Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Two-year-olds take centre stage at Newmarket this Saturday with three races for them to contest in preparation for next year’s Classics. There are two Group 1s and a Group 2, and Aidan O’Brien sends some of his stable stars to do battle with the best that Ed Walker, Charlie Appleby and George Boughey have to offer.
But that’s not all at Newmarket, as the card also features one of the top handicaps of the season, the Cambridgeshire, which I have reviewed below.
The second meeting being covered by ITV Racing is at Haydock, from where three cracking handicaps are being televised, and they offer some excellent chances of finding some value bets.
So seven races in all on television this week, four of which are handicaps. Here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.40 Newmarket. Tribal Chief
2.05 Haydock. Duran
2.40 Haydock. Woven
3.15 Hay dock. Principality
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
I will start at Newmarket with the 3:40, the bet365 Cambridgeshire. This Class 2 Heritage Handicap is run over 1m 1f of the Rowley Mile and always attracts a big field. High draw numbers have held sway over the last several years but last year on soft going the winner came from Stall 4, this year’s going is predicted to be Good.
Three-year-olds dominate the market, and the current favourite this year is Simon and Ed Crisford’s Treble Tee, who won easily at Doncaster two weeks ago after being runner-up on his two previous outings. He has a 4lbs penalty for that victory and is not well drawn in Stall 7.
The other market leader is John and Thady Gosden’s Fifth Column, who won at York in August, his fourth win of the season, and he is well drawn in Stall 18.
Karl Burke won this last year, and he has the two top weights in the handicap, Boiling Point and Thunder Run, and it’s Thunder Run that interests me most after winning at York in May. His latest run was in a Listed race, and he drops back in trip after that effort. But he’s badly drawn in Stall 5.
Ed Walker’s Fort George won over this course in May, and he won easily at Newbury in August. He is upped in class here and is drawn 10.
David Menuisier’s Tribal Chief is drawn well in Stall 20 and, after his Goodwood win last month, is my idea of the winner. He beat Treble Tee that day, and a bold run is expected.
Moving to Haydock and the first race on the card is the 2.05 the Ambassador Cruise Line Handicap a Class 2 race run over the sharp, straight 5 furlongs. The top weight here is Gemma Duffy’s Blue Storm, who is a course and distance winner. He had his first run in 10 months when finishing 6th here earlier this month. He is expected to come on for that run, but has plenty of weight.
Richard Fahey’s Vintage Clarets has had a busy season, running 11 times and winning once. He ran a good second at Southwell last week, but looks too high in the weights.
Rod Millman’s Woolhampton has taken a while to get going this season, but has won her last two. Her latest run at Ascot was very pleasing, coming from off the pace. She can go close but may be thwarted for her hat-trick.
Christopher Mason’s All Ways Glamorous has run consistently well all season, winning twice and finishing runner-up on four occasions. He was second to Woolhampton last time and is 4 lbs better off here.
Tim Easterby’s I’m Next won at Musselburgh this month, but this is a big step up in class.
I like Nigel Tinkler’s Duran, who was a course and distance winner in May. He beat some good horses last time at Doncaster but just failed to peg back the winner. I see the race as between him and All Ways Glamorous, and Duran just gets the nod.
The Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap is at 2.40. This is a Class 3 race run over the straight 6 furlongs. Steph Hollinshead’s Angel Shared will be highly fancied for this after three victories on the bounce, all at Newmarket, but those wins have come in Class 4 contests, and this is a step up in class.
Ralph Beckett’s Topwarrior has run consistently well all season against lower-class opposition, winning just once back in April. He needs to show improvement.
Richard Hannon’s two runners, Wheels Of Fire and Wild Clary, have both shown bits of form, with the latter probably the best of the pair.
William Haggas’s horses should be respected in races of this nature, and he runs Realign, who won at Salisbury in May and has run in Class 2 races since without success. He drops back in class here and can go close.
But the stand-out class horse in the race is Michael Dods’ Woven, who won this race last year. His run at Ayr last week shows he retains his finishing quality when only beaten a neck in a Class 2. He can go one better here.
At 3.15, it is the Oddschecker Handicap, a Class 2 contest run over a mile, where Platoon makes his seasonal reappearance with top weight of 10st. He is now trained by Stella Barclay, but last season was a different matter. He was in the stable of Aidan O’Brien and won his maiden at Leopardstown last August, doing handstands.
The following month, he ran third in a Listed race at Dundalk and was then moved on to his present trainer. He ran at Newcastle in a Listed race in November and finished last of 10. He has obviously had his problems, and I wouldn’t put anyone having a small e/w wager on him. But he has plenty of weight and is probably best watched.
Hamad Al Jebani’s Midnight Gun won twice last season but has not fired this year. He ran a disappointing 6th when favourite for the Lincoln back in March and has not been seen since. If he is fully fit after that Lincoln run, he will take all the beating, but he is another best watched.
Hugo Palmer’s Hawksbill has been second on four occasions this year and is proving expensive to follow.
Richard Hannon’s Christian David had his first run of the year at Newbury and got home by a short-head after a sustained battle. This race may come a little too soon after that.
Karl Burke’s First Ambition’s two wins have come in lowly contests, and this is a step up in class.
Against all these, Harry Eustace’s Principality is on a good weight mark. He won at Goodwood in July, then ran a fair 5th in a hot contest at Doncaster earlier this month, putting him spot on for this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.40 Newmarket. Tribal Chief
2.05 Haydock. Duran
2.40 Haydock. Woven
3.15 Hay dock. Principality
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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