Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Kelso , Fakenham ,Southwell and Newcastle on 14 February 2025.
KELSO
Race 4 No1 IMAGINE
Trainer: Harry Derham – Jockey: Paul O’Brien
A very useful performer both over hurdles and fences in Ireland, IMAGINE hasn’t yet found his mojo in a couple of starts for Derham, but it might pay to side with the top weight to bounce back here. Key to success for the seven-year-old is that he’s taking a marked reduction in trip, whilst the race appears to have cut up in his favour.
Race 5 No2 GRAND ALBERT (Nap)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: Brian Hughes
I think the best bet of the day is GRAND ALBERT. He was a useful performer over hurdles last season but in two chase outings this term has looked better, especially when slamming his foes with a 25 lengths margin of victory at Wetherby. On a first attempt at three miles he got it well on that occasion, and if in anything like the same mood will give short shrift to his three rivals.
Race 6 No1 PAY THE PIPER
Trainer: Ann Hamilton – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
Field sizes are drastically reduced from the norm, and especially this two miles handicap chase in which PAY THE PIPER can benefit. The dual course and distance scorer wasn’t disgraced in a better contest at Wetherby last time, and competes from the same mark. In what will become a tactical affair, his superior turn of foot can give him the edge.
FAKENHAM
Race 1 No3 AVIATION (Nap)
Trainer: Lucy Wadham – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Wadham is often amongst the winners at her local National Hunt course and in AVIATION has a horse that is overdue a first success. The grey finished second and recorded a fourth earning run in as many starts over this terrain on his latest start, and can capitalise on the 7lb he receives from two previous winners in the field.
Race 3 No1 JACK’S A LEGEND (Each Way)
Trainer: John Flint – Jockey: Tom Cannon
JACK’S A LEGEND showed that long absences can’t dent his spirit by scoring on his seasonal reappearance in 2023. In a restricted campaign he only ran once more, and now returns from another year off under a new trainer. He also has a big weight to carry, but if near ready should enter calculations.
SOUTHWELL
Race 2 No1 NORTHBOUND
Trainer: Peter Niven – Jockey: Joanna Mason
As long as he can adjust to the drop back to 1400 metres NORTHBOUND should give a good account in this bottom grade handicap. He defied a protracted absence to score over a mile here earlier in the month, and from a good draw can overcome a 4lb weights rise.
Race 5 No4 YORKSHIRE (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
YORKSHIRE ended 2024 with back-to-back successes at Wolverhampton, whilst having won and finished second on his two starts at this track as a three-year-old. He contested some strongly subscribed handicaps on turf, but looks a better horse on sand on which his figures are an impressive 12511. Furthermore he’s been handed a plum draw for this first run of the year.
Race 7 No8 LUMBERJACK (Each Way)
Trainer: Mark Usher – Jockey: Darragh Keenan
Lambourn raider LUMBERJACK has troubled the judge on both outings this year, and could be the type to make further progress on his first visit to this course. The grey appeared to get the trip well when attempting it for the first time on his latest start at Wolverhampton, and while there hasn’t been a semblance of support for him in any of five appearances for his trainer so far, that might not be the case today.
NEWCASTLE
Race 4 No3 TUSCAN STAR (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Callum Hutchinson
TUSCAN STAR very much takes the eye as his in-form trainer’s only runner on the card. The penalised son of Yafta faces strong competition from Noble Testimony, but enjoys an experience edge on that opponent after readily opening his account at Southwell.
Race 5 No6 MARTIN’S BRIG (Each Way)
Trainer: David Thompson – Jockey: Rhys Elliott
MARTIN’S BRIG looked to be running into form when troubling the judge on his latest outing at this course where he’s visited on a sequence of 15 occasions only interrupted by two races on turf. It was almost a year ago that he recorded his last success, but he’s now back on a mark from which he can prove dangerous.
Race 6 No6 LERWICK
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Having consented to settle in first time blinkers, LERWICK posted his best run of 2025 when chasing home Bajan Bandit Southwell. In the historic colours of 1850 Derby winner Voltigeur the five-year-old can swoop to conquer, benefitting from the addition of Loughnane in his saddle for the first time.
