Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Three meetings, seven races, plenty of handicaps and the sprinters out in force, what’s not to like on a summer Saturday.
Newbury tops the bill this week with two Group races one of which is the Hungerford Stakes where Ed Walker’s English Oak is highly fancied and a couple of sprint handicaps run over 5f and 7f.
Also, it’s nice to see Ripon on TV on a Saturday afternoon with two 6f sprint handicaps being televised, and finally, there is one contest from Newmarket, the annual Grey Horse Handicap. It’s always a thrilling spectacle to see these Greys belting down the July course over the sharp 6f; the 2022 winner, Strike, will be looking to repeat that victory for trainer Jonathan Portman.
So a lot to look forward to and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. MC Loven
3.00 Newbury. Lethal Levi
2.45 Ripon. Fortamour
3.20 Ripon. Monsieur Kodi
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin at Newbury with the 2.25 the BetVictor Handicap, a Class 3 sprint run over 5 furlongs. There is an Irish runner in this, Reinforce, trained by Katy Brown, who had not won in his first 16 races, then won twice in July at Navan and Down Royal. He was then beaten over 3 lengths into 4th at Tipperary last week. He meets a better class of horse here, but the Irish have proved tough cookies this season.
Amy Murphy’s Myconian was second in a Class 4 at Newmarket last month. More is required. The current favourite is Richard Hannon’s The Big Board, who won a Class 2 at Ascot last season, but she has failed to live up to that billing this time around. However, she did show signs of improvement last time out when finishing second, again at Ascot.
Top weight is Rod Millman’s Woolhampton, who won twice in May. She was then upped in class and was not disgraced in that better company. She returns to Class 3 company looking for further success but has plenty of weight.
Simon Dow’s MC Loven ran a good fourth at Goodwood earlier this month following a comfortable victory at Lingfield in July. This young horse could have the ability to take this, but beware the Irish!
Newbury’ 3.00 is the TPT Fire Handicap. This is a Class 2 contest run over the course’s 7 furlongs straight. Top weight is Eve Johnson-Houghton’s Streets Of Gold, who, after a stellar 2-year-old career, 5 from 5, has found it hard work to get his head in front since. However, his latest run earlier this month at Chepstow, where he was a very close third, showed some promise. He needs to drop down the handicap.
Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi was a course and distance winner in May and has run well in some hot contests since. He was badly hampered in the Stewards Cup a fortnight ago over a distance that was too sharp for him, over 7f he can show his best.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Starlore is fancied in some quarters, but he has had a disappointing season.
Marco Botti’s Silver Samurai comes here instead of going to Newmarket to defend his crown in the Grey Horse Handicap, so the trainer must fancy his chances. He won at Doncaster in June, then disappointed at York the following month.
Last year’s winner of this race, George Boughey’s Spangled Mac has disappointed this season and has 4lbs more than last year, dismiss. William Haggas runs Waleefy who has won two Class 4s this season. This is a big step in class, but the colt may be placed. I’ll stick with Lethal Levi.
Moving north to Ripon and the 2.45 is the William Hill Silver Trophy Handicap. This is a Class 4 contest run over 6 furlongs. Last year’s winner, Roundhay Park, trained by Nigel Tinkler, returns for another crack, but the 9-year-old has had a shocking season and looks past his best.
B F Brookhouse runs Ray Vonn, who won at York last month, adding to a victory at Nottingham in May. He has been laid out for this race and is expected to go well.
Adrian Keatley’s Another Baar won a small race at Doncaster earlier this month getting home by a nose, this is tougher.
Tim Easterby saddles two here: Danzan and Glendown. The latter won at Pontefract earlier this month, while Danzan is looking for his first win in two years.
Iain Jardine’s Catherine Chroi has won no fewer than six times this season and drops back in class after being beaten at Ayr last month in a Class 3. She is definitely one for the shortlist.
But the top weight and course specialist looks the one to be on. Ben Haslam’s Fortamour has won here at Ripon on six occasions. In fact, he has not won anywhere else since 2020! Last time out, Fortamour won here in a Class 3 earlier this month, and despite the top weight, he looks the one to beat.
Ripon’s big race of the season is at 3.20- the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap. This is Class 2 contest run over 6 furlongs. The top weight here is Richard Fahey’s, who was 8th in the Stewards Cup a fortnight ago. He has been running in Group company in 7-furlong races and may find this on the sharp side.
Tim Easterby’s Manila Scouse won at Chepstow earlier this month, but this is much tougher.
Michael Dods’ Dakota Gold won this in 2019, and the 10-year-old is back for another crack. He won a Class 4 at Redcar in May, but is surely to long in the tooth to repeat past glories.
Another 10-year-old is David O’Meara’s Summerghand, who was just pipped into second here last year. Sure to go well, but past his best.
John and Sean Quinn’s Mr Wagyu is another veteran who has had a wonderful career, but he was well beaten in the Stewards Cup and has not won for two years.
5-year-olds have great recent record in this, and I go for one to be successful again, Jack Channon’s Ingra Tor has run two fine 3rd places on his last two outings and bottom weight Richard Fahey’s Monsieur Kodi. The latter won a top-class contest at Goodwood two years ago and he can take this for his astute trainer off his featherweight.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. MC Loven
3.00 Newbury. Lethal Levi
2.45 Ripon. Fortamour
3.20 Ripon. Monsieur Kodi
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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