Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
For me, this is the best Saturday race day of the year. Sprint Cup day at Haydock outshines everything that has gone before it this season (in my opinion!) and ITV Racing are covering four races from the Merseyside course.
Besides the Group 1 Sprint Cup, there is a mile Group 3 and two long-distance handicaps, a really good card. This is backed up by another good card at Ascot with two top-class handicaps and Kempton where the all-weather track features a top-class mile handicap and a 12 furlong Group 3.
Added to this UK racing there are two Group 1’s from Leopardstown in Ireland, one of which is the Champion Stakes where Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel go head-to-head once again. But I have a feeling the Dettori bandwagon could go rolling on as Onesto has been aimed at this race after finishing second last year.
So there is something for everyone but the highlight of the day will surely be watching the July and Commonwealth Cup winner Shaquille roar down the straight 6 furlongs at Haydock Park. A thrilling day’s racing in the offing and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.10 Kempton. Baltimore Boy
2.35 Ascot. Star Of Orion
3.00 Haydock. Caius Chorister
3.35 Haydock. Khaadem
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin with the 2.10 at Kempton Park- the Unibet London Mile Series Final Handicap a Class 2 Series Final run over a mile. The favourite here is last year’s winner, First View trained by Saeed Bin Suroor. He has been unsuccessful in five starts this season and improvement is required.
Vying for favouritism is William Haggas’s Kathab who won at Haydock in August, then disappointed at Ripon at the end of the month after going off favourite. He is consistent and is sure to be there or thereabouts.
Roger Teal’s Bear Force One is a course and distance winner and is up to this class but he looks high enough in the weights.
Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Helm Rock won at Newcastle at the end of last month and a reproduction of that form will see him go close.
Roger Varian’s Fantastic Fox has been a disappointment for the yard this season but he has a good race in him and this could be his day at a big price.
But I prefer Michael Bell’s Baltimore Boy who was a course and distance winner last month beating several he meets again here. He steps up in class but is on a good mark and should go well.
Over at Ascot the 2.35 is the bet365 Handicap a 7 furlong Class 2 contest. The top weight here is David Simcock’s Bless Him who has not run up to last season’s form this time around. His latest disappointing run was in the Moët and Chandon International here at Ascot at the end of July and that race could be the answer.
James Fanshawe’s Hickory was second that day but he has risen in the weights.
George Margarson’s Ropey Guest flopped in the International but has since won at York. He has plenty of weight.
David O’Meara has a couple of entries Orbaan and Escobar and the former has the better chance of the two. He was 7th in the International.
Quinault has run up a great winning streak for trainer Stuart Williams but that was brought to a shuddering halt here at Ascot last month. He is better at 6 furlongs.
Charlie Johnston’s Love De Vega has won his last two races at Hamilton and Musselburgh. This is much tougher.
My preference is for Ralph Beckett’s Star Of Orion who won at Newmarket in July, ran 3rd in the International then 2nd at Goodwood a fortnight ago. I take him to get back to winning ways.
Moving north to Haydock and the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap at 3.00. This is a Class 2 contest run over 1m 6f. This looks to be a very even contest with several horses vying for favouritism. One of those is Andrew Balding’s Aztec Empire who has run on turf on the last couple of occasions after a successful first half of the season on the all-weather. His latest run when second at York was a fine run considering he was hampered. He can go close.
The winner at York was Kevin Ryan’s Forza Orta who drops back in trip here. Perhaps he’s better at 2 miles.
Sir Mark Prescott’s Sea King won at Goodwood in August but he is stepping up in trip here.
Heather Main’s Dark Island can go well off a featherweight after a couple of good seconds. He can be placed at a nice price.
My idea of the winner is David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister. He won five times as a 3-year-old and has been highly tried since. He is considered to have been very unlucky in the Ebor finishing well in 6th place and can make amends in taking this.
The big Group 1 is at 3.35- the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes, a 6-furlong contest. We have a hot odds-on favourite here with Julie Camacho’s Shaquille who has carried all before him winning four times including the Commonwealth and July Cups and he is obviously the one to beat.
Plenty of his opponents are at a big price and there may be some each-way value. But I can’t help thinking that July Cup winners do not fare well at Haydock as soft ground can be the norm in the rainy North-West, but that’s unlikely this weekend.
Henry Candy’s Run To Freedom was closest to Shaquille in the July Cup but he was still a well beaten second.
Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream has won his last two in France both wins coming on soft ground. He is unlikely to get that here.
Aidan O’Brien sends The Antarctic over from Ireland. He won a Group 3 in May at Naas but was disappointing at Royal Ascot.
Ralph Beckett’s Lezoo won at Newmarket last month and she is a past Group 1 winner. She will appreciate good going.
William Haggas’s Sacred has been winning at 7 furlongs and should not be able to cope with these speedsters on good or firm going.
I will give a chance to Charles Hills’ Khaadem who won the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee stakes at Royal Ascot. He didn’t deal with the undulations in the July Cup and then didn’t seem himself in the Nunthorpe at York. I take him to give Shaquille a race on a flatter track.
Saturday Lucky Fifteen
2.10 Kempton. Baltimore Boy
2.35 Ascot. Star Of Orion
3.00 Haydock. Caius Chorister
3.35 Haydock. Khaadem
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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