Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
All eyes are on the North of England this Saturday with ITV Racing concentrating their cameras on meetings at Newcastle and York. The big betting race of the day is at Newcastle, the Northumberland Plate, aka the Pitman’s Derby.
There are five races being televised from Gosforth Park, including a Group 3 and four Class 2 handicaps. Just 80 miles down the A19 to York, and ITV are covering a further three races from there. The are a Group 3 and a couple of handicaps.
So, although we haven’t got the class we saw last week at Ascot, we have got plenty of competitive racing with six handicaps on offer, and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.40 Newcastle. Aramram
3.15 Newcastle. Who’s Glen
3.45 Newcastle. Eldrickjones
3.00 York. Azure Angel
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Newcastle with the 1.40, the JenningsBet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap is a 6-furlong Class 2 handicap. The current favourite here is Simon & Ed Crisford’s Durham Castle, who won at Windsor earlier this month. He moves up in weight but is expected to go well off his still relatively low weight.
James Fanshawe’s Fresh is having his first run of the year, but he has become something of an Ascot specialist these days.
Richard Fahey’s Strike Red is a dual course and distance winner but has not fired so far this season. Could this be his date for this astute trainer?
James Ferguson’s Drama won at Kempton last month – his third win at that track – but this looks much tougher.
Last week’s Wokingham 6th comes out again, Richard Hannon’s Aramram, who ran a storming race and finished very fast at Ascot after winning the previous month at Newbury. He is obviously very fit and can carry top weight to victory.
The big betting race of the day is at Newcastle at 3.15, the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate Handicap this is a Class 2 contest run over 2m 1/2f. It is affectionately known as the Pitman’s Derby and is still very popular, as are the Cup races up and down the country, most of which draw large crowds.
Brian Ellison landed a massive gamble last year with Onesmoothoperator. He returns this year with a top weight of 12 pounds more than he carried last season. He has wintered in Dubai and has run twice at Meydan in Group races with stout success. He has a big ask here.
James Owen’s East India Dock won the Chester Cup in May but was run out of it at Ascot last week.
Pappano is a big Irish hope for Willie Mullins, but this is his first run of the season. He was last seen in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, where he was pulled up.
Simon & Ed Crisford’s Manxman is a very consistent sort. He won at Goodwood in May but found himself short of room at Ascot last week.
Ian Williams’s Dancing In Paris can put up a bold show off his low weight. He is upped in trip here after running a fine third at Goodwood last month.
My preference is for Andrew Balding’s Who’s Glen, who ran second on the all-weather at Kempton in March, then was an unlucky 5th in the Chester Cup in May when short of room to make his run. He can fare better here as a trainer in form.
Newcastle’s 3.45 is the Pertemps Network Handicap. This Class 2 race is run over 7 furlongs. The top weight here is Ralph Beckett’s Grey’s Monument, who won twice last season, including a Listed race at Redcar in October. His latest run was in a Group 3 at Haydock last month, where he was beaten 10 lengths. He drops down in class to try to get his season back on track, but he has a lot of weight to lose.
Saeed Bin Suroor’s City Walk is having his first run in 18 months. He is a past course winner, but is best watched at this stage.
Karl Burke’s Native Warrior could only manage second at Windsor last month after being well backed. More is required.
At the bottom of the handicap is Richard Hughes’s Rare Change, with three victories already to his credit this term, the latest being at Pontefract last month. He steps up in class here but finds himself with a 6lbs penalty.
I like the look of Roger Fell’s Eldrickjones, who is a Newcastle specialist having won here four times, including thrice over this distance. I feel he has a good chance to make the step up in grade here at the expense of Grey’s Monument.
Moving south to York, the 3:00 is the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap. This is a Class 2 contest run over a sharp 5 furlongs on the Knavesmire.
The current favourite is William Knight’s class individual Regal Envoy, who has won on his last two outings, both at Windsor, but he’s stepping out of his comfort zone and heading ‘oop north’. He will find this tougher.
John & Sean Quinn’s Jm Jungle won the Dash at Epsom earlier this month but has now risen in the weights. Top weight Robert Cowell’s Seven Questions won a Group 3 at Newmarket last year and is still suffering with high weights in races like this.
It’s a similar case with Cowell’s Democracy Dilemma, who won a Listed race last August at Beverley. They both need to drop down the handicap to figure.
TJ Kent’s Harooba won at Kempton in March, then followed that up with a win over this course and distance in May. She can go well again.
I like the look of another mare, Edward Bethell’s Azure Angel, who won comfortably at Redcar last week. She is upped in class here and is up against some experienced warriors, but she has shown she is able to make her mark.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.40 Newcastle. Aramram
3.15 Newcastle. Who’s Glen
3.45 Newcastle. Eldrickjones
3.00 York. Azure Angel
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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