Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s the last hurrah for the jumps season as it comes to a conclusion with the usual Sandown meeting, and there are four races being covered by ITV from the Esher course.
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These consist of a Class 2 handicap and three Class 1s, one of which is the Grade 1 Celebration Chase, where Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon will be trying to win it for the third time. This final meeting of the season is backed up by two flat races, a Class 2 handicap from Leicester and a similar race from Haydock Park, both of which I’ve reviewed below.
So here are my thoughts for the best value this week, along with my Lucky Fifteen, wishing everyone good luck for the forthcoming flat season.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Sandown. Ambient Friendly
3.30 Sandown. Road To Home
2.05 Leicester. Annaf
2.35 Haydock. Cerulean Bay
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Sandown with the 1.45, the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle, this is a Class 2 race run over 2 miles. This is a very open contest with several of these horses in with an excellent chance.
Dan Skelton’s Kadastral is the current favourite after showing good form throughout the season, including winning at Newbury in December, and the Champion Trainer will be hoping for another pot here.
Top weight is Chris Gordon’s Cosmic Connection, who has won twice over hurdles this season, including earlier this month at Chepstow.
Olly Murphy’s Wilstar has won on his last two outings. I expect him to go well, but this is tougher.
Paul Nicholls’s Minella Yoga has won three times this season, latterly at Taunton earlier this month. I expect him to go well.
Olly Murphy’s Next Twist won at Ayr in February and has had a break since in preparation for this.
David Pipe’s Way Of Stars has improved each time he has run, and his victory at Taunton was particularly pleasing. He should go very close.
But I take a chance with a complete outsider, that is, James Owen’s Ambient Friendly. The manner of his victory at Huntingdon showed him to be a brave fighter. Some give in the ground will help.
At 3.30, it is the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 3m 4 1/2f. The top weight here is last year’s winner of this race, Olly Murphy’s Resplendent Grey, who ran in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival and finished a disappointing 15th and tailed off. He has 26lbs more to carry here than last year.
Willie Mullins runs Road To Home, who finished a close second behind Cath Williams’s Ask Brewster in an Amateur rider’s handicap at the Festival.
Ask Brewster was 10lbs better off that day here it is only 2lbs.
Fergal O’Brien’s In d’Or has run just twice this season, finishing 3rd on both occasions. Here at Sandown in December and at Ascot in January.
Gary & Josh Moore’s Havaila has won twice recently, at Newbury last month and Plumpton this month. He is obviously in form and expected to go well.
The form horse in the race is Tom Lacey’s Montregard, who has won three times this season, latterly in a Grade 3 at Ascot in February. A bold run is expected.
I side with Mullins’s Road To Home on the strength of his run at Cheltenham and his previous early season form.
Moving to Leicester and the 2.05, the Caffreys Black Stout King Richard III Cup Handicap, this is a Class 2 contest run over 6 furlongs. Joey Ramsden’s Ten Pounds won a couple of Class 2s last season and has run in two all-weather races to get himself in shape for the coming season.
Clive Cox’s Fast Track Harry has won two races on the all-weather already this term, but he disappointed at Kempton last month.
Heather Main’s Zoulu Chief won a Class 4 at Wolverhampton last November. He ran 3rd at Lingfield in January and has had a break since.
Richard & Peter Fahey’s Strike Red was only beaten one length at Newcastle earlier this month. He can improve on that and hit the frame.
I can see no further than the class horse in the race, Michael Appleby’s Annaf, who won a Group 3 last October at Ascot. He is a previous winner of four Class 1s, and his runs this year have been in a Group 2 at Riyadh and a Listed race at Doncaster. He didn’t get a clear run on both occasions, but this drop back to handicap company should prove no problem despite top weight.
Finally, the 2.35 at Haydock is the William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap, which is a 7-furlong Class 2 handicap. Top weight is an Australian import, Henlein, trained by Kevin Ryan. He is probably best watched on his first run in the UK.
Jack Channon’s Sarab Star won two races on the all-weather last season but ran down the field at Newcastle earlier this month.
Charlie Fellowes’s Cosi Bello won twice on the all-weather a year ago, then in June ran second at Chester and fourth at Ascot in July. This is his first run since, and Fellowes is sure to have him spot on to go close.
Karl Burke’s Marshman has had three runs on the all-weather this term without success. He reverts to turf having won a Group 3 at Chantilly back in 2023.
I like David O’Meara’s Cerulean Bay, who is a past course and distance winner. He won twice last autumn at Goodwood and finished his season running third in a Listed race. That sort of form is good enough to be successful here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Sandown. Ambient Friendly
3.30 Sandown. Road To Home
2.05 Leicester. Annaf
2.35 Haydock. Cerulean Bay
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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