Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Southwell and Chelmsford City on 15 December 2022.
SOUTHWELL
Race 3 No4 THUNDER GAP (Each Way)
Trainer: Tom Tate – Jockey: Tom Queally
Southwell have been the standard bearers in terms of getting meetings on during the recent mini freeze. Let’s hope they can work that oracle again, as THUNDER GAP looks an intriguing prospect for this stayers’ handicap. The selection has been selectively campaigned since enduring training issues, but showed he retains much of his ability when runner-up to Wolf Of Oxshott at Newcastle at the end of October. As that was only his second ever race on the all-weather, there should be more to come.
Race 5 No2 ELEGANT CHARM (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: Daniel Muscutt
ELEGANT CHARM appeals as a fair bet to halt the winning run of prolific scorer Pocket The Rocket. The Exceed And Excel filly has progressed in her three starts on sand to go 421, and after smoothly opening account on the latest of those visits to Kempton, can now show that she’s just as effective on the Tapeta surface.
Race 7 No11 EAST STREET REVUE (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Duran Fentiman
If there was to be an upset in this competitive finale, EAST STREET REVUE is the type to provide it. He’s been quiet since springing a 33-1 surprise at Doncaster in the summer but has consequently been handed a chance by the assessor, and at a big double-figure price is worth taking a chance on here.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 1 No9 WIGMORE STREET (Each Way)
Trainer: Simon Crisford – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Wolverhampton winner Tagabawa sets a high bar for Godolphin but a market check is advised on newcomer WIGMORE STREET, an American Pharaoh colt carrying the colours of Michael Tabor with an interesting jockey in the hot seat. The selection is drawn alongside the favourite and the pair could easily fight out the finish.
Race 2 No4 SUPER MO (Nap)
Trainer: David Simcock – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Spencer also has a bright chance of success aboard SUPER MO in this long distance race for the late two-year-olds. He’s certainly bred for this job, being by Uncle Mo out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, while having valuable points on the board with a brace of earning runs at Kempton. He was well backed when chasing home Dubai Mile last time and can go one better over a suitably longer trip.
Race 7 No5 WADACRE GRACE
Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Franny Norton
WADACRE GRACE looks the right way to go on only her second visit to this Essex course in the nightcap. She’s performed with accuracy in her half-dozen outings through the autumn and early winter after opening her account when reappearing at Newcastle. She narrowly missed at Southwell last time, and has the same pilot in the irons.
