Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
As is usual with a big festival on the horizon, the weekend’s racing prior to it is never usually very exciting and this weekend is certainly no exception.
ITV Racing on Saturday are covering both codes with a jumps meeting from Kelso and an all-weather meeting from Kempton. Kelso features four handicaps, three of which are hurdles and one chase all of which are Class 2s, while Kempton’s meeting will have three races televised including the Listed Snowdrop Fillies Stakes and two handicaps.
After the ITV programme has finished, I will be interested to see how Charlie Appleby’s Devoted Queen gets on in the Fillies Conditions Stakes after her Newmarket victory last October.
But back to the televised races, and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Kempton. Chillingham
3.15 Kempton. Solent Gateway
1.50 Kelso. Aodhan May
2.25 Kelso. North Parade
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Kempton on the all-weather with the 2.40 the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebury Handicap a 1m 3f Class2 contest. Andrew Balding trains the favourite Old Harrovian who won twice on the all-weather last April. He then ran poorly at Newbury the following month after being injured. It remains to be seen if he is fully recovered.
Top weight is George Baker’s Cemhaan who won here at Kempton last May. He ran fourth here on his first run of the season back in January. His weight is the problem.
The Gosdens run Intinso who won at Wolverhampton last month, and is expected to go well.
William Haggas’s Laafi won at Newmarket in November, then disappointed on Newcastle’s all-weather track later in the month when well beaten.
In front of Laafi that day was Edward Bethell’s Chillingham who then went on to finish a close second at Wolverhampton later that month. He had shown some good form at Thirsk earlier in the year and goes well fresh.
There has been an excellent turnout for the Virgin Bet Queens Prize Handicap at 3.15. This 2 mile contest Class2 contest has suffered with some small fields in recent years but now seems to be on many trainers radar.
Top weight and one of the favourites is James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend who won at Goodwood in September. He tried his luck in a Group 1 at Longchamp the following month but finished down the field.
Alan King’s Tritronic had a wasted journey to Musselburgh last week and comes here for his first run on the all-weather. I am not sure if he will take to the surface.
Harry Charlton’s Sleeping Lion won this in 2021 but he is a 9-year-old now and has not won for two years.
Ian Williams’s Aqwaam won at Lingfield last week on the back of two seconds at Wolverhampton. He can go close.
James Owen’s Sweet Fantasy won two minor contests last summer, and his trainer hopes he can step up in class.
But I prefer Hugo Palmer’s Solent Gateway who had a busy 2023 winning on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and on the turf at Haydock. He had a prep run at Lingfield in early March and was coaxed home after taking a keen hold he will come on for that run.
Moving north to Kelso for jumping action and the 1.50 is the Scloss Roxburghe Hotel Handicap Hurdle a Class 2 contest run over the 3m 2f marathon trip. Top weight is an Irish challenger trained by SRB Crawford.
His Ailie Rose has made several successful sojourns across the water to Scotland, winning three times at Ayr latterly in January. He was pulled up at Leopardstown in February on his latest outing, but he has plenty of weight here.
Stuart Edmunds’s Feivel has been ultra-consistent in lower grade races this season and is looking to step up in class here.
Similarly with Dan Skelton’s Major Fortune who has been hoovering up low grade races at Lingfield and smaller tracks all season. This is much tougher.
Lucinda Russell’s Lady In The Park won at Wetherby on Boxing Day and has been runner-up twice since. A place is probably the best the mare can attain.
There is another Irish raider near the foot of the handicap: Charles Byrnes’s Aodhan May, who ran up a quick hat-trick of wins in February/March in Ireland. She then ran a good second at Cork a fortnight ago and has the credentials to take this.
The 2.25 is the Belhaven Brewery Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle a Class 2 contest run over 2m 5f. Ruth Jefferson saddles the top weight here with Autumn Return, who has been placed in all four of her starts this season, winning once back in November, but there are better handicapped horses in the race.
Sam England’s Kilta won on his penultimate start at Southwell last month then ran a close second at Haydock. He can go close again.
Martin Todhunter’s Forged Well ran second here at Kelso last month, going down by a short head to NW Alexander’s Eloi Du Puy, who he meets once again on 4lb better terms. So on paper, he should reverse the placings, but a place is probably what both can hope for.
Jackie Stephen’s Eire Street has won his last two races, both in February, at Ayr and Carlisle but this is a major step up in class.
Sue Smith has every chance of winning this with her smart hurdler North Parade, who won three times on Newcastle’s turf course this season. He has been placed twice since at Wetherby and Haydock but can get back to winning ways here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.40 Kempton. Chillingham
3.15 Kempton. Solent Gateway
1.50 Kelso. Aodhan May
2.25 Kelso. North Parade
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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