Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Not the greatest Saturday of the Jump Racing season with the highlight of the day a Veterans Chase, a three-mile contest at Sandown for horses over 10 years of age. Also on the Sandown card is the Tolworth Hurdle where I’m looking forward to seeing Constitution Hill as he goes for his second win on the way to the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham but his short price does not give much value to the small punter.
It’s great to see the television cameras covering the action from one of the smaller tracks and that is Wincanton from where four handicap races are being shown. So, I have looked through the cards for value and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.00 Sandown. Rolling Dylan
3.35 Sandown. Natural History
1.30 Wincanton. Rectory Oak
2.05 Wincanton. Glajou
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the biggest betting race of the day at Sandown, the Unibet Veterans Handicap Chase off at 3.00. There is a warm favourite here and that is the top weight Aso trained by Venetia Williams who put up a fine performance when trying to haul 11s 9lbs round the Haydock mud at the beginning of December. He finished second that day and I’m afraid the weight may anchor him once again.
Fergal O’Brien’s Final Nudge is lightly raced and won at Warwick on his only outing this season in November but he is a 13-year-old now.
Gwencily Berbas has been consistent for trainer David Pipe this season winning at Exeter in early December. He has shown considerable improvement this season but that was his first victory for four years!
There are some quietly fancied horses at the bottom of the handicap the best of which could be Philip Hobbs’s Rolling Dylan who ran a fine second here at Sandown in early December. That run came after an outing at Aintree where he also ran second behind the highly-rated Wishing And Hoping and he can go one better here.
At 3.35 it is the Unibet Casino Handicap Hurdle a 2-mile contest. The favourite here is Jane Williams’s Hermes Boy who capped two seconds with a victory last time at Exeter in early December but he rises in class here.
Donald McCain’s Navajo Pass ran poorly here at Sandown on his seasonal reappearance in December and surely has too much weight to figure here.
Mack The Man won in November at Exeter for trainer Evan Williams and he must have a good chance here.
I have liked the look of Zambezi Fix since the start of the season and Bernard Llywellyn will win with this horse shortly but it may not be here. That is because my preference is for Gary Moore’s Natural History who although he hasn’t lived up to last seasons promise to date, comes here with bottom weight and his latest run at Doncaster showed improvement. He has the ability to win a race such as this.
Moving West to Wincanton, the first televised race is the 1.30 the Stalbridge Handicap Hurdle where Neil Mulholland’s Planned Paradise is the current favourite. He won on his first outing in handicap company last time at Newcastle but he has risen 11lbs for that success and this seems a big ask.
Anthony Honeyball’s Midnight Callisto has been knocking on the door but he always seems to find one or two too good.
Pittsburg won for trainer Ryan Potter at Catterick last time after being backed off the boards. He had been 150/1 on his previous outing and his form only consisted of 0’s and P’s, could lightning strike twice – I don’t think so.
Milton Harris’s Mi Laddo won a couple of times at Taunton last year and has been close in his last three contests but may have to settle for a place again off his low weight.
My fancy is Colin Tizzard’s Rectory Oak who ran well here at Wincanton in a Class 3 race in November, he can break his duck here.
At 2.05 it is the Hatherleigh Handicap Chase where Sam Thomas’s Grey Diamond has top weight. This gelding usually puts up a good show but surely having to carry 12st 2lbs around here is too much to ask.
Belle de Manech from Anthony Honeyball’s yard won here at Wincanton on Boxing Day, his second victory at the track, but he has a penalty to carry here.
Tom George’s Casa Tall has shown fine form this season with victories at Exeter and Newton Abbot but the handicapper may have caught up with him.
Out On The Tear makes the journey south for trainer Sam Allwood after a fine win at Catterick in December, he is sure to go close. But he may be trumped by Paul Nicholls’s Glajou who fell in this race last year, he has shown some fair form this season and can get it back on track with a victory here.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
3.00 Sandown. Rolling Dylan
3.35 Sandown. Natural History
1.30 Wincanton. Rectory Oak
2.05 Wincanton. Glajou
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Related Reading