Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Top class racing returns to our television screens this Saturday with the two meetings being covered giving us some of the best racing since the Royal meeting in June. There are four races from Ascot including two Group 3’s, a marvellous Heritage Handicap and the Group 1 King George which looks to be one of the finest renewals for many a year with the last two Derby winners. An Irish Derby winner, the last three winners of the Coronation Cup and an Irish Champion Stakes winner – Wow.
The backup meeting is at York and on any normal Saturday this would be the principal card with a Group 2, a fine 6 furlong ‘Dash’ handicap and another dash this time featuring jump jockeys!
So something for everyone to enjoy and I have looked through the cards for value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.00 Ascot. Northern Express
3.40 Ascot. King Of Steel
2.05 York. Speedacus
2.40 York. Barefoot Angel
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin at the main meeting of the day, Ascot, where the 3.00 is the Moët & Chandon International Stakes, a Class 2 Heritage Handicap run over 7 furlongs. One of those near the top weights is Biggles trained by Ralph Beckett. He won the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket a fortnight ago but has a penalty for that win and this may hold him back.
David O’Meara’s Escobar has the highest weight he is a course and distance winner but he has disappointed so far this season.
O’Meara has another runner with Bopedro who won at Newmarket in April and has run consistently well since. His latest third place at that same course was an excellent run but he seems better over a mile these days.
Last year’s winner Fresh returns to try and retain his crown. James Fanshawe’s charge is an Ascot specialist having won here three times. He was last seen when running fifth in the Wokingham and is sure to go close here.
George Boughey’s Baradar has run twice here at Ascot this season but has disappointed on both occasions after winning at Doncaster at the end of last season, improvement is needed to feature here.
Richard Fahey’s Ramazan won at Haydock at the beginning of this month and is fancied in some quarters off his low weight, he can hit the frame.
But my preference is for Michael Dods’ Northern Express who ran a fine third here at the Royal meeting having several of these behind him. Since then, he has won at York and comes here in the form of his life.
The big race of the day is the £1,250,000 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, a Group 1 run over 1m 4f. This is truly a race of champions this year with champion trainer AP O’Brien having four entries the star of which is this year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin. He has since gone on to win the Irish Derby and looks the one to beat.
Owen Burrows runs Hukum who came back from injury to win the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Pyledriver won this last year and won the Hardwick Stakes at Royal Ascot on his return to action this season.
John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn won at Epsom in June and was unsuited by the distance in the Eclipse earlier this month. She will be better over these 12 furlongs.
I will go for Roger Varian’s King Of Steel who was just caught in this year’s Derby but then went to Royal Ascot and won a Group 2 comfortably. He can make amends here for his Epsom disappointment.
The 2.05 at York is the Sky Bet “Jump Jockeys Nunthorpe” Handicap, a 5-furlong sprint. It is with some trepidation I put this race in this week’s bet as it is something of an anomaly and considered something of a joke. However, I’m assured the jockeys take it absolutely seriously and regard it as a feather in their cap so I have decided to review it.
Up at the top of the weights is Tim Easterby’s Count D’Orsay who has bounced back to form recently winning at Chester and Hamilton, Jamie Hamilton takes the ride.
One of Paul Midgley’s horses won this last year and he has no fewer than six runners this time around. His best chance this year is ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. It is Glory Fighter who won at Catterick in June but was down the field here at York earlier this month.
Kevin Ryan’s Sound Reason won at Beverley three weeks ago building on a previous good second at Ayr, Brian Hughes takes the mount.
David O’Meara’s Speedacus was a Doncaster winner last week coming home comfortably. Sean Bowen is aboard and he can guide the gelding to further success.
The Sky Bet Dash Handicap a 6 furlong Class 2 is at 2.40. The top weight here is Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi. He won 4 times last season but has yet to be successful this term. On his latest run, he ran third at Newcastle on the all-weather.
David O’Meara’s Summerghand is a course and distance winner and is a past Group winner. He won a Listed race at the end of last season but has failed to fire this year. However, don’t discount the old timer he can be placed.
Joseph Parr’s The Green Man was a course and distance winner in June but he seemed to lack pace next time at Newmarket and finished third. He is stepping up in class here.
Mark Walford’s It Just Takes Time won at Ripon in June and ran a fine second at Pontefract earlier this month, this is a step up.
But I like Richard Fahey’s young filly, Barefoot Angel. She won twice last season and was considered good enough to go to Newmarket and run in a Group 3 over 7 furlongs. She ran prominently but weakened from 2 furlongs out. She drops back in both distance and class and her astute trainer may have her well-placed here to win this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.00 Ascot. Northern Express
3.40 Ascot. King Of Steel
2.05 York. Speedacus
2.40 York. Barefoot Angel
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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