Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Lingfield Park, Sedgefield, Huntingdon and Newcastle on 13 January 2023.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 2 No1 INCRIMINATION
Trainer: Conrad Allen – Jockey: William Carver
INCRIMINATION is a filly with very few miles on her racing clock that holds scope for progression and was a cosy scorer over this course and distance at the start of the month. Under a 7lb penalty she can parry the challenge of fellow recent scorer El Hombre.
Race 4 HOORNBLOWER (Nap)
Trainer: Denis Coakley – Jockey: Rob Hornby
Ulysses colt HOORNBLOWER showed promise on his introduction at Lingfield late in 2021 but then suffered a training reverse. He’s a well regarded individual. He’s well drawn in a race that might not take much winning, and whatever happens here is a horse to follow.
Race 6 No4 ATALANTA BREEZE
Trainer: Marcus Tregoning – Jockey: Dougie Costello
Champs Elysees mare ATALANTA BREEZE returns from a somewhat shorter absence but having impressed on her only 2022 start at Brighton in September is now ready to fly her trainer’s flag in an all-weather winter campaign. She has won on Tapeta and run well on Polytrack, although for her only visit here as a two-year-old she was at the bottom of the learning curve.
SEDGEFIELD
Race 1 No7 HIDALGO DE L’ISLE (Nap)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: Brian Hughes
Two near misses in a bumper and novice hurdle make HIDALGO DE L’ISLE the one to beat. The six-year-old was only narrowly beaten in a bumper here in the late spring and attracted abundant support when running into the smart Matchless at Newcastle. It’s doubtful there’s anything of that standard in today’s field.
Race 2 No2 SON OF THE SOMME
Trainer: Brian Ellison – Jockey: Sean Quinlan
SON OF THE SOMME is narrowly preferred to Betty Baloo in this novices’ handicap chase. The selection has a handicap hurdle success at Wetherby under his belt as well as earning efforts in both his outings over fences this season. He jumps well and retains the cheek pieces that were added for his latest start.
Race 4 No5 LARGE ACTION
Trainer: Roger Fell – Jockey: Kevin Brogan
Fences helped transform LARGE ACTION at Musselburgh, where on his debut over the larger obstacles he easily landed the spoils as a 25-1 roughie. If that was no fluke, he has a good chance of defying a 7lb penalty, as he had at least that much in hand and was visually very impressive.
HUNTINGDON
Race 3 No1 THE COB
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
THE COB is another that looked more comfortable in the chase arena when scoring easily at Uttoxeter. He completely dominated the business end of that novices’ handicap, and with his yard really starting to fire, he is going to be respected in this bid to follow-up.
Race 4 No7 INNESTON (Nap)
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Jamie Moore
INNESTON encountered a baptism of fire on his jumps debut at Newbury but nevertheless ran well to finish third behind stablemate and shock scorer Jupiter Du Gite in a race where hot favourite Jet Powered bombed out. In what looks a match between he and Western Zephyr he gets 6lb and should win it.
Race 5 No5 PERSEUS WAY
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Jamie Moore
PERSEUS WAY is three races along the learning curve, and at a track that should suit can bag this featured trial for the Triumph Hurdle. The chestnut can with a win give a fillip to the Festival chances of Scriptwriter who he chased home on debut at Cheltenham.
NEWCASTLE
Race 2 No2 SELF ACLAIM (Nap)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Ross Coakley
SELF ACLAIM thwarted a well-regarded Godolphin colt when beating Pherenikos at Wolverhampton and was impressive in achieving it. He has to give almost a stone to distance climber Razoni, but should know too much for that promising rival.
Race 4 No4 FOX TAL
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: PJ McDonald
FOX TAL has his idiosyncrasies and can never be completely relied upon to give it his all. That said, there’s a mass of horsepower under his bonnet, and on this first run in not far short of a year he can thwart the equally rated Excel Power. The selection drops back on the distance ladder but has never lacked a gear and can handle it.
Race 7 No1 ENRAGED
Trainer: Julie Camacho – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
Hat-trick seeking filly ENRAGED has shown battling qualities to score by narrow margins on her last two starts but now switches to the all-weather. Her previous efforts on sand have been underwhelming, but granted her wellbeing, and the fact that the last of them was well over a year ago, she can again put her best foot forward.
