Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s the final day of the jumps season, but don’t worry too much as the new season starts next week! So the last hurrah is the Sandown meeting and ITV are showing four races from the Esther course, including the bet365 Gold Cup, which I still remember as the Whitbread. The race carries with it its own bit of history as it was the first commercial sponsorship in British sport. It was first run way back in 1957. We have come a long way since then.
As a nod to the forthcoming flat season, ITV are showing one race from Haydock and one from Leicester- six races altogether, so I expect we can look forward to a review of the winter game and watch all the Irish horses winning all our races!
I wonder if the O’Brien’s will continue where the jumps trainers have left off? I have looked for some value in this week’s racing and here are my thoughts for this week’s Lucky Fifteen.
1.55 Sandown. On To Victory
3.05 Sandown. Altior
3.40 Sandown. El Presente
2.50 Haydock. Marshal Dan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning at Sandown with the 1.55, the bet365 Novices Championship Final Handicap Hurdle where it looks like Paul Nicholls’s Celestial Force will go off favourite. He was second at Newton Abbot three weeks ago after a lengthy break, perhaps he needed the run.
Chris Gordon’s Pasvolsky has been the model of consistency this season and his latest victory at Kempton shows the level of his improvements. However, this is a step up for him on his handicap debut.
Another consistent performer this term has been Rockstar Ronnie trained by Dan Skelton, but he was beaten last time out when a warm favourite. He may want some give underfoot.
Herbiers looks the best of the bottom weights after his victory at Ascot, Oliver Greenall’s charge made the best of his way home that day and may be placed here. But my preference is for On To Victory, one of two Alan King runners, who has won two of his last three races the latest of which was at Warwick. He will enjoy running on the firmer going.
The bet365 Celebration Chase is at 3.05 and it will be great to see Henry De Bromhead’s Put The Kettle On back in this country after her fine victory in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. It remains to be seen how she runs when not at Prestbury Park. She had Sceau Royal and Greaneteen behind her that day and I expect her to confirm those placings.
But the story here is all about Nicky Henderson’s wonderful horse, Altior. On his only run this season, he was disappointing when finishing second behind Nube Negra at Kempton’s Christmas meeting and he then missed the Cheltenham Festival due to not being ‘right’. He has won the last three runnings of this particular race and I cannot see Henderson letting him take his chance if he is not right. It is a privilege to see him run and I take him to make it four out of four in this contest.
The big betting race of the day is at 3.40, the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase. The current bookies choice is Henry De Bromhead’s Plan Of Attack, which on form shows how afraid they are of these Irish raiders. He has not won since October 2019 and fell at the Festival last time out, prior to that, he was only eighth and was pulled up in his other two races this season. He doesn’t look like winning form to me.
Top weight is Caroline Bailey’s Crosspark who seems to have made a habit of finishing runner-up this season. He may have to settle for a place once again.
Paul Nicholls’s Enrilo was pulled up in Graded company at Kempton in December, but when dropped back to handicaps, he was victorious at Newbury in February. He will be suited by the going.
Kitty’s Light won last time out at Kelso last month for trainer Christian Williams but she faces better opponents here.
Neil Mulholland’s, The Young Master deserves a mention. He won this in 2016 but is a 12-year-old now and has not won for 17 months.
I like the look of Kim Bailey’s El Presente who had a break after three wins on the spin last October/November. He had a prep run for this at Ludlow last month finishing third and can improve on that placing to take this.
Finally, I move north to Haydock for the 2.50 Old Boston Handicap- a wide open 7 furlongs’ race.
Ian Williams’s Mustarrif was a beaten favourite on his latest outing on the all-weather at Newcastle last November but he doesn’t seem to run well early in the season.
Ralph Beckett’s Fox Champion has top weight but has not won in his last eleven attempts and I don’t think he is able to improve on that pattern here.
David O’Meara’s Firmament is an old favourite but was only successful once in sixteen outings last year and I think he is best watched on his first run of the season.
Heather Main’s Marshal Dan is a course and distance winner and has had a run already this season running a fine second at Musselburgh earlier this month. He can go one better here.
1.55 Sandown. On To Victory
3.05 Sandown. Altior
3.40 Sandown. El Presente
2.50 Haydock. Marshal Dan
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365