Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s fairly obvious at the moment that the top trainers have the Cheltenham Festival on their minds as despite racing due to go ahead at two of the UK’s most prestigious courses, Ascot and Haydock, it really feels like the second division of racing.
The better horses in their respective stables are being kept in cotton wool in readiness for Prestbury Park next month so we look to their second strings to provide our entertainment this Saturday with ITV Racing covering contests from three tracks Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton.
There are four races from Ascot where the highlight is the Grade 1 Ascot Chase and Venetia Williams’s L’Homme Presse is highly fancied. Shame about the small field for this race.
Two races from Haydock and their highlight is the Grand National Trial, a 3m 4 1/2f slog through the Merseyside mud.
Finally, there is one race from Wincanton the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle giving us a total of seven races on the day and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Haydock. Red Risk
3.15 Haydock. Famous Bridge
2.25 Ascot. Teddy Blue
3.00 Ascot. Victtorino
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Haydock’s 2.40 is the Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle, a Grade 2 race run over 3 m 1/2f. Gary Moore’s Botox Has started the season with a victory at Wetherby but he has disappointed since then finishing down the field on two occasions.
Olly Murphy’s Butch has won all three of his runs this season the latest two at Cheltenham but this race is a major step up in class.
Ruth Jefferson’s Sounds Russian is having his first run of the season after being brought down in last year’s Gold Cup at Cheltenham when in touch. This race is a stepping stone to getting him back into action and he is probably best watched at this stage of his comeback.
Paul Nicholls has sent Red Risk up to Haydock to take on Botox Has once again. He has finished behind him on the last two occasions but is 6lbs better off than the last time they met and that may be enough for him to take his opportunity here.
The 3.15 at Haydock is the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase a Grade 3 contest run over 3m 4 1/2f. This is a very open contest this year and at the head of the handicap is Sam Thomas’s Iwilldoit who ran third at Lingfield last month over a distance that didn’t suit. Prior to that, he was a well-beaten third in the Welsh National at Chepstow over the Christmas period. His weight will be a major factor.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Iron Bridge was second in the Welsh National and is 5 lbs better off here. He is a course winner and can go close.
Anthony Honeyball’s Credo disappointed when tried in Class 1 company last month after making a promising start to the season.
The two bottom weights look to represent good each-way value, Emma Lavelle’s My Silver Lining won a Grade 3 race at Warwick last month and Dan Skelton’s Snipe won at Aintree on Boxing Day then was second at Doncaster a month ago.
Nicky Richards’s Famous Bridge has won twice at Haydock already this season but disappointed in a Grade 3 at Doncaster last month when he was pulled up after making a bad mistake early on and he is my selection.
However, there is a fly in the ointment with an Irish raider in the lineup, that is Gavin Cromwell’s Yeah Man. Both his runs this season have been at Ascot the latest of which in December saw him run second in a Grade 3. He may trouble the selection.
At Ascot the 2.25 is the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handicap Hurdle. This is a Class 2 contest run over 2m 3 1/2f.
Top weight here is Dan Skelton’s Le Milos who was a disappointing favourite when last seen in November at Market Rasen where he finished third. He has a lot to carry.
Rare Edition was a fine winner at Kempton in January for trainer Charlie Longsden and is expected to go close again.
Harry Derham’s Monviel returns to hurdling after a couple of tries at chasing. He is a previous course winner and is looking to get his career back on track.
Down near the bottom of the handicap is Ben Pauling’s Bad who has run consistently well all season, including two third places here at Ascot. He steps up in trip here but may have to settle for a place one again.
Santos Blue won at Wetherby last month for trainer Dan Skelton, a course he always seems to run well at. He would need to show an improvement to feature here.
I prefer another of the ‘blues’, that is Teddy Blue who has not followed up on the promise he showed last season for trainer Gary Moore. He was tried in a Grade 3 just before Christmas then ran a good sixth behind Dan Skelton’s Jay Jay Reilly at Kempton last month. But he gets 8 lbs from that winner for a 13 lengths defeat which would have been closer had Teddy Blue not clouted the last. He has the ability to take this.
The Injured Jockey’s Fund Ambassadors Programme Swinley Handicap Chase is at 3.00. It is a Grade 3 contest run over 3 miles.
Top weight is Paul Nicholls’s Threeunderthrufive who has been very close to winning on both his runs this season. He is a previous Graded winner in novice company but 12 stone is a lot to carry around here.
Dan Skelton’s Victtorino won twice here in this grade last year but disappointed at Cheltenham last month. Back at his favourite track, he is expected to put up a better show.
There’s a lot to like about Dan Skelton’s Shan Blue on past form but he had not shown that this season being pulled up on his first two outings. He showed improvement here at Ascot in December but more is required.
Gary Moore’s Larry won at Plumpton last month and is a dual Ascot winner but this is a big step up in class.
I like Jonjo O’Neill’s Iron Bridge who showed a marked increase in form when finishing second in the Welsh National at Chepstow in December and looked to be getting to the form he showed earlier in his career but he is expected to go to Haydock.
I will also mention Henry Daly’s Rapper whose run was too bad to be true when I tipped him two weeks ago. He can be placed at a big price.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Haydock. Red Risk
3.15 Haydock. Famous Bridge
2.25 Ascot. Teddy Blue
3.00 Ascot. Victtorino
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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