Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Once again, there will be a mixture of codes this Easter Saturday, with four races on the flat from Musselburgh and three over the sticks from Haydock Park. The four races from Musselburgh are all handicaps and include the Scottish Sprint Cup and the 1m 6f Queen’s Cup.
The National Hunt meeting at Haydock features the finals of the Challenger Series of races and a Veterans Handicap. So a quiet but enjoyable set of races to look forward to and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Haydock. Judicial Law
3.15 Haydock. Al Dancer
3.00 Musselburgh. Zarzyni
3.35 Musselburgh. Berkshire Rocco
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the jumps card at Haydock and the 2.40 is the Challengers Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle. This is a Class 2 contest run over 3m 1/2f.
The bookies’ choice here is Sue Gardner’s Astronomic View, a winner at Warwick earlier this month. He had My Bobby Dazzler, Martha Brad and Balkardy behind him that day as he came sauntering home by 21 lengths. I fully expect him to confirm those placings, and he should go pretty close here.
Venetia Williams’s Tanganyika was a winner at Newbury at the beginning of this month then was a well beaten third at Uttoxeter a fortnight ago when stepping up in class.
Olly Murphy’s Secret Trix won three times last summer then was runner up twice in the autumn. This is his first run since and he is probably best watched until the ground firms up.
Shoeshine Boy steps up in class after two victories for trainer Donald Whillans. He has a featherweight but he is up against some classy performers.
One of which is the Hobbs and White trained Goshhowposh who has won twice this season, but he pulled up quickly at Exeter in February, and that is a worry.
The stand-out class horse in the race is Jonjo O’Neill’s Judicial Law, who has won three times this season. He swerved Cheltenham because of the going but comes here after a short break and is expected to go well.
The 3.15 is the Unibet Veterans Handicap Chase a Class 2 run over 2m 4f. These veteran’s chases are proving very popular and are well supported by trainers and punters alike.
Top weight is Anthony Honeyball’s Sam Brown who was a winner at Ascot last week. He comes out quickly but has lumps of weight.
Richard Hobson’s Riders Onthe Storm was third at Aintree on Boxing Day then was a fine second at Doncaster earlier this month. He can go close.
LJ Morgan’s Daly Tiger had a good start to the season, including a fine second here at Haydock, but he was pulled-up at Aintree in early December. He has not run since and is probably best watched.
Tom George’s Champagne Mystery was a fair fifth in a Grade 3 at Cheltenham in January then third at Kempton last month. He can go close.
I prefer Sam Thomas’s Al Dancer who has run consistently well all season. He was just caught in the Grade 3 Coral Trophy at Kempton in February and can make amends for that defeat here.
Moving north to Scotland and at Musselburgh the 3.00 is the Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap a Class 2 contest over 5f. Joint top weight is Richard Fahey’s Vintage Clarets, who won twice in the Autumn when running in this class and distance, but his weight is a problem.
Similarly with last year’s winner of this race, Karl Burke’s Silky Wilkie who has been running on the all-weather this year without success.
J&S Quinn’s JM Jungle won at Bahrain in February. He also had back-to-back wins last July/August perhaps he needs the sun on his back.
Ben Haslam’s Wen Moon won at York in October but was then well beaten when stepping up in class next time out.
My idea of the winner is the 2022 victor, D&N Barron’s Zarzyni. He has been showing bits of form on the all-weather, including a close second at Newcastle earlier this month. He has been laid out for this and is well handicapped.
The Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup is at 3.35, a Class 2 race run over 1m 6f. The top weight here is Ralph Beckett’s Max Vega who was a winner at Wolverhampton in February. He won two Group 3s in 2022 and cannot be ignored. However, his weight is a factor.
Harry Fry’s Metier won the Chester Cup last May. He then ran down the field at Longchamp in October. Any rain will help his cause.
George Scott’s Prydwen has run twice on the all-weather this year and was only beaten a neck at Lingfield earlier this month. He can be placed.
Charlie Johnson’s Knightswood won two small races at Ripon last season. This is much tougher.
Declan Carroll’s Emiyn won at Chester last July and this is probably a stepping stone back there for the Cup in May.
I like Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Rocco, who won first time out last season at Southwell. One of his best runs last year was a fine second at Ascot in August. He has shown he has the ability to take a race like this.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Haydock. Judicial Law
3.15 Haydock. Al Dancer
3.00 Musselburgh. Zarzyni
3.35 Musselburgh. Berkshire Rocco
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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