Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Chepstow, Catterick Ridge, Lingfield Park and Newcastle on 3 January 2023.
CHEPSTOW
Race 1 No3 CREBILLY
Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
CREBILLY meets a handful of talented novices including the unbeaten Doyen Star, but a reflection on his defeat by Liberty Hunter here last month concludes that he should be unbeaten over jumps. The six-year-old travelled best for most of the journey only to be worried out of it in a race which if run again would probably see a different result.
Race 3 No2 WELL DICK
Trainer: Charlie Longsdon – Jockey: Bradley Roberts
WELL DICK hasn’t done much wrong since joining his trainer from the Irish point circuit. The gelding looked better the further he travelled when opening his account under Rules at Uttoxeter and can outstay his foes over this slightly longer trip.
Race 5 No8 SANDY BOY (Each Way)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Ben Jones
SANDY BOY takes the eye in this long distance handicap chase as a lightly-raced individual that goes well when coming off a protracted absence. He demonstrated that when winning under today’s pilot at Warwick, while Jones was also on his back when he delivered at Uttoxeter 14 months ago. The nine-year-old should not be underestimated, especially in consideration of his trainer’s adept handling of horses like him.
Race 7 No1 SPIRITS BAY (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Finn Lambert
SPIRITS BAY hails from a stable getting its act together following a quiet end of 2022 by its high standards. It is notching winners in the bumper division above all else, and Spirits Bay looked useful when coming from an unpromising position to score going away over this course and distance. That was almost three months ago, but he’s been in very good form at home and should follow-up.
CATTERICK BRIDGE
Race 2 No6 HOLD UP LA COLMINE (Nap)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Tom O’Brien
After a string of earning runs under Rules winning pointer HOLD UP LA COLMINE has a first rate chance to open his account in Britain. He’s been beaten by smart operators such as Chianti Classico and Firestream, and faces nothing of their ilk on this long journey from Somerset.
Race 7 No5 BOLLIN NEIL
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Jamie Hamilton
BOLLIN NEIL took a while to get on top, but readily asserted once hitting the front here last month. His trainer has found the gelding an almost identical task, and with conditions in his favour he can serve up a repeat.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 2 No2 URBAN OUTLOOK
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: David Probert
URBAN OUTLOOK can upstage Chronograph on his debut in this mile and a quarter maiden. Interestingly he is out of the stable’s useful winner Casual Glance, and having shown promise in his preparation could be too classy for these foes.
Race 4 No1 UNFORGOTTEN (Nap)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Rab Havlin
UNFORGOTTEN looked like a horse with a bright future when romping home in first time blinkers at Newcastle, only to be forced onto the sidelines through injury. The grey has been ready to reappear for a while, and though it’s fully 22 months since that novice success he can make this first handicap assignment a winning one.
Race 5 No10 SISTERANDBROTHER
Trainer: Milton Harris – Jockey: David Probert
The consistent SISTERANDBROTHER may have needed the run when just out of the money here last month. It was his first outing since mid-July, and only a second on an all-weather surface. While yet to show he’s as good on sand as on turf, he looks well weighted with a top pilot in the irons, and I shall pay to find out.
NEWCASTLE
Race 1 No7 GOLDEN VINTAGE (Nap)
Trainer: Jedd O’Keeffe – Jockey: PJ McDonald
GOLDEN VINTAGE made a big leap forward to open her account here a couple of weeks ago and needs taking seriously reappearing under a 5lb penalty. The Golden Horn filly scored by a wide margin and seems to have turned a corner.
Race 3 No1 MINT EDITION
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: PJ McDonald
MINT EDITION has improved for a switch to sand and appears to be right at home on this track. A pleasing placed effort last autumn was followed by a resounding success a fortnight ago, and from his revised mark the Showcasing gelding is strongly fancied to follow-up.
Race 4 No3 FLASH BARDOT
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
FLASH BARDOT stayed on for minor honours on debut at Wolverhampton. The daughter of Sixties Icon is no star, but has learned from that first foray onto the track, and can give her trainer his first winner since taking over the licence at West Ilsley.
