Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
As is to be expected with Royal Ascot next week, this Saturday’s racing is a bit of a curate’s egg – good in parts. We have three meetings on offer with the main one being at York where ITV are covering four races, three of which are handicaps and a Listed race. The highlight is probably the first race on the card the Queen Mother’s Cup for lady riders. This race is always a great spectacle.
The York meeting is backed up by two races from Sandown Park, a handicap and a Listed race, then one handicap round the tight turns of the Roodee at Chester. So from these seven races, I have looked for the best value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.00 York. Saratoga Gold
2.35 York. Darkness
3.40 York. Catch The Paddy
2.15 Sandown. Bodorgan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at York with the 2.00 the Queen Mother’s Cup Handicap a 1m 4f race for female amateur jockeys. This race is frequently about the jockey and not the horse ever since Princess Anne rode the winner of the inaugural running of it way back in the 1980s.
Last year’s winner was ridden by Alice Stevens for trainer Ian Williams and she will be all out to do it again for the same trainer aboard Dream Harder who won at Wolverhampton in February and he finished like a train to grab fourth at Chester last month, he will go well.
Adrian Keatley’s Kihavah is fancied after winning last time out here at York, Miss J Townend gets the ride.
Tim Easterby’s Bollin Margaret won at Thirsk earlier this month following a good second at Redcar. She is a horse in form and Emily Easterby gets the ride. She has every chance.
But I like the joint top weight Saratoga Gold trained by Charles Hills who ran up a treble last season and has had a prep run at Newmarket last month finishing third. He has Kayleigh Stephens aboard and she takes 5lbs off due to her allowance giving her every chance.
The Sky Bet Handicap run over 7 furlongs is at 2.35 where Michael and David Easterby have the probable favourite with Eligible who was a course and distance winner last month but steps up in class here.
Katie Scott’s Gweedore has joint top weight. He ran poorly here last month and all his wins have come North of the Border.
Geoffrey Harker’s Scottish Summit was a fine winner at Thirsk last month beating three rivals he meets again here. I would expect him to confirm those placings but he looks high enough in the weights.
One of those he beat has raced again since. Karl Burke’s Liamarty Dreams won at Musselburgh after fighting back after being headed but this is much tougher.
Richard Fahey’s Indian Falcon won a small race at Pontefract in April but then could finish only fourth In another Class 5 at Haydock.
David O’Meara’s Darkness seems to be the answer here after finishing as unlucky runner-up in his last two contests one of which was a Group 2. He deserves to come out on top and this looks like a fine opportunity.
The 3.40 is the Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap, a 6-furlong Class 2 contest with no fewer than 22 runners where the draw usually favours the high numbers.
I like one of Kevin Ryan’s three runners, Washington Heights who ran second twice in May, both times at Newmarket. However, his low draw (5) puts me off.
James Horton runs Pure Angel who was second at Goodwood last month but he steps up in class here. The probable favourite will be Stuart Williams’s Quinault who has run up a four-timer including a Class 2 at Newmarket. He should go well from stall 20 and hit the frame.
Andrew Balding’s Chasseral has the desired stall 22 draw but despite a couple of decent runs this term, he needs to show improvement.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Buccabay is not without a chance on his Newmarket run in May and might hit the frame.
Kevin Ryan’s Quintus Arrius has won a couple of small contests this term. He is well-drawn in stall 17 but this is a big step up in class.
I will go for another Ryan entry, Catch The Paddy, who won here last season and was a fine second here last month. His draw in stall 18 means if he can go out on the B of the bang, he can come home first.
At Sandown, the 2.15 is the Teddington Handicap run over a mile. The top weight here is Amy Murphy’s Magical Morning who is a course and distance winner. He has been running over distances further than this race in better-class contests in France and Dubai without success.
Helm Rock trained by Daniel and Claire Kubler was second here at Sandown last month but is upped in class.
Sir Michael Stoute sends out New Dimension for his seasonal reappearance. This lightly raced individual ran just three times last season without success.
I like Charlie Johnston’s Dutch Decoy but he is having a miserable season to date. His best run was last time at Epsom where he ran a fine second.
But my preference is for the bottom-weight Bodorgan trained by Charles Hills. His first run of the season was at Haydock last month where he was staying on to finish fifth. He will have come on for that run and has the ability to take this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.00 York. Saratoga Gold
2.35 York. Darkness
3.40 York. Catch The Paddy
2.15 Sandown. Bodorgan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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