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Beginning at Ascot with the 1.45 the Ascot/ 1711 Learning To Work Bake-Off Competition Heritage Handicap over a sharp 5 furlongs. Top weight here is David Evans’s Rohaan who is something of an Ascot specialist having won here four times. However, those wins have come over 6f and he may find this a trifle sharp.
Andrew Balding’s King’s Lynn was disappointing at Royal Ascot last month and drops back in trip but looks high enough in the weights.
Michael Appleby’s Raasel has been busy this season and ran last week at Sandown finishing down the field, the 6-year-old won in Group company last season and is better than his form figures suggest, he may be placed.
Vintage Clarets has won his last two for trainer Richard Fahey latterly on the all-weather at Newcastle a fortnight ago. He is now on a high mark.
Robert Cowell’s Arecibo ran a good third at Sandown last week and is on a low mark having not won for two years. However, this race looks a little hot. He will find something easier soon.
I prefer Charles Hills Equilateral who ran a good fifth at Royal Ascot and caught the eye. He was withdrawn from a race last Saturday which was won by his stablemate. He can be successful with this move into a handicap company.
Moving north to York and the 2.00 is the John Smith’s Racing Handicap run over a mile. The well-fancied David O’Meara horse Blue For You ran fairly well here at York in May then flopped at Royal Ascot. He is a previous c and d winner but the weight is a worry.
O’Meara also runs Rhoscolyn who has failed to fire for the last couple of seasons. Karl Burke’s Eileen Dubh won this last year and returns to try and repeat the feat after a fine victory at Hamilton earlier this month. He is on the same mark as last year and must have a good chance.
Saeed Bin Suroor’s Wild Lion was victorious here at York in a 7f contest last month and steps up in class after that win.
William Haggas’s stable is really firing at the moment and he runs Aramaic who was third at Sandown last week. He won here at York two years ago but he is dropping back in trip and may find this on the sharp side.
I am looking further down the handicap to Richard Fahey’s What’s The Story. He is a c and d winner and although he is getting a bit long in tooth, he won at Carlisle in May and was third here at York last month. His last run at Newcastle can be discounted as he didn’t get to grips with the surface. He can bellie his years and go well off his lightweight.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen1.45 Ascot. Equilateral2.00 York. What’s The Story3.10 York. Sonny Liston4.00 Newmarket. Streets Of Gold
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