Neil Morrice shares all his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing, coming your way from Newmarket, Pontefract, Perth and Newcastle on 25 September 2025.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No6 MOONLIGHT WARRIOR
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Newcomer MOONLIGHT WARRIOR arrives at the track with very good reports from the gallops at Park House Stables. The son of Gleneagles is well worth a market check as an alternative to the more experienced paper favourites MALTESE CROSS and DEL MARO.
Race 4 TATTERSALLS STAKES (Group 3)
No4 DISTANT STORM
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
Godolphin are three handed in this and while ARCHER ROYAL won well at Chelmsford he might find DISTANT STORM too hot to handle. The selection lost his unbeaten record in the Acomb Stakes at York but is fancied to bounce back for a trainer who has won this race twice in the last five years.
Race 5 No3 LIVE YOUR DREAM (Nap)
Trainer: Saeed Bin Suroor – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
PALLADIUM impressed when making all to come home unchallenged at Salisbury but one that can cause him problems is LIVE YOUR DREAM. The selection returns from an enforced absence and was last successful two years ago. Having said that he’s shown he can produce his best off a break, and when last seen went down in a blanket finish in the Ebor, beaten half a length and the same by classy foes Absurde and Sweet William.
PONTEFRACT
Race 5 No7 WAVE RIDER (Nap)
Trainer: Harry Charlton – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
The three-year-olds can have the edge in this interesting Class3, led home by WAVE RIDER. The Belardo gelding has a happy knack of troubling the judge and on the long journey from Beckhampton can stave off the challenge of GUNSHIP, who may bounce back in first time blinkers.
Race 7 No9 THE GOOD BISCUIT (Each Way)
Trainer: Ruth Carr – Jockey: Warren Fentiman
The outside draw can end up being an advantage when there’s cut in the ground here, which is one reason for selecting THE GOOD BISCUIT. He’s had his problems, but since joining Carr has produced winning form at this track, with a stiff six furlongs being his bag. He ran well to place in a big field on his latest outing at Thirsk, and has plenty to recommend him.
PERTH
Race 2 No4 CHIEF SUNDAY (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
In the warmest race of its type run this season CHIEF SUNDAY needs a second look. A dual scorer in soft ground, he ran into an in form rival when beaten by Holeshot in a handicap hurdle at Warwick but importantly has impressed in his schooling ahead of this switch to fences.
Race 5 No2 CHASING FIRE
Trainer: Olly Murphy – Jockey: Sea Bowen
CHASING FIRE has tried his hand over fences but appears more comfortable in handicap hurdles, a factor he can demonstrate with a success on his first run of the season. He was a classy operator as a novice, and at the age of eight is still young enough to realise his early potential.
NEWCASTLE
Race 4 No2 TIGER POWER (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: PJ McDonald
Having overcome greenness to score on his Haydock introduction, TIGER POWER can consolidate. He’s a raw individual who will have learned bundles and is strongly fancied to defy his 7lb penalty.
Race 7 No2 PARISH COUNCILLOR
Trainer: James Owen – Jockey: Cieren Fallon
After scoring in good style at Lingfield, PARISH COUNCILLOR reappears under a 3lb higher mark but with a visor added, which can counter that rise. He’s just preferred to MARTIN’S BRIG, who likes this track and has hit the woodwork on his last two starts.
