Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Ascot, Pontefract, Brighton, Kempton Park and Wolverhampton on 3 May 2023.
ASCOT
Race 3 No3 VEIL OF SHADOWS
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: James Doyle
Godolphin is double-handed in this interesting novice that provides us with a first bet of the new Ascot season. Dancing Goddess has the benefit of a recent run under her belt, which saw her run well in defeat, but VEIL OF SHADOWS could usurp her granted how promising she looked when scoring on her introduction at Kempton. Both fillies now switch to racing on turf, with Frankel filly Veil Of Shadows the bigger price.
Race 4 Longines Sagaro Stakes (Group 3)
No2 TRUESHAN (Nap)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Cut in the ground is going to do TRUESHAN a favour in this early trial for the Gold Cup. The seven-year-old found a mile and threequarters in inadequate test on his seasonal reappearance at Nottingham, and should turn the tables on his conqueror that day, Rajinsky. Coltrane had a couple of skirmishes with my Nap last summer in which only a neck and a head separated them. He came out on top in the Doncaster Cup, and gave it his all when touched off in the Long Distance Cup here. If Andrew Balding’s six-year-old has made further progress he will prove a big danger again.
Race 5 British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes (Group 3)
No5 DESERT COP (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
If there’s a rapid improver in this sizzling sprint it’s DESERT COP who appeals as one of the best betting propositions of the day. The gelding will find Godolphin’s Mischief Magic a doughty foe, but Murphy was hugely impressed by the way the selection asserted to win on all-weather championships day at Newcastle. There’s never been a semblance of support for him in any of his four outings so far, so we can probably look forward to a decent price for him in this jump up the class ladder.
Race 6 No4 MY PROSPERO
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand
MY PROSPERO put in a career best when third to Bay Bridge and Adayar in the Champion Stakes here last autumn. The colt also showed an affinity for this track when beaten into third in a blanket finish to the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting in the summer. Aside from those defeats he took out Listed and Group 2 contests after easily breaking his maiden, and if he’s to challenge as a contender for the Queen Anne here in June he needs to sweep aside a bunch of good but inferior opponents.
PONTEFRACT
Race 2 No1 TAYGAR (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Connor Beasley
TAYGAR has the points on the board after landing some good bets in decisive fashion at Beverley. The Churchill filly only concedes 2lb to the majority of her foes, and granted further progression from a cracking draw should be very hard to beat.
Race 5 No1 QUINTUS ARRIUS
Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Tom Eaves
Having broken his maiden in taking fashion, QUINTUS ARRIUS can keep up the good work by converting on this first handicap assignment. The Mehmas colt faces stern competition from Ertebat, but is a progressive individual who won’t mind switching back to turf.
Race 7 No6 MR STRUTTER (Each Way)
Trainer: David Thompson – Jockey: A Elliott
MR STRUTTER caught my eye making steady progress when the birds had flown on his return to action here last month after his pilot put up a pound overweight. That was his first run in five months and begs to be improved on.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 1 No6 GHOSTLY (Each Way)
Trainer: Stella Barclay – Jockey: Miss Nicola Thornton
GHOSTLY is one of the few that emanate betting appeal on this card in this stayers’ opener. He’s a dual scorer at Dunstall Park and regularly troubles the judge on his visits to the course. He should strip more forward than for his earning effort last month.
Race 2 No8 CUE’S BEAU (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Dunlop – Jockey: Daniel Muscutt
CUE’S BEAU is well drawn one off the fence as she steps up the distance ladder following an encouraging effort at Chelmsford. Having started 100-1 when second on debut at Kempton, she was backed into 5-4 on that more recent occasion only to fail by half a length to hold Monte Linas. The daughter of Brazen Beau is the clear form pick, and should make no mistake.
BRIGHTON
Race 2 No5 GREY GRAY (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Dunlop – Jockey: Marco Ghiani
Expert Eye filly GREY GRAY shaped like a sure-fire future winner when second on her debut at Bath before which she was very easy to back. She’s thrived since that taking effort, and could have the weaponry to down market rival and probably favourite Via Electriano.
Race 4 No5 QUINAULT
Trainer: Stuart Williams – Jockey: Luke Catton
QUINAULT got off the mark on his handicap debut at Chelmsford and it’s no surprise to see the gelding out for further pickings under a 6lb penalty. His trainer excels with this type of individual, and will have him focussed for further pickings.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 1 No1 PENGUIN ISLAND
Trainer: Henry Candy – Jockey: Dane O’Neill
PENGUIN ISLAND faces a filly with bags of scope for improvement in Della, but the first-named is taken to successfully concede 10lb to her younger rival and break a sequence of three near-misses. Candy was amongst the winners last week, and this in-form daughter of The Gurkha should be straighter for her first run back at Wolverhampton.
Race 4 No2 REAL DREAM (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
REAL DREAM should live up to his name by landing the Nap for us in this stayers’ handicap. The four-year-old has boundless scope for progress following just three outings last year, and has shown in his work that he’s capable of reaching loftier heights in the colours of the stable’s Derby winner Desert Crown.
Race 6 No12 PURPLE POPPY (Each Way)
Trainer: Jimmy Fox – Jockey: Georgie Dobie
PURPLE POPPY needs to overcome a tricky draw towards the outside of the field, but if doing so can add to her laurels under a 5lb penalty for her game success over seven furlongs at Lingfield.
