Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Goodwood , Haydock Park , Bath , Worcester and Pontefract on 23 May 2025
GOODWOOD
Race 3 No5 LOVING LOOK (Each Way)
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: David Egan
LOVING LOOK has a happy knack of troubling the judge, having won twice and earned in all but one of her other seven career starts. Having proved easy to back on her first outing for six months at Southwell she is going to be sharper and can get into the shake-up in a competitive fillies’ handicap.
Race 4 No5 LIBERTY LANE
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Clifford Lee
Northern raider LIBERTY LANE looks the go-to horse in the featured Festival Stakes after his very solid effort at Chester. His third in the Huxley Stakes was a strong performance and if repeated should see him safe home at the main expense of the penalised Meydan winner Silver Knott.
Race 6 No6 FORT GEORGE (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
FORT GEORGE made a winning start to the campaign at Newmarket in spite of things going wrong for him in the race. He’s 5lb higher but has scope to improve at least that much, and gets the vote over another first time back scorer in Sea Founder.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 3 No7 UNEQUAL LOVE (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand
Last year’s Wokingham winner UNEQUAL LOVE was Group 1 placed in the Haydock Sprint Cup but looked as if her comeback race at Newmarket would bring her forward. That muted effort behind Tiger Bay does not accurately reflect the ability of the chestnut who should win.
Race 4 No6 WILD DESERT
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
Bearing in mind how much Appleby likes to unleash his better juveniles at this course, WILD DESERT makes abundant appeal on debut. He’s closely related to Group 1 winners Shadow Of Light and Earthlight, and has done everything right in preparation for this.
Race 7 No7 CARLYLE SQUARE
Trainer: Julie Camacho – Jockey: Lewis Edmunds
Wootton Bassett filly CARLYLE SQUARE was narrowly denied after meeting interference at Doncaster and needs to be given the chance to make amends for a trainer that has a good record with her runners here.
BATH
Race 1 No5 JOY CHOI
Trainer: Malcolm Saunders – Jockey: William Carson
From a yard that landed a nice touch at Chepstow on Wednesday, JOY CHOI is also worth a market check as she needed her first run back at Salisbury where she took a walk in the betting. She’s not getting any younger, but her record in a select campaign last season stands up to the closest inspection.
Race 2 No5 TOO DARN GOOD
Trainer: Charlie Hills – Jockey: Rob Hornby
TOO DARN GOOD is by Too Darn Hot out of a mare who was all about speed. Good reports follow him to the track and while letting the market guide me he’s bred to be quick, and should go well.
Race 3 No6 FISHERMANS COTTAGE (Each Way)
Trainer: Malcolm Saunders – Jockey: William Carson
FISHERMANS COTTAGE inched home at Salisbury in a race that has worked out, but wasn’t at home over the minimum trip at Chepstow. He needs respecting back up the six furlongs and worth giving the chance to bounce back.
FISHERMANS COTTAGE
WORCESTER
Race 5 No5 MANALA (Nap)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
Six-year-old mare MANALA was a smooth course and distance winner last week, and with her tail up has a great chance to follow-up under a 7lb penalty as the best bet on the card.
Race 6 No2 ASLUKGOES
Trainer: Ben Brookhouse – Jockey: J M Quinlan
ASLUKGOES comes off the injury list with a Listed bumper success on his CV and the potential to do well on this belated start to his jumps career. He is the winner of three of his four starts under Rules, while fit enough to give his rivals in this first division of the maiden hurdle plenty to think about.
PONTEFRACT
Race 1 No7 TORFRIDA
Trainer: Pam Sly – Jockey: Ray Dawson
TORFRIDA has troubled the judge on both outings since returning to the track. She didn’t go unbacked at Windsor last time, and appears happier running over the minimum trip. Furthermore she has the pick of the draw.
Race 3 No2 KINGS HAND (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott – Jockey: Dylan Hogan
KINGS HAND makes his handicap debut over a longer trip than the three races that qualified him for a mark last year. Going up in distance is almost par for the course for horses from the Prescott stable, and the gelded son of Kingman rates a winner waiting to happen.
Race 6 No7 MOUNT KING (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
MOUNT KING went out tamely at the finish at Thirsk last week but is worth chancing to bounce back on this more testing track. He’s competing off a mark from which he should win soon.
