Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
After Aintree, it’s Ayr and the Scottish Grand National and there’s a cracking lineup for this prestigious race. The rest of the card looks pretty tasty too.
There is a Novices handicap chase and a Grade 2 Future Champion Novices Chase where Emma Lavelle’s Hang In There looks to continue his winning ways. His major blot this season was when pulling up at Cheltenham last October on his penultimate start he needs good conditions and is liable to get them here.
The other race on the card is the Scottish Champion Hurdle which is run as a handicap and I’ve reviewed that below.
There is also a flat meeting at Newbury being televised with a further four races on offer and the big betting race there is the Spring Cup on the straight mile.
So both codes are represented this week on ITV and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Ayr. Sail Away
2.25 Ayr. Nemean Lion
3.35 Ayr. Monbeg Genius
3.15 Newbury. Jimi Hendrix
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first televised race at Ayr is the 1.50 the CPMS Novices Champion Handicap Chase, a 3 mile contest. The top weight and current favourite here is Nicky Henderson’s City Chief after winning his last two races. The latest win was in February in a four-runner contest where he had little to beat once the odds-on favourite had pulled up.
Joe Tizzard’s Oscar Elite won at Ascot in February then put up a bold show to finish fifth in the Ultima at the Festival just 14 lengths behind Corach Rambler but he may be high enough in the weights here.
Forward Plan has had a fine season for trainer Anthony Honeyball winning on three occasions but he is upped in class here and may find these too good.
N W Alexander’s Ned Tanner is another who has put in some good performances this term and ran well again last month at Haydock finishing second to a top-class performer. He could be placed at a nice price.
But my idea of the winner is Dan Skelton’s Sail Away who will appreciate good ground. He ran a good second at Chepstow last month on ground that didn’t suit. That was his first run for 10 months and should put him spot on for this.
The Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle is at 2.25 and this 2-mile handicap sees the return of last year’s winner Anna Bunina who is trained in Ireland by John McConnell. She seems to want good ground as both her wins this season were in May and July she has been unsuccessful in six attempts since. Latterly, she was seven lengths behind the winner in a Grade 3 contest at the Cheltenham Festival. She is sure to go close here once again.
There is another Irish raider with another excellent chance and that is Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard who has been lightly raced this season. He ran a fine second in early March at Kelso.
Another lightly raced contender is Jonjo O’Neill’s Soaring Glory who showed great promise when winning the Betfair Hurdle in 2021. He has disappointed this term and is probably best watched.
Paul Nicholls has a highly rated contender with Rubaud a winner of three novice hurdles this season. He can be placed in this.
But it’s another novice that’s caught my eye and that is Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion who won a top-class Grade 2 hurdle at Kelso in early March he can add to that victory.
At 3.35 it is the Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase run over 4 miles. Top weight is Nicky Henderson’s Dusart who won here under a big weight last April since then he has run just twice both times at Cheltenham finishing sixth of eight and being pulled up. He will be suited by the going but his weight is a big factor.
Christian Williams saddled last year’s winner and hopes to do the same again with Kitty’s Light who won the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February, this is tougher.
Malina Girl is an Irish raider trained by Gavin Cromwell who has had a fine season in Ireland winning three times including her latest race earlier this month at Downpatrick but she is only a six-year-old and is untried at this distance.
After winning at Aintree last week, one of Lucinda Russell’s entrants for Ayr’s equivalent is fancied and that is Your Own Story. He has run consistently well all season but has only won once at Wetherby last month. He seems to find one or two too good too often.
His stablemate Mighty Thunder won this in 2021 but his form has fallen off a cliff since that win. However, he has dropped down the weights and could spring a surprise and be placed at a nice price.
Paul Nicholls’s Flash Collonges won a small race at Newbury in early March in preparation for this and is expected to put up a bold show.
But I like Jonjo O’Neill’s Monbeg Genius who ran a very good third in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival. He usually keeps his best runs for Chepstow but perhaps he can move some of that Welsh magic up to Scotland.
For this week’s last leg of the Lucky Fifteen, I will change codes and move south to Newbury for the 3.15-the BetGoodwin Spring Cup Handicap run over the straight mile. William Haggas’s Lattam is the bookies’ choice after his victory at the Curragh last month. He is expected to put up a bold show.
Richard Spencer’s Revich made a poor start to this campaign in heavy ground at Doncaster earlier this month. He can go better as the going improves but maybe not here.
The Gosdens run The King’s horse Saga. He ran well last season without getting his nose in front.
Roger Teal’s Bear Force One won on the all-weather at Kempton at the beginning of this month. More is required here. However, he may well hit the frame.
I will give another chance to my Lincoln tip, Ralph Beckett’s Jimi Hendrix. The ground was against him that day and he was not given a hard race when beaten at halfway. He has a perfect draw (4) and he should be better suited by the going.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Ayr. Sail Away
2.25 Ayr. Nemean Lion
3.35 Ayr. Monbeg Genius
3.15 Newbury. Jimi Hendrix
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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