Neil Morrice provides tips for Friday’s British race meetings at Warwick, Uttoxeter and Lingfield on 31/12/2021.
WARWICK – 31/12/2021
Race 2: MARSH WREN
Trainer: Stuart Edmunds – Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
MARSH WREN needed her comeback race at Leicester but then staged a much-improved effort to chase home the impressive Lady Of The Night at Fontwell. Winner of a Southwell bumper on her only start last season, the Schiaparelli mare should have more to offer on what is just her fourth career outing.
Race 4: JUNIPER (Nap)
Trainer: Harry Whittington – Jockey: Adrian Heskin
JUNIPER has schooled beautifully ahead of this first outing over fences. She’s a big, scopey mare with bags of potential to do well in this new discipline, having shown abundant promise in a select campaign over hurdles.
Race 5: GRAND TURINA
Trainer: Venetia Williams – Jockey: Ned Fox
Kayf Tara mare GRAND TURINA came out of a barren spell to score in the gamest fashion at Lingfield, where she needed to dig deep in the testing conditions to get home. She’d had jumping issues, but if that area of her profile holds up she has a good chance of going back-to-back.
UTTOXETER – 31/12/2021
Race 1: JAZZ KING (Nap)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
A great week for the Thomas stable can be rounded off with a win from JAZZ KING in this maiden hurdle. The grey has found one to beat him in both starts over hurdles this season but this looks his best chance yet, and one that he can convert.
Race 5: DOCPICKEDME
Trainer: Harry Whittington – Jockey: Jack Quinlan
Connections of former Irish pointer DOCPICKEDME might have found a good opportunity for him in this choice of engagements, electing to keep him to a left-handed track. If he repeats his trait of hanging to the left it shouldn’t bother him, while after three races this season there can be no excuses from a fitness point of view.
LINGFIELD PARK – 31/12/2021
Race 2: CELTIC ART
Trainer: Jeremy Scott – Jockey: David Probert
On his first start since changing stables, CELTIC ART has a good earning chance on his first visit to this venue and only second start on the all-weather. He handles Tapeta well when third in a Class4 at Newcastle in the autumn, and has previously earned at a higher level on turf at Newmarket.
Race 3: LUCKY AVA
Trainer: Conrad Allen – Jockey: Martin Dwyer
LUCKY AVA takes a consistent run of form to post for this sprint round a left-handed bend. The Heeraat filly enjoys a nice weight allowance from her foes and is well drawn to take charge, having succumbed to Rose Hip by a paper-thin margin over course and distance last month.
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