Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Ludlow, Kempton Park and Southwell on 6 January 2023.
LUDLOW
Race 2 No8 IMPOSE TOI (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: James Bowen
IMPOSE TOI brings a two-race unbeaten record in France to the table and has been well tutored for his first run under Rules, and over jumps. For top connections he should make short work of his opponents.
Race 6 No6 JUBILEE EXPRESS (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Vee Dancer is fit from a run on the Flat and should make a good fist of adding to his sequence of hurdling successes last season, but he’s gone up a stone in the weights and might have to give best to JUBILEE EXPRESS. The latter is lightly-raced and open to improvement and will be sharper than for his comeback outing at Lingfield as he switches to handicaps.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 4 No5 AZTEC EMPIRE (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: David Probert
AZTEC EMPIRE looked to benefit from stretching out in trip on his latest start at Southwell when beating all but Quantum Leap. This well-related individual has scope for plenty of improvement, and should make no mistake.
Race 5 No3 GOLDEN SPEECH
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: David Probert
GOLDEN SPEECH is impossible to oppose on all-weather debut on the basis of a couple of creditable runs in defeat. Equipped with first time cheek pieces, the Dubawi gelding can use this race as a stepping stone to better things.
Race 7 No8 BASS STRAIT (Each Way)
Trainer: Sheena West – Jockey: Rose Dawes
BASS STRAIT stayed on for minor money after getting tapped for toe as the pace quickened over this trip at Chelmsford on Wednesday. His trainer is learning about him all the time and should have him sharper for this quick return to the track.
SOUTHWELL
Race 4 No8 BARNEY’S BAY (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Duran Fentiman
After spending a long time off the radar BARNEY’S BAY produced an improved performance to earn at Newcastle on only a second all-weather start of 2022. The blinkered five-year-old has dropped to a competitive mark, and has a good chance of notching a first success since the spring of 2021.
Race 6 No4 HARRY MAGNUS (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Hills – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
HARRY MAGNUS improved from race to race in three outings last year, concluding with a staying-on second at Wolverhampton. He had today’s market rival Danger Alert behind him on that occasion, and though the pair are poorly drawn they should fight out the finish and come back in the same order.
