Neil Morrice shares his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Hereford, Taunton, Lingfield Park and Wolverhampton on 21 December 2022.
HEREFORD
Race 1 No1 DEERE MARK
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
After shaping well on his needed first outing over hurdles at Chepstow, DEERE MARK was out of his depth in a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle at the same track. He’s now in calmer waters, and can prove a popular winner of the opener at this course’s Christmas meeting.
Race 2 No13 SHOMEN UCHI (Nap)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
From the same stable, SHOMEN UCHI can put his best foot forward as he switches to hurdles from bumpers. The five-year-old brings solid form from that division to the table, having not been discredited when just out of the money in the Aintree Bumper when last seen in April. He was a smooth scorer at this venue on his previous start, and is definitely one to monitor in market exchanges.
Race 4 No2 MR VANGO
Trainer: Mark Bradstock – Jockey: Jack Tudor
The enormous MR VANGO left a lasting impression with the way he outstayed his foes at Haydock and is one of the nicest horses on view today. He faces stern competition from two other recent penalised winners, but has massive scope for progression, and can outgun Phantom Getaway and Grove Road.
Race 7 No3 CAP DU MATHAN
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Lorcan Williams
CAP DU MATHAN was as big as a bull when returning at Chepstow, and might still have needed his run against Stormin Crossgales on his second start back at Wincanton. He’s learning all the time, and now ready to gain a first success over fences on his way to better things.
TAUNTON
Race 5 No8 NORLEY
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Beau Morgan
NORLEY is temptingly weighted in this two-mile handicap hurdle against lightly raced novice Beau Balco. The Yeats gelding came back from a wind operation to power home at Southwell, and while in stronger company today definitely needs respecting.
Race 7 No1 ISLAND RUN (Nap)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Tom O’Brien
ISLAND RUN ran a cracker to make Good News fight for the spoils at Kempton and is going to be sharper for that pleasing return to the fray. Smuggled into the race, he picked off his rivals one by one and would probably have prevailed but for getting tired towards the finish. He had a good blow on unsaddling, and can make light of his welter burden to go one better.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 5 No7 FRAGINANE (Nap)
Trainer: Harry Whittington – Jockey: Daryl Jacob
FRAGINANE has done plenty of work and schooling ahead of this first run in more than 600 days. The former Irish pointer made his mark over hurdles with a win and two seconds in as many starts but has always been looked upon as a future chaser. He was due to run at Chepstow, but having skipped that his trainer has had three more weeks to get him fit.
Race 7 No4 GALTEE MOUNTAIN (Each Way)
Trainer: Pat Murphy – Jockey: Daryl Jacob
GALTEE MOUNTAIN has enjoyed a couple of readying spins through the autumn and early winter that should have served the purpose of making him fine tuned. He’s been an amazingly constituent earner for his owners and returned to the track at which he finished fourth on his latest start he can raise his game for the win.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 1 No5 ATTRAZIONE (Nap)
Trainer: George Boughey – Jockey: Kevin Stott
ATTRAZIONE looked to score with something up her sleeve at Southwell last week and with that confidence boosting success under her belt will be hard to stop under a 6lb penalty. She faces a field of largely out of form rivals.
Race 2 No1 EM JAY KAY
Trainer: Phil McEntee – Jockey: Grace McEntee
Fine Balance will attract most of the betting handle on this weak novice stakes but might find EM JAY KAY too hot to handle. The selection has tantalised by placing in each of his five starts for his trainer, but with the hood he sported last time dispensed with, can now put his best foot forward.
