Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Action from three different countries to look forward to this week, with ITV Racing covering contests from Sandown, Musselburgh, and Leopardstown.
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Sandown is the main meeting with six races being televised, including the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase, a Grade 3 Premier Handicap, two Class 2 and two Class 3 Handicaps.
Musselburgh holds the Scottish equivalent of their own Festival with a Listed race and two Class 2 Handicaps, while across the Irish Sea at Leopardstown, they stage the Irish Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs goes for his fourth win in this race for trainer Willie Mullins.
There is just one UK challenger, Rebecca Curtis’s Haiti Couleurs, who looks to have a good chance to bring the pot across the water, so here are my thoughts for this week and the Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.43 Musselburgh. Welsh Charger
2.20 Musselburgh. Moon d’Orange
2.02 Sandown. Gunsight Ridge
3.10 Sandown. Party Vibes
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Musselburgh with the 1.43, the bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle. This Class 2 race is being run over 1m 7 1/2f. The Top weight here is Dan Skelton’s Kateira, who won a Listed race at Wetherby in November. Since then, she has continued to run in Class 1 company and was a well beaten third last time at Doncaster last month. Her weight could be her undoing.
Christian Williams’s Williethebuilder is the current favourite after two victories at Kempton, but those were Class 3s, and he may be found out in this company.
Welsh Charger won this race for trainer Alastair Ralph last season, nis runs this season have all been in Graded company and he has been primed for this race, a bold run is expected.
Bottom weight is Ewan Williams’s Star Of Guiting, who won a Class 3 here over this distance on New Year’s Day. This is tougher.
Paul Nicholls’s Afadil won here two years ago over this distance but has been unsuccessful since. However, he commands respect for his low weight, but I give Welsh Charger the nod over him.
The 2.20 is the Scottish Champion Chase, a Class 2 handicap run over 2m 4 1/2f, where, again, last year’s winner returns to try to regain his crown. That horse is Nicky Richards’s The Kalooki Kid, who ran 5th here at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day in preparation for this race. He meets several of the opponents from that day once again here.
Top weight is Joe Tizzard’s JPR One, who has run consistently well this season, being placed on all three outings, but with his weight, he may have to settle for a place once more.
Harry Derham’s Teddy Blue won at Ascot in November but then ran disappointingly when going off favourite on the same course later in the month, but he does go well fresh.
The Russell/Scudamore partnership sent Tralrain Law after his win at Wetherby last month, but he is upped in distance here.
I am tempted by the Irish-trained Moon d’Orange, who has been running in Graded races for trainer John McConnell. He ran 6th in a Grade 3 at Cheltenham last week and can go well on his light weight.
Moving south to Sandown and the 2.02 is the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase, a Class 2 race run over a distance of 1m 7 1/2f. Lucy Wadham’s Jax Junior won a Class 3 at Kempton in November, then ran disappointingly at Ascot in a Grade 2 Novice Chase at Ascot last month. This is not beyond him.
Harry Derham’s Escapeandevade has been a model of consistency this term by winning at Haydock last month and finishing runner-up on his other three outings, but he is upped in class here and may have to settle for a place once more.
Donald McCain’s top weight Haddex Des Obeaux ran third behind Jonbon at Sandown two years ago. On his latest run last month, he finished 4th at Wetherby. He needs to drop down the handicap to regain his winning ways.
I like Gunsight Ridge here for Olly Murphy. Despite his weight and age, he won this race last year with 11th, 6 lbs, and although he has 5lbs more to carry. He is still a force to be reckoned with.
However, Fergal O’Brien’s Denemethy lurks lower down the weights. After a series of seconds last term, he has run well twice at Exeter, with a mistake two out costing him victory earlier this month, and he may give Murphy’s charge a race.
The 3.10 is the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle, a Grade 3 Premier handicap run over 2m 7 1/2f. The warm favourite here is Paul Nicholls’s Henri The Second, who was beaten a short head here at Sandown earlier this month and is fancied to go one better.
Olly Murphy’s Roaring Conquest won at Windsor in November, then ran a good third in a Class 2 at Carlisle the following month. This is tougher.
Joe Tizzard’s Hartington won a Class 2 at Carlisle in November, then ran second in a Grade 3 at Haydock the same month. On his latest outing earlier this month, the jockey reported he was never travelling.
Robbie Llewellyn’s Titan Discovery won a Class 2 at Cheltenham in December and has gone up in the weights accordingly.
Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Red Dirt Road is having his first run of the season after winning this Grade 3 last year. He was pulled up at Uttoxeter last March and must have had his problems.
Party Vibes from Henry Daly’s yard looks the one to be on. She won twice last season and won a strong contest at Cheltenham last month, where she kept on well to take the spoils. She can go well here off a low weight.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.43 Musselburgh. Welsh Charger
2.20 Musselburgh. Moon d’Orange
2.02 Sandown. Gunsight Ridge
3.10 Sandown. Party Vibes
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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