Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
The Saturday before Cheltenham is Imperial Cup Day at Sandown. As usual, there is some very competitive racing to be had at the Esher track, and I have highlighted it below.
ITV Racing are covering four races at the meeting, which include two Class 1s, one of which is a Listed National Hunt Flat Race. But spring has sprung, and to prove it properly, flat racing is back, and ITV is covering the meeting at Wolverhampton, where two races are being televised, one of which is a Lincoln trial.
The big handicap itself takes place at Doncaster in just a fortnight which heralds the start of the flat season proper. Time to get the form books dusted down.
But we have a fair bit of racing to get through before that, and here are my thoughts for this Saturday’s contests and my Lucky Fifteen.
Sandown Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Asta La Pasta
2.25 Bad
3.00 My Louise
3.35 Scarface
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the 1.50 at Sandown, the EBF Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices Handicap Hurdle Final, a Class1 Premier Handicap run over 2m 4f. The probable favourite and joint top weight is Paul Nicholls’s Fire Flyer, whose form this season is very consistent. He won twice last month at Wincanton and Taunton and is expected to go well here despite his weight.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Hasthing won at Catterick in January but his jumping let him down at Newbury last month. I tend to avoid dodgy jumpers in races like this.
Westerninthepark has won two small races schism season for trainer Anthony Charlton but this is much tougher.
Ben Pauling has three runners here and probably the best of which is Champagne Twist who was a fine winner at Doncaster in January. He can go close.
But my preference is for Dan Skelton’s Asta La Pasta, who comes here on the back of two wins at Market Rasen and Wetherby. He can run up a hat-trick in this race.
The 2.25 is the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle, a Class 2 contest run over a sharp 2 miles. Ben Pauling’s Jipcot is the bookies, fancy, but after an unsuccessful spell over fences, he reverted to hurdling and was an easy winner at Huntingdon last week. Even after hitting the last, he has a 7lb penalty for that win and with his unfortunate ability to make mistakes I pass him over.
Pauling also runs Bad and looks a better prospect. He has run a close second twice this season, including once in a Grade 3 at Newbury.
Gary Moore’s Spirit d’Aunou is a course and distance winner. His latest win came here in December however he was very disappointing last month at Newbury in the Betfair Hurdle.
Several from that race turn up here, including Olly Murphy’s Go Dante, who was outpaced from the last to finish third. He can go close.
Another who came out of the Betfair with some credit was Dan Skelton’s Knickerbockerglory who finished sixth. He recorded a fine victory at Ascot in November and may be placed. But I give Bad the nod.
The EBF Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race is at 3.00. This in a Class 1 Listed contest run over 2 miles, which looks very tight at the top of the betting. Mark Walford’s Just Call Me Lucy won easily at Carlisle in December, but while this is a different prospect, she is entitled to take her chance and can go well.
Dan Skelton’s Honky Tonk Highway cost £165,000 and is having her first run over rules. She is a PTP winner in Ireland and could be anything.
Ben Pauling has a couple in this. I’ve Madeupmymind and Magical Annie, and it’s the latter who seems to have the best chance after her success at Galway last October.
But my idea of the winner is Lydia Richards’s My Louise who won at Fontwell in September then she followed that up by winning on the all-weather at Lingfield. She is stepping up in class but is reported to have wintered well, and the trainer is hoping for good ground.
Finally, at 3.35, it is the Betfair SerialWinners Fund Novices Handicap Chase, a Grade 3 run over 2m 4f. Top weight is Paul Nicholls’s Golden Son, who won at Kempton last month after being pulled up in his two previous races, and that is a worry.
Gary Moore’s Kotmask, who has won three times this season and fully deserves his chance in Graded company.
Moore also runs Invincible Nao, who won easily at Fakenham last month and steps up in class here.
Lucy Wadham’s Terresita won comfortably at Ludlow last month, her first win for two years. More is required here.
My preference is for Joe Tizzard’s Scarface who won at Plumpton in January then was beaten just over a length at the same venue by Kotmask but he is 6lbs better off here and can reverse those placings.
Sandown Lucky Fifteen
1.50 Asta La Pasta
2.25 Bad
3.00 My Louise
3.35 Scarface
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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