Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Plenty of top-class racing to look forward to this Saturday on ITV as they are cramming in no fewer than eleven races from three courses into their programme. There are three races from Aintree, a handicap hurdle and two handicap chases, one of which is the Grand Sefton over the National fences.
Wincanton stages its top meeting of the year, and ITV Racing are there to witness it with no fewer than five races being covered, three of which are Class 1 contests, including the Badger Beer Chase, a race that has been sponsored by that company for the last 63 years.
The flat season finally draws to a close at Doncaster with a couple of Listed races and the November Handicap on offer. So plenty to get stuck into, and here are my thoughts for the best value and this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.05 Aintree. Jack Holiday
2.40 Aintree. Sure Touch
3.30 Wincanton. Forward Plan
3.45 Doncaster. Stressfree
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning at Aintree with the 2.05, Boylesports Choose Wisely Handicap Chase, a Class 3 contest run over 2 miles on the Mildmay course. Favourite and top weight is Imperial Saint trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White. He finished off last season with a win at Ffos Las, then started this term with a win over this distance here at Aintree last month and carries a penalty for that fine victory.
Henry Oliver’s Coastguard Station was a winner at Uttoxeter during the summer. On his latest outing last month he ran fourth at Cheltenham in a Class 2 and drops down in class here.
Donald McCain’s Grey Diamond was a well-beaten third at Wetherby last month after being hampered by a faller three out. McCain will be hoping for better.
Venetia Williams’s Hunter Legend won two small races at the end of last season. More is required here.
There is an Irish raider in the lineup with D M Christie’s Jack Holiday, who won by 18 lengths at Killarney at the beginning of October. He then went to Kelso and was just pipped for second. After that run, I feel he can get the better of top-weighted Imperial Saint.
At 2.40, it is the Boylesports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase. This is a Class 2 contest run over 2m 5f on the Grand National course. Tom Ellis trains Latenightpass, whose last run was in the Grand National in April, finishing 12th. He won the Foxhunters over these fences in 2022 and won over Cheltenham’s Cross-Country course in December 2023. Perhaps this distance is on the sharp side for him.
Gary and Josh Moore’s Authorized Art has top weight. He has been running in Graded races, but after rattling up a treble in Ireland in 2022, he has not won since.
Paul Nicholls’s Outlaw Peter had a fine season last year, winning thrice. He is sure to go well and be in the shake-up.
Venetia Williams’s Frero Banbou was pulled up in the Topham last year after failing to get to grips with the Aintree fences.
L J Morgan’s Percussion has been placed in the last two runnings of this race, but he’s a year older and has not won since May 2022.
David Pipe’s King Turgeon won a small contest at Chepstow last month. This is much tougher.
The Irish challenger Galon de Vauzelle, trained by PJ Rothwell, won at Listowel in September and can go well off bottom weight.
But I like Olly Murphy’s Sure Touch who ran up a treble at the end of last season and won a Grade 3 at Market Rasen in July. He looks classy, and if he copes with the fences, he could return in April for The Festival.
Moving south to Wincanton and the 3.30 is the 63rd Badger Beer Handicap Chase, a Grade 3 contest run over 3m 1f. The current favourite is Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man, who has been highly tried in novice company but is yet to win over fences. The trainer is always respected here.
David Pipe’s Remastered won here at Wincanton last month, but he looks high enough in terms of weight.
Paul Nicholls’s entry is Mofasa and he is another trainer to be respected here. The horse is having his first run of the season after being tailed off and pulled up at Ayr last April.
Neil Mulholland’s Lord Accord won at Sedgefield in September, then came here to Wincanton and won over this distance. But those were handicaps, and this is a big step into the Graded company.
Local trainer Anthony Honeyball won this last year and has three entries this time around: Forward Plan, Gustavian, and Lord Baddesley. Out of the three, I like Forward Plan, who won a Grade 3 at Kempton in February and ran a fine third at Aintree in April. He has the ability to take this, giving his trainer a repeat of last year’s victory.
Finally, I will move back north to the flat meeting at Doncaster, and the 3.45 is the Virgin Bet November Handicap, a Class 2 race run over 1m 4f. The current favourite is Ralph Beckett’s Valvano, who has been third on his last two outings, latterly here at Doncaster. He is lightly raced and prefers plenty of cut in ground.
Edward Bethell’s Chillingham was a fine second on heavy ground in September and can hit the frame here.
Gary and Josh Moore’s Miller Spirit has won his last three, making five wins for the season, but he is upped in class here and will find this much tougher.
David Menuisier’s Master Builder was a fine winner of a Class 2 in September at Haydock and was just touched off for second on his latest outing despite being hampered a furlong out, one for the frame.
Edward Bethell’s other runner is lower in the handicap, Minstrel Knight has moved up in class and secured a good victory at York last month. He can go well off his low weight.
My preference is for David O’Meara’s Stressfree, who has run consistently well this season, finishing in the frame on his last seven runs with one win at Chester. He deserves another win for the season on his form.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.05 Aintree. Jack Holiday
2.40 Aintree. Sure Touch
3.30 Wincanton. Forward Plan
3.45 Doncaster. Stressfree
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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