Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We have seven races from three different courses being televised on ITV this week but are still having to deal with small fields as Cheltenham looms large on the horizon. Just one race is being shown from Wincanton, the Kingwell Hurdle, which has attracted only six runners and looks a shoe-in for Goshen to continue his winning ways on his way to the Festival.
Haydock has two races being shown, including the Grand National Trial which has some old favourites in the field.
At Ascot, there are four contests on offer, including the Betfair Chase but a small field precludes it as an each-way punter betting medium as the Irish raider Fakir d’Oudairies seems to to have frightened off a lot of the home contenders, but there are still currently 8 runners enabling me to add it to this week’s bet.
I have trawled through the other races to try and find some value for this week’s Lucky Fifteen and here are my thoughts.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Ascot. Fortescue
3.00 Ascot. Highway One O Two
3.35 Ascot. Fakir d’Oudairies
2.40 Haydock. Secret Reprieve
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The 2.25 at Ascot is The Great British Stallion Showcase 2022 Swinley Chase a three-mile Listed race. Top weight and current favourite is Colin Tizzard’s Fiddlerontheroof who finished second on his last outing back in November at Newbury. Before that, he won at Carlisle in October and is a very consistent sort but invariably finds one too good.
Nicky Henderson’s Caribean Boy won at Kempton in January but did fall here at Ascot on his previous outing in December.
Ask Me Early trained by Harry Fry has won both his races this season at Exeter and Chepstow but this step up to Listed company may be a step too far.
I have liked Gary Moore’s Larry ever since he won here at Ascot last October but he hasn’t lived up to that promise, perhaps he could get back on track here.
But I just prefer Henry Daly’s Fortescue who ran a fine third in a Grade 2 race at Haydock last month. He seems to run well at this time of year and the stable is firing well, so he may well be able to take his chance here.
The 3.00 is the Dingley’s Promise Handicap Hurdle run at just under two and a half miles. There is a warm favourite here in Sam Thomas’s Good Risk At All who was a star in bumpers last season but has had to settle for a runner-up spot in his three outings this season.
Paul Nicholls’s Cap Du Mathan won at Taunton last month, that was his only run to date this season and he steps up in class here.
Zacony Rebel is another who steps up in class after a couple of victories for trainer Toby Lawes but he may be placed.
Jamie Snowden’s Up For Parol won well at Haydock in December but failed to follow that up at Kempton last month finishing down the field in sixth.
The horse that was second in that Kempton race was Chris Gordon’s Highway One O Two and that was a fine run after a victory at Taunton the previous month. Gordon is getting a fine tune from him and if he continues with this run of form, he can run out the winner here.
The Betfair Ascot Chase is at 3.35 and I was quite surprised to see all eight declared runners stand their ground at the 48hr stage. That was because Joseph O’Brien’s Irish raider Fakir d’Oudairies has returned to the UK to plunder another one of our big prices after winning the Marsh Chase at Aintree last April. He had been second in the Ryanair at the Festival the previous month and he is one of the favourites for that race again.
Dashel Drasher trained by Jeremy Scott loves Ascot but has not yet seemed to fire with his usual enthusiasm this season. On his latest outing last month at Lingfield, he was caught in the final strides by Kim Bailey’s Two For Gold, who has shown good form this season with two wins and is looking to fulfil his promise shown as a novice two years ago.
Venetia Williams’s Fanion d’Estruval has proved himself a Newbury horse by winning twice there. He was a close second here at Ascot last month giving away a stone to the winner in a hot handicap but improvement is needed here.
Paul Nicholls’s Saint Calvados is an interesting contender stepping down in trip after being unsuccessful over 3 miles on his last three outings.
Nicky Henderson’s Mister Fisher cannot be discounted after his win at Kempton last month, but I can see no further than O’Brien’s Ryanair contender.
Moving north to Haydock the 2.40 is the William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase run at just over three and a half miles where Bristol de Mai returns to the track he loves.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ grey has won here five times but with 11st 12lbs to carry it’s a big ask for him to add to that score but this crowd favourite will get a great reception.
Three of these protagonists met in the Peter Marsh Chase here at Haydock last month Sam Brown, Kalooki and Lord Du Mesnil – Anthony Honeyball’s Sam Brown finished a fine second and can confirm that placing over the other two but may have to settle for a place once again.
Dan Skelton’s Blaklion belied his advancing years winning twice at Haydock in December. However, he will find himself up against better opponents here.
Evan Williams’s Secret Reprieve was trained to the minute for last year’s Grand National then failed to get in by one place. Something similar could happen again but he can take this as some sort of compensation. He won the Welsh National in 2020 and was 5th in the same race in December. Williams will have him ready for this then have his fingers crossed he gets in at Aintree.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Ascot. Fortescue
3.00 Ascot. Highway One O Two
3.35 Ascot. Fakir d’Oudairies
2.40 Haydock. Secret Reprieve
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Related Reading