Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We are in the betwixt and between seasons after Cheltenham with the first big flat meeting of the year at Doncaster this week and the Grand National, which signals the end of the jump season in three weeks’ time.
So ITV Racing have a mixture of codes this week with three races over the sticks from Newbury and one from Bangor-on-Dee, all handicaps. Meanwhile, on the flat at Town Moor, there are a couple of Listed races, a Novice Stakes and two handicaps, one of which is the Lincoln and the other a consolation race for those who didn’t get into the main race proper.
So nine races to look forward to this Saturday, and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Bangor-on-Dee. Uncle Bert
2.10 Newbury. Idy Wood
2.25 Doncaster. Thunder War
3.35 Doncaster. Johan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin with a little seen track on ITV Racing, Bangor-on-Dee, this pretty course in North Wales starts off the day’s racing on television with it’s 1.30 the DragonBet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle a Class 2 contest run over 2m 3 1/2f. The top weight and one of the favourites is Donald McCain’s Jungle Jack, who won this race last year but has 11 lbs extra this time. He ran a close second at Kelso last month but has plenty of weight here.
Pushing him for favouritism is Olly Murphy’s Pickanumber, who has recently won two lowly races at Lingfield and Catterick, but he steps up in both class and distance here.
Jennie Candlish’s Cheddleton won a small race at Newcastle last month but meets better opponents here.
I like Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Uncle Bert, who has won twice this season, including last time out at Wetherby. He gets on well with his young apprentice rider, who is booked to ride him again.
I will also mention Tom Symonds’ Llandinabo Lad, who has not been seen since running at Ascot last November prior to that race, he ran a good second at Ludlow. He can be placed at a nice price.
At Newbury, the Bet In-Play On Racing With BetVictor Novices Handicap Hurdle is a Class 3 race run over 2m 3f. Judging by the entrants, this race is going to be hotly contested, with all the horses being previous winners in the lineup.
One of the top weights is Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Spirits Bay, who has won twice at Exeter this year, but his high weight is against him in this class.
The other top weight is the Hobbs and White Into The Park, who has also won twice this year at Taunton, and here at Newbury, he can hit the frame once again.
We have an Irish raider here in the shape of SRB Crawford’s I Love My Baie, who won in December at Ayr. He ran down the field last time in a Grade 2 at Doncaster he drops down in class and is a big threat.
Paul Nicholls sends Onethreefovenotout who won a modest contest at Wincanton last month, more is required here.
Dan Skelton’s pair of runners, Home Free and Kartoon And Co, both look handy, but the latter, as a young 4-year-old, interests me, and I shall have my eye on him for the future. Let’s see how he gets on here.
But my preference is for Jamie Snowden’s Idy Wood who has won twice and has not been out of the frame this season. His latest run at Kempton last month was in a Grade 2 and he was not disgraced. He can add to his tally here.
Moving north to Doncaster’s flat meeting and the 2.25 William Hill Spring Mile Handicap a Class2 race run over a mile is a consolation race for those who didn’t get in the Lincoln proper.
Gemma Tutty’s Look Back Smiling is one of the top weights, he won here at Doncaster last October and should go well.
Dylan Cunha’s Dirty Old Town was a winner at Newmarket last November at a big price. That was his first win for over two years he may struggle here.
Wildfell, trained by Fell and Murray, won over this course and distance last June but has shown little on the all-weather this year.
Gary Moore’s Magic Memories won a small race at Brighton last October then finished his season with a good third at Newmarket in November.
My idea of the winner is Coyne and Woods’ Thunder Roar. This horse won twice last October at York and here at Doncaster he has had a prep run this month on the all-weather at Southwell finishing a fair third. He will be fit and ready for this.
We come to the big race of the day at 3.35 the William Hill Lincoln, a Class 2 race run over Doncaster’s straight mile. Top weight is last year’s winner, Migration, trained by David Menuisier, who was tried unsuccessfully in Class 1s after that victory and ran poorly in an Ascot handicap in October.
That Ascot race was won by Charlie Johnston’s The Gatekeeper and a repetition of that form would see him go very close.
One of two Irish runners is JA Stack’s Chazzesmee, who won the Irish Lincolnshire championship at the Curragh on Monday. This would be a quick return to the races, but if he’s in that sort of form, why not? He can go very close.
Kevin Ryan’s Chuzzlewit is fit from his runs on the all-weather and he won last week at Newcastle, this is much tougher.
The Crisford’s run last year’s runner-up Awaal, who disappointed during the rest of last season and failed to get his head in front.
I like Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane who won over this course and distance last September. He can go very close.
But my vote goes to the 2022 winner, Johan. He raced just twice last season, winning a big handicap at Goodwood in August and then finishing down the field at Redcar in October. He goes well fresh for trainer Jack Channon and is the selection.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Bangor-on-Dee. Uncle Bert
2.10 Newbury. Idy Wood
2.25 Doncaster. Thunder War
3.35 Doncaster. Johan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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