Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips from Saturday’s British racing coming your way from Cheltenham, Newbury, Doncaster and Chelmsford City on 22 October 2022.
Check out Neil Morrice's video preview for Saturday's racing at Newbury below:
CHELTENHAM
Race 3 No2 PIED PIPER (Nap)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey: Jack Kennedy
PIED PIPER beat Knight Salute in the Anniversary Hurdle at Aintree before an inevitable disqualification for interference. He then was most unlucky in running when switched to the Flat and tackling the Ascot Stakes in June, where he was persistently denied racing real estate. Back over jumps in this conditions hurdle, he can put an early marker on the board for a shot at the Champion Hurdle here next March.
Race 4 No2 CLEAR THE RUNWAY
Trainer: Laura Morgan – Jockey: Adam Wedge
CLEAR THE RUNWAY is a fine advertisement for the skills of upwardly mobile trainer Morgan and hasn’t looked back on the way to an unblemished sequence of four straight successes this season. The six-year-old jumps well and has a potent turn of foot, just the attributes required for him to pounce up the final hill.
Race 5 No15 PANIC ATTACK (Each Way)
Trainer: David Pipe – Jockey: Tom Scudamore
PANIC ATTACK never stopped earning after returning from a wind operation in the middle of last year, though her racecourse appearances were sporadic. Last seen chasing home Romeo Brown in a valuable handicap at Haydock in May, she goes well fresh and is fancied to take away a cheque.
NEWBURY
Race 2 Virgin Bet Horris Hill Stakes (Group 3)
No9 STRIKING STAR
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
Dubawi colt STRIKING STAR left a lasting impression when scoring on debut at Sandown, where importantly he enjoyed the cut in the ground. The hooded selection faces a couple of opponents with identical credentials in Lord Of Biscay and Knight, but could find Caragio just as troublesome.
Race 3 Virgin Bet St Simon Stakes (Group 3)
No1 HAMISH (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand
Though having to be trained with a kid glove, HAMISH is a classy operator at this level and can make this historic contest a third success from four outings this season. In a race his trainer has dominated in recent seasons the six-year-old has a dominating presence based on Pattern race successes either side of a great run behind Kyprios in the Irish St Leger, latterly taking out Ascot’s Cumberland Lodge Stakes just as he liked. He will relish the easy underfoot conditions, and any odds north of evens would be attractive.
Race 5 No11 WYOMING
Trainer: Paul Cole – Jockey: Tom Marquand
WYOMING did her level best to burn off the opposition from the front, only to be overhauled late by Crystallium here last month. The home-bred filly has enjoyed a freshening break and could be the answer to this Listed prize if ridden with more controlled aggression.
Race 6 No6 DUAL IDENTITY (Each Way)
Trainer: William Knight – Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
DUAL IDENTITY regularly troubles the judge in top level handicaps to make him a safe option for taking away another cheque in a more straightforward contest than the Cambridgeshire, in which he finished a creditable third behind Majestic. He’s shown he can handle cut in the ground, and looks sure to be on the premises at the business end of proceedings.
DONCASTER
Race 4 No6 LEGEND OF XANADU (Each Way)
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley
Beasley got a good tune out of LEGEND OF XANADU when the Sixties Icon colt finished fourth at York, and has a good overall record on his rides for the Channon stable. The selection won what was the equivalent of a Listed race when taking out Epsom’s Woodcote Stakes on Oaks day, and there’s no reason why he can’t earn at a price in a contest dominated by Coolmore raider Aesop’s Fables.
Race 5 VERTEM FUTURITY TROPHY (Group 1)
No8 STORMBUSTER (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: David Probert
Leopardstown Group 2 winner Auguste Rodin is a short shot to add to Aidan O’Brien’s good record in this back end highlight, but one that could cause him problems is STORMBUSTER. The home-bred son of Dubawi greatly impressed when taking out the Haynes, Hanson And Clark Stakes at Newbury when sent off the outsider of four, though the success did not surprise his connections who have trained him meticulously for this one day.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 1 No5 LEADENHALL (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Dougie Costello
LEADENHALL put in an encouraging first effort when finishing just out of the money at Sandown. The Kingman colt has improved mentally for that educational run, and hopefully sufficient to open his account at the start of a very tricky card for punters.
Race 3 No7 DOUBLE TIME
Trainer: Sir Mark Todd – Jockey: George Rooke
DOUBLE TIME boasts a progressive profile, with figures of 34221 mirroring his recent well-being. The game Kempton scorer can underline his liking for Polytrack by serving out a similar display on his second visit here.
