Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We have one of the quieter Saturdays this week in terms of racing, with just six races being televised from two courses. The good news is that five of those races are very competitive handicaps.
The main meeting is from Newbury, with ITV Racing covering four handicaps from the Berkshire course, two of which are Class 1 Premier Handicaps and two Class 2s.
The other meeting being shown is at Newcastle, where the highlight is the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle, where although there is no Constitution Hill, his trainer Nicky Henderson has sent one of the young stable stars, Sir Gino, who is taken on by a Willie Mullins hot-pot in the shape of Mystical Power.
There is also a Class 1 Premier Handicap, the Rehearsal Chase, being shown from Gosforth Park, making up Saturday’s programme, which may be small but is perfectly formed, and here are my thoughts and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. Salver
3.00 Newbury. Senior Chief
3.35 Newbury. Issar d’Airy
3.20 Newcastle. The Changing Man
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Newbury with the 2.25, the Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle, a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 2m 1/2f. The current favourite is Nicky Henderson’s Jeriko Du Reponet, who was a winner here at Newbury twice last December in Class 3 contests. He then went to Doncaster in January and won a Grade 2 Novice Hurdle but was pulled up in a Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival and also on his final outing at Sandown in a lowly Class 3 when he was odds-on. I think he is untrustworthy.
Harry Derham’s Queens Gamble won on all three of her starts last season at Warwick, Kempton and a Listed Novice Hurdle at Taunton but she is having her first run since last December and is coming to play with the big boys now. She is best watched.
Paul Nicholls’s Liari won two Listed races in December and February but was pulled up at the Festival. On his first run this season, he ran a brave third at Chepstow in October and is expected to put up a bold show.
The Famous Five, trained by Venetia Williams, won his final two races of last season, both Class 4s, at Leicester and Bangor-on-Dee moves in class here. However, the trainer is really on-song at present.
But my preference is for the top weight, Gary & Josh Moore’s Salver, who won four times last season, including a Grade 2 at Chepstow in December. His final race was at the Cheltenham Festival, where he ran a fine third in the Triumph Hurdle, where he was by far the best of the UK horses.
At 3.00 it is the Grade 3 Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase which is run over 3m 2f. One of the favourites is Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry who won twice last season at Chepstow and Wetherby. He finished his season running creditably in Class 1 novice chases. Snowden saddled last year’s winner and will be hoping for a good run.
The Paul Nicholls runner, Kandoo Kid, ran consistently well in practically all his races last year and won here at Newbury in December, but he may have to settle for a place.
I like Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Broadway Boy who was a triple winner last season. He ran a fine third on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham last month and seems to save his best runs for that course.
There is a French runner, George & Zetterholm’s General En Chef who has been competing well across the Channel. This is tougher.
There are also Irish runners in the race, and the two I like are Senior Chief and Horantzou d’Airy. The latter is trained by Willie Mullins and has been running consistently well this season without success, so I go with Henry de Bromhead’s Senior Chief, who won at Cheltenham on his first run of the season last month. He looked strong that day and beat Broadway Boy by over 12 lengths.
At 3.35. it is the Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” And Win Handicap Chase a 2m 1/2f Class 2 contest. The Hobbs & White runner Imperial Saint is the obvious favourite here after two wins at Aintree in the last couple of months. This added to two wins last season but this class horse moves up in grade here.
Dan Skelton’s Etalon ran up a treble at the beginning of last season, but got spanked when finishing last of five in a Grade 2 race at Exeter on his seasonal reappearance earlier this month, beaten over 28 lengths.
Emma Lavelle’s General Medrano has been running well without success in Class 3 races. I cannot see how a step up to Class 2 can secure his victory in over a year despite a good performance at Haydock last week.
Robert Walford’s Prince Quali won twice at Chepstow in his final two races of last season. His form is consistent and he is fancied to go well here.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Petit Tonnerre lurks near the bottom of the handicap after running in a Grade 2 novice chase at Cheltenham a fortnight ago. Prior to that, he was a well beaten second to Imperial Saint at Aintree and now finds himself 12lbs better off. He can go close.
But I side with Gary & Josh Moore’s Issar d’Airy, who won twice over this course and distance last season. He put up a great performance to finish second at Ascot in a Grade 3 at the beginning of this month. His victor has gone in again since showing Moore’s horse was unlucky to come up against such a classy individual. He can gain recompense here.
The final leg of my Lucky Fifteen is the 3.20 at Newcastle the BetMGM Rehearsal Handicap Chase, this is a Grade 3 run over 2m 7 1/2f. Top weight here is David Killahena & Graeme McPherson’s Marble Sands, who won a Listed race at Carlisle at the beginning of this month.
Brian Ellison’s Anglers Crag won four times last season, including the Eider Chase here at Newcastle last February. He can be a contender.
David Pipe runs Neon Moon after finishing third at Ascot earlier this month in Grade 3. Prior to that, he won a Class 2 at Chepstow. He can hit the frame once again.
Ben Pauling’s Bowtogreatness won at Newbury three weeks ago but is up in class here and will find this tough.
I like the look of bottom weight Anthony Honeyball’s Gustavian, who ran a fine second in a Grade 3 at Wincanton earlier this month. He is another for the frame.
Also in that Wincanton race was Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man who was going well before falling. He had run consistently well without success last season after a fine 2022. I give him a chance here to get his year up and running after that tumble.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.25 Newbury. Salver
3.00 Newbury. Senior Chief
3.35 Newbury. Issar d’Airy
3.20 Newcastle. The Changing Man
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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