Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Easter Monday’s racing coming your way from Kempton Park, Redcar, Wolverhampton and Chepstow on 1 April 2024.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 3 No6 DUBAI HONOUR (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Ryan Moore
The featured Magnolia Stakes is dominated by Newmarket-trained runners of whom DUBAI HONOUR can prove the pick. The six-year-old finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong as well as contesting the Coral-Eclipse Stakes and Champion Stakes. He’s been well prepared for this first outing of the season, and can prevail at the main expense of Lion’s Pride.
Race 6 No4 DRAGON ICON
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: James Doyle
DRAGON ICON wasn’t at his best in three all-weather starts earlier in the year but remains a horse with potential. This is just his sixth career start, and as long as he gets the rub of the green he can leave those offerings some way behind As he’s been working with great gusto in Newmarket.
REDCAR
Race 4 No1 LOOK BACK SMILING (Nap)
Trainer: Gemma Tutty – Jockey: Brandon Wilkie
LOOK BACK SMILING’s tendency to miss the break never looked like stopping him land the spoils in a competitive heat at Doncaster on the first day of the 2024 Flat season. The gelding picked off his rivals one by one to win going away, and on this similar terrain, he can stage a repeat.
Race 5 No7 BAY BREEZE (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
Although ending the 2023 campaign with a string of duck eggs, BAY BREEZE has shown on a couple of accessions that he is dangerous when returning from a winter at grass. He is therefore well worth a market check in this Class3 sprint, for which he’s carded to start as one of the roughies.
Race 6 No11 ARLINGTON
Trainer: Bryan Smart – Jockey: Andrew Breslin
ARLINGTON competes from a mark just 2lb higher than when opening his account at Newcastle, which was a big step forward on anything he’d achieved previously. Horses of his ilk tend to keep improving, and he won’t need too much of that to follow-up.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 3 No1 BOB THE BANDIT
Trainer: Bill Turner – Jockey: Luke Morris
BOB THE BANDIT found only one to beat him in the Brocklesby and is sure to have learned from that experience when he showed plenty of natural pace. His trainer is a dab hand at getting the best out of a colt of his ilk, and he’s strongly fancied to go one better.
Race 5 No3 INVINCIBLE AURA (Nap)
Trainer: Marco Botti – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
INVINCIBLE AURA’s habit of lugging left was beautifully eradicated by Hollie Doyle when the gelding scored on his first run back at Southwell. Now contesting handicaps, and on the same surface with the top AW rider in his irons, he can follow-up.
Race 7 No5 MIDNIGHTATTHEOASIS
Trainer: Phil McEntee – Jockey: Grace McEntee
MIDNIGHTATTHEOASIS hasn’t been done any favours in getting the outer gate, but he’s been knocking on the door like a horse that wants to win, and will be a danger to all if breaking in contention.
CHEPSTOW
Race 5 No2 INOUI MACHIN (Each Way
Trainer: Neil Mulholland – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
INOUI MACHIN got the better of a good scrap with El Granjero at Hereford, from which was boosted by the subsequent success of the runner-up. He’s hardly been thrown into this first handicap assignment but is a good prospect who should claim a cheque.
Race 7 No1 CELTIC DINO (Nap)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
CELTIC DINO had been under consideration for the Champion Bumper before his connections elected to chart calmer waters with the gelding. Placed in Listed company last time, he can take the spoils at the main expense of The Bluesman.
HUNTINGDON
Race 7 No9 WRECKLESS ERIC (Nap)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
As the least experienced in this two miles handicap hurdle, WRECKLESS ERIC is the one with room for progression. He landed some good bets at Wetherby, and could have got into this lightly, while his stable continues to operate on an upward curve.
