Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Southwell and Kempton Park on 16 December 2022.
SOUTHWELL
Race 1 No9 SUZI’S CONNOISSEUR (Each Way)
Trainer: Jane Chapple-Hyam – Jockey: Tommie Jakes
Back from a year on the sidelines, SUZI’S CONNOISSEUR is of interest breaking from the rail in this sprint around a left-handed bend. The now eleven-year-old is a regular earner in apprentice races and should give his inexperienced pilot a good ride around here. He’s run well coming back from a break in the past, including on his debut for his trainer.
Race 7 No3 EBURY (Each Way)
Trainer: Scott Dixon – Jockey: Luke Morris
EBURY has gone 23 starts without winning for his current handler but showed with a narrow defeat under the same jockey that’s in the saddle today at Wolverhampton that he can soon end the frustrating drought. He started favourite only to fail be just three-quarters of a length in a blanket finish, and is worth giving another chance to in this weak affair.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 4 No14 TWIRLING (Each Way)
Trainer: Simon Crisford – Jockey: Jack Mitchell
The colours of Michael Tabor should always be treated respectfully and especially at this time of year with an unraced juvenile. TWIRLING matches that description breaking from a favourable stall in what looks a wide open fillies’ maiden. The daughter of Churchill could have plenty to offer, but before backing her a market check is highly recommended.
Race 5 No5 UNFORGOTTEN (Each Way)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Rab Havlin
It will require a fine training feat for UNFORGOTTEN to win this after more than 600 days on the sidelines, but the grey takes a likeable profile to post consisting of a wide-margin triumph when last seen at Newcastle in the spring of 2021. In first-time blinkers he routed a good horse in My Swallow and as that was only his third career start there’s plenty of room for progression. His training issues are thought to be now behind him, and after showing up well in his prep work he can flaw Godolphin’s other runner Noble Order.
Race 6 No2 MOSS GILL (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: William Buick
The best race of the night can fall to northern raider MOSS GILL. The six-year-old competed exclusively in Listed and Pattern races after his black type triumph at York in the summer of 2020. He’s been swimming in calmer waters recently and has only ever run three times on sand, but if able to recapture his best form, which includes a third in the Group 1 Nunthorpe, he would be hard to beat, especially with Buick on his back for the first time.
