Only one Lucky 15 was posted last weekend as I was busy, but there will be two for this weekend and for the foreseeable.
This Lucky 15 is advised as an each-way Lucky 15.
Kildare Legend 8/1 EW (5pl) – Haydock 1.13
James Ferguson's Kildare Legend caught my eye in this tricky handicap over 12f, and that's for a number of reasons.
James had a solid strike rate when sending his horses to the northern tracks, but not just that, his horse was running well towards the back end of last year, and those runs came on good to soft, which is a surface he is likely to get today. He returned with a decent enough effort at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago, but was sent off as the favourite, so they must've felt he was on a good enough handicap mark, and fit enough to do himself justice, but apparently that was not the case.
With that recent run, he should be ready to rock and roll, and the booking of Shane Foley is a positive one.
Al Shababi 7/2 EW (4pl) – Haydock 4.43
Owen Burros hails a fantastic record at Haydock, with a 7/12 winners-to-runners ratio in the last five seasons. He has two runners at the track, with the first running in the feature of the card, but I think his runner in the handicap has a better chance.
He made a winning return to action at Windsor last time out, pulling away at the finish. He has been given a mark of 82 for his handicap debut, which isn't too harsh, and with more progression likely to come now with a run under his belt and further experience, I think he can definitely run a big race, and this mark might be on the lenient side.
Loom 5/1 EW (4pl) – York 2.40
JM Jungle would be the form pick, having finished as runner-up to the impressive American Affair, but he is sliding up the weights, and when that happened last time, his form did start to dip. I still think he is most likely the winner if he repeats his recent performances, but I do like the look of Loom, who can definitely get involved in this race.
Loom was a fairly useful juvenile last year for the Richard Fahey stable, and he has made an encouraging return to the track this year. He needed his first run back, but bounced back to form when finishing as runner-up to a very well handicapped winner at this track just over a fortnight ago.
The handicapper has put him up 2lbs for his run last time out, which makes life a bit harder for today, but I think a stronger pace is likely today, and I think if he sits closer to the pace, he has the ability to win this.
Yanifier 12/1 EW (4pl) – Chester 2.10
Chester isn't a track I have a lot of love for, as it's a nightmare for horses getting a run, but if Yanifier can avoid trouble in running, I think he has a fantastic chance in this 7f race.
This horse has shown a liking to this track, shown in recent history by winning here last August off a mark of 89. He was in the widest stall that day, so he shown that he can overcome being drawn wide, so today's stall shouldn't be too much of an issue, if they go a good gallop, which is so often the case.
He will get on with today's ground, and he is on a decent enough handicap mark of 92, but is 89 as Aidan Brookes takes off 3lbs. This also means he is clear at the bottom of the weights, which is also a helping hand.
GambleAware