Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s British racing coming your way from Warwick, Hexham, Southwell and Kempton on 16 November 2022.
WARWICK
Race 2 No1 GITCHE GUMEE (Nap)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
GITCHE GUMEE looks the ready made answer to this in the colours of JP McManus. He slipped under the radar as a 12-1 scorer on his only bumper start last season, but attracted significant support before hacking up on jumps debut at Stratford where he jumped well and came home unchallenged. He carries a 7lb penalty for that, but it shouldn’t stop him from remaining unbeaten.
Race 3 No4 ERNEST GRAY
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
King and Cannon could be in business again with ERNEST GRAY, another well-regarded inmate at Barbary Castle. The five-year-old was very impressive in taking out a bumper here last spring, and started 4-1 second favourite for the Aintree Bumper, only to run below expectations. It’s best to draw a line through that performance, as he’s worked and schooled well ahead of this first outing over hurdles.
Race 6 No1 LOSTINTRANSLATION
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
The abandonment of Sandown robbed LOSTINTRANSLATION of a good winning opportunity last week. The ten-year-old now finds himself in a tougher veterans’ chase, but should love this course and has dropped onto a workable mark. When making a case for him it should be factored in that he delivered in a Grade 2 chase at Ascot on his reappearance last season, and goes well off a break.
HEXHAM
Race 3 No8 YOU WEAR IT WELL (Nap)
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
YOU WEAR IT WELL sets the standard for his foes to aim at and should be too good for them on the way to better things. His massively in form trainer is taking a softly, softly approach with the gelding, who after his resounding Worcester success is strongly fancied to follow up under a penalty.
Race 4 No5 MILLDAM
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
The second division looks a shade more open, but it should be Snowden again with MILLDAM, who is on course to recoup the losses sustained on him at Fakenham. The selection had previously contested the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and if on his A-game should account for northern rival Top Cloud.
Race 7 No7 BOLLIN NEIL (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Jamie Hamilton
BOLLIN NEIL is a speculative choice to take down a couple of recent winners. A multiple scorer on the Flat, he finished second at Catterick on his latest outing, but with only three starts under his belt over jumps is an unknown quantity for this first run in a handicap.
SOUTHWELL
Race 4 No1 CAME FROM THE DARK (Each Way)
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: Ross Coakley
CAME FROM THE DARK has been a slow burner this year and seeks a first success of the season on a fifth start. He’s not exactly been a captain of industry, but he looked unlucky when meeting trouble in running at Doncaster, and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on making just a second-ever appearance on sand.
Race 6 No4 GHOSTLY (Each Way)
Trainer: Stella Barclay – Jockey: Faye McManoman
With figures of 23214 GHOSTLY is the sort of dependable performer that can be trusted to get into the money, though he has to prove his readiness following a five month absence. If the grey is close the fitness he can take away another cheque.
Race 8 No13 BARNEY’S BAY (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Duran Fentiman
BARNEY’S BAY defends a one race undefeated record here, with this rare visitor to the all-weather having achieved that in the spring of last year. Subsequent visits to Newcastle did not prove as fruitful, but in his last two starts on grass he’s knocked on the door, and even though up in class today has a solid chance of another earning run.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 4 No4 FEUD (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
Those with previous experience look set to dominate the first leg of the novice, with FEUD just preferred to Like A Tiger. The selection has troubled the judge on each of his starts and was the subject of market support when third to Modesty at York last month. That was a solid enough effort, and augers well for him scoring on this first outing on Polytrack.
Race 6 No5 MONOPOLISE
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: Saffie Osborne
MONOPOLISE gets a handy weight concession from his rivals and under the same jockey that guided him home at Newmarket can follow-up. He’s worked well on a similar surface to this at home, and should have no issues with the switch from grass to the all-weather.
Race 7 No2 BANDINELLI
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
If near the same form as for his last visits here when he went back-to-back, Godolphin’s BANDINELLI should have a class edge on his foes. The Dubawi gelding was well below his best in a couple of runs on grass in the early summer, but if repeating his sixth to Trueshan in the Northumberland Plate would probably find himself back in the winner’s circle.
