Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
As the jumps season trundles towards its finale at Aintree in three weeks’ time, we have some pretty dour meetings to get through before then and this Saturday shows that. The ITV cameras are at two courses this week, Kelso and Newbury, the Scottish course will have four races televised all of which are handicaps.
Meanwhile, there are three more handicaps being shown from Newbury with just one chase from each course for our enjoyment. So I have looked through these seven races and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Newbury. Inneston
2.05 Newbury. The Big Bite
2.40 Newbury. Let’s Go To Vegas
3.35 Kelso. Half Shot
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
We have got some decent fields at Newbury so there should be some value to be obtained. The first race on the card is at 1.30 the BetVictor Novices Handicap Hurdle a 2m 3f contest where top weight is Paul Nicholls’s Toothless who was a very short price when winning at Wincanton at the beginning of March, this is tougher.
There’s a lot to like about Gary Moore’s Inneston who has been the model of consistency this season. He won at Sandown in February then ran a fine second at the same course in a Grade 3 contest earlier this month.
Tom Lacey’s Blow Your Wad won a small race at Kempton in November and connections felt he was good enough to enter him in a Grade1 at Sandown in January but he was beaten by almost 70 lengths. He reverts to handicap company here.
Kerry Lee’s Atlanta Brave is worth a mention after two victories. However, he steps up in class here. It’s Inneston for me.
The 2.05 is the BetVictor Handicap Chase run over 2m 4f. The bottom weight Dan Skelton’s Heltenham looks lightly to go off favourite after notching up two victories at Newcastle and Ffos Las but they were low grade contests and this is a big step up in class.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Super Six won by 15 lengths at Haydock in February and a reproduction of that form will see him go close.
Henry Oliver’s The Big Bite is another who won last time. That was here at Newbury in a Grade 3 race and he looks the one to beat now he drops to handicap company.
Alan King’s Messire Des Obeaux is over his bruised foot and is fancied by his trainer but he has risen in the handicap after his victory at Warwick in February so The Big Bite gets the nod.
The BetVictor Meres Novices Hurdle is at 2.40 and there’s a big field to take on the 2m 4 1/2f.
Joe Tizzard’s Ilovethenightlife has top weight after winning a small contest at Doncaster.
Ruby Island trained by Mark Walford is next in the weights and the probable favourite after wins at Ayr and Wetherby but she disappointed last time at Ayr when she was just touched off after going off as odds-on favourite.
Chris Gordon’s Presenting A Queen has been very consistent this term but has only won once and that was back in October. She may be placed here.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Anthony Honeyball’s Fortuna Ligna who has been knocking on the door in some low-rated handicaps. She could spring a surprise and be placed at a nice price.
I like Alastair Ralph’s Let’s Go To Vegas who has won twice this season latterly at Ludlow over 3 miles so she should have the stamina for this.
The last televised race is the 3.35 at Kelso, the BetVictor Handicap Chase a 3m2f contest. Anthony Honeyball’s Forward Plan will probably go off favourite who has won three of his last four but this is a step up in class.
Sandy Thomson has a good record here at Kelso and he has Doyen Breed and Hill Sixteen here. The latter looks the best of the pair and he can go close. But another trainer who likes this course is Iain Jardine and he has bottom weight Half Shot in the lineup. He was unlucky here at the beginning of the month when only beaten a head after making a Horlicks of the second last. He can gain recompense here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.30 Newbury. Inneston
2.05 Newbury. The Big Bite
2.40 Newbury. Let’s Go To Vegas
3.35 Kelso. Half Shot
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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