Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Plenty of racing on ITV this Saturday with ten races being televised from three different venues. Unfortunately, the quality of the racing leaves something to be desired. The cards are dominated by novice contests, several of which are mares-only races, with only two chases in the schedule.
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The main meeting is at Newbury with five races being covered by ITV Racing, three of which are novice hurdles, one Class 2 chase, and a National Hunt flat race. Kelso holds the finals of the Go North series of races with three hurdle contests and a novice chase.
Finally, I am delighted to see a Class 2 handicap hurdle being covered from Bangor-on-Dee, a lovely course in North Wales, which is usually overlooked by television schedules. So plenty of racing to look forward to with some very tricky contests being covered, and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. Heltenham
3.00 Newbury. Getawhisky
2.40 Kelso. Bridge Court
3.20 Bangor. The Four Sixes
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Newbury with the 2.25, the BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase is a Class 2 contest to be run over 2m 4f. Paul Nicholls’s Twinjets started this season with two victories in Class 2 contests, but has since run in Graded company and failed to finish on both occasions.
Nicholls also runs Knappers Hill, who has returned to racing this season after a two-year break. He is a past Graded winner but has yet to show past form.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith’s Prairie Wolf has won twice this season, including at Newcastle last month. A bold run is expected.
Joe Tizzard’s Scarface always runs an honest race but has been unable to get his head in front this season, despite finishing runner-up on two occasions.
I think Dan Skelton’s Heltenham can add to his tally of victories here. He was last seen winning a Grade 3 at Newbury last month and should have enough in the locker to be successful.
Newbury’s 3.00 is the BetVictor British EBF “NH” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. This is a Grade 2 Limited Handicap run over 2m 4 1/2f. This is a very competitive handicap, which is the final of a set of qualifying contests where a mare has to have finished in the first six of a qualifying race.
Alan King’s Charisma Cat, who won at Chepstow in January, has run second on her other three outings this season. Last term, she won a Listed NHF at Sandown.
There are better handicapped horses in this race. Ben Pauling’s Betty’s Daisy won at Ludlow in December, then ran a good second at Warwick the following month. Another with plenty of weight.
Chester Williams’s Indannya has won twice this season at Warwick and earlier this month at Wincanton. A bold run is expected.
Fergal O’Brien has two contenders in this: Strong Run and Edith Pelham. The former won at Southwell in December, then ran second at Wincanton the following month. More is required to feature here.
Edith Pelham had previously run behind Charisma Cat and Betty’s Daisy but ran on strongly to hold on at Southwell earlier this month.
Nicky Henderson’s Fresh As A Daisy ran second behind Indannya at Warwick last December and has not been seen since. I think she may go close.
I also like Henry Daly’s Trinity Street, who has finished close up behind Charisma Cat on her last two runs. She gets 12lbs from that mare here. She can hit the frame.
But my preference is for Dan Skelton’s Getawhisky, who won at Windsor in January in a Class 2. That was very good form.
Moving north to Kelso for the BetWright Novices Handicap Chase, a Class 2 Series Final run over 2m 5 1/2f. The favourite and top weight is Dan Skelton’s Diamond Dealer, who won here at Kelso and at Chepstow earlier in the season. His latest run was at Wetherby in February, where he was only beaten a short head. A bold run is expected, but he has plenty of weight.
Oliver Greenall and J Guerriero’s My Noble Lord won a Class 4 at Uttoxeter in January. This is tougher.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith’s Glen Road won here at Kelso in December. He ran a good second at Sandown earlier this month, showing his fitness.
Rebecca Menzies runs Always A Reason, who won at Catterick and Newcastle in January. Since then, he disappointed at Newcastle in February, finishing only 5th in a Class 4 race.
At the bottom of the handicap is Sam England’s Defence Witness, who has shown some touches of form in lowly contests, winning once at Catterick. A major improvement would be required to figure here.
I like local trainer Sandy Thomson’s Bridge Court, who won easily at Musselburgh last month after a couple of runner-up spots on his CV earlier in the season. He can go in again off a low weight.
From Scotland to Wales and the 3.20 at Bangor-on-Dee, which is the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap Hurdle, this is a Class 2 race run over 2m 3 1/2f. Dan Skelton has horses at either end of the handicap.
At the top is Knickerbockerglory, who ran second at Sandown in December. At the bottom is In The Age, who won a Class 4 at Catterick on New Year’s Day, then ran second at Uttoxeter later in the month. This is a major step up in class.
Robert Walford’s Aurigny Mill won at Taunton in February to add to his previous wins. He can go close.
Deborah Cole’s Magistrato has won three times this season during the summer and ran in a Grade 3 at Wetherby last October finishing 4th of 6. This is his first run since then, and he is probably best watched.
Donald McCain’s Static is the current favourite after being placed at Kelso and Huntingdon at the end of last year. He won a Class 4 at Haydock earlier this month, but this is tougher.
I prefer Olly Murphy’s The Four Sixes, who won at Kelso in December. He lost a shoe last week at Kempton, so I will forgive that run and judge him on his early-season form.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. Heltenham
3.00 Newbury. Getawhisky
2.40 Kelso. Bridge Court
3.20 Bangor. The Four Sixes
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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