Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Newbury, Doncaster and Musselburgh on 1 December 2023.
NEWBURY
Race 1 No4 JERIKO DU REPONET
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Winning Irish pointer JERIKO DU REPONET enjoyed himself in some readying work at this track last week and embarks on his career under Rules in a race dominated by his trainer in recent seasons. Owned by JP McManus, the French-bred should make no mistake in the opener.
Race 4 No6 TIGHTENOURBELTS (Each Way)
Trainer: Emma Lavelle – Jockey: Thomas Bellamy
TIGHTENOURBELTS made a perfect start to his career over fences when coming home unchallenged at Ludlow. The form was devalued when the horse he beat underwhelmed at Ascot, but his trainer wouldn’t ask him to make such a big step up the class band unless she thought plenty about him. Colonel Mustard and Hermes Allen were much higher rated over hurdles but this is a different discipline, and one in which that gap can be traversed.
Race 5 No1 SAIL AWAY
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
SAIL AWAY was never better than at the end of the 2022/23 season when dotting up at Ayr. The winner of two of his four starts, he embarks on the current campaign as a big hope from his stable and can shrug aside his welter burden to thwart Goose Man, the latter being well worth a saver.
Race 6 CORAL LONG DISTANCE HURDLE (Grade 2)
No2 DASHEL DRASHER
Trainer: Jeremy Scott – Jockey: Rex Dingle
DASHEL DRASHER needs to stop history repeating itself if he’s to outpoint Marie’s Rock, but the ten-year-old could enjoy an uncontested lead in the day’s feature. He ran the race of his life to finish third before being promoted to second in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and is ready for this return to the track.
Race 7 No13 ED KEEPER (Nap)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey:
One of the most promising horses from the in-form Thomas stable, ED KEEPER makes considerable appeal on his first run in handicap company. He was overhauled when looking all over the winner on seasonal return at Ascot but that’s brought him on considerably, and a big payday awaits him if not here then very soon.
DONCASTER
Race 3 No6 PIC ROC (Nap)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
PIC ROC merits close inspection on his jumps debut after troubling the judge in each of his outings in bumpers last season. The chestnut has schooled satisfactorily at home, while his stable is firing in the winners.
Race 5 No1 SUMMER NIGHT CITY
Trainer: Ben Brookhouse – Jockey: Jack Quinlan
SUMMER NIGHT CITY is just preferred to Virginia Lodge in this junior hurdle. The selection reacted positively to the addition of cheekpieces when scoring at Hereford and should have more to give under his penalty.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 1 No3 FLORIDA DREAMS (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Richards – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
FLORIDA DREAMS numbered a Grade 2 amongst his bumper triumphs last season and should leave his disappointing debut effort over jumps at Ayr behind him. He remains one of the best prospects at Greystoke. He can take the spoils on the way to better things.
Race 4 No5 FRIARY ROCK
Trainer: Laura Morgan – Jockey: Lewis Dobb
FRIARY ROCK has won three times and been placed in each of his other seven outings over fences, and under today’s pilot ran out a cosy scorer over this course and distance last month. He always gives his best, and should prove hard to beat from his revised mark and with his confidence levels on a high.
