Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Exeter, Leicester, Ayr and Kempton Park on 10 March 2023.
EXETER
Race 4 No6 THUNDERCLAP (Nap)
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
Red Dirt Road takes the best form into this but an arguably better betting proposition is the unexposed THUNDERCLAP, who is having his first run in handicap company. The five-year-old is a dual scorer on the all-weather as well as a one time winner or turf, and when finishing fourth at Ffos Las last time troubled the judge for the first time over jumps. He’s almost certain to progress for his shrewd handler.
Race 5 No8 KINGSMILL GIN (Each Way)
Trainer: Jackie du Plessis – Jockey: James Best
KINGSMILL GIN isn’t the most obvious winner of this long distance handicap hurdle, but the mare is nevertheless worth a market check taking stock of the fact she’s attracted money on a couple of occasions this season and has run well to a point on each of her four starts. It’s well over a year since her only success under Rules, but she’s had limited racing in the ensuing period, and is getting plenty of weight from her male foes.
LEICESTER
Race 3 No5 RELKADAM (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Theo Gillard
Gillard is an eye taking booking for RELKADAM, who ran well to a point at Wetherby earlier in the week and has to be taken seriously as a horse that has cascaded in the weights. The chestnut briefly flattered on that occasion only to weaken, but it will be interesting to see how he gets on racing on a track he hasn’t visited for more than two years, and whose long home straight could well suit him.
Race 5 No4 DELGANY MONARCH
Trainer: Richard Rowe – Jockey: Tabitha Worsley
DELGANY MONARCH has been on my radar for a while as a horse that should do better as a chaser. He was having just a second outing over fences when third at Lingfield last month, but beaten less than two lengths. He will handle testing conditions and can make this an overdue first success over jumps.
Race 6 No1 ESPOIR DE TEILLEE
Trainer: Ben Brookhouse – Jockey: Miss Fern O’Brien
Former Cheltenham Festival winner Mister Whitaker is a familiar name in this field but is a long way off being anything like the same force of old. I shall oppose him with ESPOIR DE TEILEE, who came out of the wilderness to hack up in a similar race here the other day, when given a confident ride by the female pilot who is again doing the steering. If in the same form he was on that occasion, ‘steering’ is all she will have to do.
AYR
Race 1 No4 JESSIEMAC
Trainer: Iain Duncan – Jockey: Alexander Thorne
JESSIEMAC didn’t run as well here on his latest start as the time before, but he was beaten only a little over six lengths and could easily improve on it. He’s a dual winner at this course, and in a good betting heat represents fair each way value.
Race 2 No6 BLAZING PORT (Each Way)
Trainer: Nick Alexander – Jockey: Bruce Lynn
A bit like Jessiemac, BLAZING PORT didn’t run as well when fifth at Newcastle as when fourth on previous outing here. This lightly-raced individual finished runner-up in a couple of novice hurdles and is of particular interest as he could have a lot more to offer.
Race 5 No9 WHITEHAVEN (Nap)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: Brian Hughes
Multiple Flat winner WHITEHAVEN likes to get his toe into the ground, so the recent precipitation in Scotland is much to his advantage. While he underwhelmed as a well supported favourite at Carlisle last time, he is surely better than that, and for top connections can open his account.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 2 No1 McLEAN HOUSE (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: David Probert
Dream Ahead colt McLEAN HOUSE was a smooth scorer over this course and distance last month. He’s back for more under a penalty, and is preferred to the other winners in the field Giant and Nuthatch, with the others playing for minor money.
Race 3 No3 OLYMPIC QUEST
Trainer: Clive Cox – Jockey: John Fahy
As a daughter of Australia, OLYMPIC QUEST could stretch out further before long, but following a narrow defeat by Bernadine here connections are probably wise to keep her at a mile. The home-bred looks poised for another big earning run against recent winner High Court Judge.
Race 5 No1 DEMBE
Trainer: Brett Johnson – Jockey: Callum Shepherd
Without finding trouble in running, DEMBE might well have prevailed at Lingfield last time. Instead, it was a third near miss in succession for the Garswood gelding, who has solid claims off top weight under a rider who is firing in the winners.
