Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Ascot and Haydock are two of our most prestigious courses, and the television cameras are covering both their cards this week, offering us a feast of racing. There are three races from Ascot on ITV Racing. Two Grade 2s and a Class 2 Handicap, all top-class action. Not to be outdone, the five televised races from Haydock feature three Class 2 contests, a Class 1 Premier Handicap and the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, where Venetia Williams’s Royale Pagaille goes for his third win in this race but last year’s second, Grey Dawning, may lower the 11-year-old’s colours.
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There’s an exciting race in prospect. So here are my thoughts for this week’s best value and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen I’ll move
1.15 Haydock. Florida Dreams
2.25 Haydock. Ma Shantou
3.35 Haydock. Duke Of Deception
3.15 Ascot. Boothill
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Haydock with the 1.15, the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle is a Class 2 race run over 2m 3f. The top weight here is Olly Murphy’s The Four Sixes, who rounded off last season with a couple of victories, then began this term with a win at Wetherby at the end of last month. The rise in the weights may be a problem.
The Skelton’s seem to be carrying all before them, and Dan has Kabral Du Mathan here. He won first time out at Kempton last year and concluded his season with a fine second in a Grade 2 at Ayr. He is another giving plenty of weight away.
Chris Gordon’s Andashan had a run at Newbury earlier this month, finishing third. He is upped in class after that run.
Nicky Richards’s Florida Dreams was second behind The Four Sixes at Ayr in April. He is 3lbs better off here. He has started this season with two runner-up spots and is weighted to go one better here.
The Betfair Stayers Handicap Hurdle is at 2.25 and this Grade 3 Premier Handicap is run over 3m 1/2f. One of the top weights is an Irish raider trained by Charles Byrnes, Shoot First, who won this race last season. He ran down the field in a Grade 3 at Tipperary last month and has 7lbs more to carry than last year.
The other top weight is Nicky Henderson’s Jingko Blue, who won twice last season, then unseated his rider at Ascot in February. This is his seasonal reappearance and he has plenty of weight.
Alan King’s Harbour Lake won here at Haydock last May and is upped in class after that victory.
Dan Skelton runs Ace Of Spades, who won at Aintree last month, adding to two wins from last season. He is moving into the Graded company for the first time.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Sam Thomas’s Doctor Kildare, who has won a couple of small races already this season, but this is tougher.
I like the look of Joe Tizzard’s Hartington, who won a Class 2 at Carlisle earlier this month. He can go close off a low weight, but I just prefer Emma Lavelle’s Ma Shantou, who won comfortably at Cheltenham last month. He looks fully able to make this step up in class.
The 3.35 is the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase. This Class 2 race is run over a distance of 3m 1 1/2f. Nicky Richards’s Famous Bridge and the Twiston-Davies’s Top Of The Bill both have a whopping 12 stones to carry here.
Famous Bridge has won twice here at Haydock in the past and was disqualified last February when being first past the post here after a banned substance was found. He has a huge weight.
Top Of The Bill was a top novice in 2023/24 and won at Ffos Las last March. He is upped in class here.
Sam Thomas’s Shomen Uchi won on his only start last season at Carlisle. He is lightly raced but is very talented, as his record proves, but is another with plenty of weight.
Greenall and Guerriero’s Duke Of Deception is a dual course and distance winner. He won at Kelso in October and is sure to go well here.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith’s Konfusion won at Wetherby earlier this month but is upped in class here.
Saladins Son has won a couple of small races at Wincanton at the end of last season for trainer Anthony Honeyball, this is much tougher. So I fall between Famous Bridge and Duke Of Deception, with the latter getting the nod due to the weights.
For the final leg of this week’s Lucky Fifteen, I’ll move south to Ascot for the 3.15, the Castello Bandinelli Hurst Park Handicap Chase. This Class 2 race is run over 2m 1f. The top weight here is Harry Fry’s Boothill. He is a past triple course and distance winner and was last seen running in a Grade 1 here at Ascot and finishing 5th behind Jonbon. He is a class act.
Joe Tizzard’s Jpr One ran third in a Grade 2 at Exeter earlier this month, beating Venetia Williams’s Martator, who finished 5th.
Dan Skelton’s Calico won first time out at Cheltenham last month, but he has gone up in the handicap, and this looks tougher.
Harry Derham’s Teddy Blue won over this course and distance in a Grade 3 earlier this month, beating Anthony Honeyball’s Gabriel’s Getaway. That form will see him go close.
Paul Nicholls’s Sans Bruit was a disappointing 6th in that race after winning a Grade 3 at the end of last season. He should come on for that run.
While this Ascot race from the beginning of this month is a good guide to form, I will go for class and take Boothill to be successful here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen I’ll move
1.15 Haydock. Florida Dreams
2.25 Haydock. Ma Shantou
3.35 Haydock. Duke Of Deception
3.15 Ascot. Boothill
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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