Neil Morrice share all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from day 3 of the Chester May Meeting as well as the best of the rest from Ascot, Market Rasen, Ripon and Nottingham on 12 May 2023.
CHESTER
Race 2 No1 CERTAIN LAD (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Connections of CERTAIN LAD chose this Class 2 handicap ahead of the Huxley Stakes and it’s a decision that can prove rewarding. The seven-year-old finished second to Solid Stone on his reappearance in that Group 2 in 2022, has a habit of running well when returning from a long absence and has been in great form at home.
Race 3 Ire-incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes (Group 2)
No4 POINT LONSDALE
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Australia colt POINT LONSDALE is the winner of five of his seven career starts including a Listed, Group 3 and a Group 2 as a juvenile. Though disappointing on his only appearance in 2022 in the 2,000 Guineas, he came off the injury list to gamely land a Group 3 at the Curragh last month.
After looking held, he rallied gamely to wrest the initiative from Visualisation and looks fully back in the zone. Foxes Tales and progressive handicapper Mujtaba provide strong opposition and should follow the Coolmore selection home.
Race 4 tote CHESTER CUP HANDICAP
No10 ZOFFEE (Each Way)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Ben Curtis
From a good draw close to the rail ZOFFEE can post a popular local triumph in this historic contest. The seven-year-old has adapted well to racing in high-grade handicaps since his jumps career with Philip Hobbs was put on hold. For Palmer, the selection has won twice and been placed on four other occasions to show himself a model of consistency. A repetition of either of his last two starts at York or Newmarket would see him right in the thick of things, though cut in the ground is something he hasn’t experienced since his novice hurdling days.
CALLING THE WIND is another with a favourable draw that should be suited by the make and shape of this contest. He has a happy knack of troubling the judge, but while that keeps the till ringing he hasn’t visited the winner’s enclosure for fully 22 months.
CALL MY BLUFF boasts a good record on the Roodeye and hails from a yard banging in the winners. He will be all the better for his seasonal return when second at Newbury, and is a must include in all exotics.
As a former winner of this, FALCON EIGHT needs respecting for the Dermot Weld/Ryan Moore combo, while I’ve received a persistent nudge for roughie RESHOUN, who needs monitoring in the betting on a first run for his trainer. Some aspects of his form give him a major chance, yet he’s been virtually ignored in the Hollywoodbets list.
Prediction: 1st ZOFFEE, 2nd Calling The Wind, 3rd Call My Bluff, 4th Reshoun, 5th Falcon Eight
Race 6 No5 GREYSTOKE (Each Way)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Benoit de la Sayette
This will be run to perfectly suit GREYSTOKE, a tenacious performer who travels well and has a good turn of foot. I’ve watched him narrowly miss out on each of his last three starts and strongly believe he can go close in a race where Daheer, Claritudo and Aqwaam should also be included in exotic permutations.
Race 7 No10 WHITEHAVEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
WHITEHAVEN was a multiple winner in the soft for his previous trainer, and while not living up to expectations as a hurdler comes here with a good chance of an earning run for another local outfit. The six-year-old has been freshened-up since his latest run over jumps and wears a first-time tongue tie as well as the addition of cheek pieces.
ASCOT
Race 2 No6 COQUELICOT
Trainer: Anthony Honeyball – Jockey: Pierre-Louis Jamin
COQUELICOT has relished a switch to the Flat following a successful winter campaign over hurdles. She powered home at Nottingham but got going too late when doing all her best work at the finish behind Champagne City at Pontefract. One of her hurdling wins came at this course, she will love the ground and should prove hard to beat.
Race 5 No10 CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD needs cut in the ground and had no alternative but to come here after posting a big run in defeat at Newmarket on Guineas day. He asserted running out of the dip only to be mugged in the final 100 yards by Probe. The addition of cheek pieces seemed to assist him that day, and with the headgear retained the seven-year-old has a great chance off bottom weight.
MARKET RASEN
Race 4 No5 ZESTFUL (Nap)
Trainer: Martin Keighley – Jockey: Brian Hughes
ZESTFUL looks to hold the cards on this first run in a handicap. The Postponed filly ran a cracker when just outstayed by Ahorsewithnoname at the Cheltenham Spring meeting, and with only three jumps outings under her belt should have more to come.
Race 7 No4 SCRUMPY
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
SCRUMPY hails from a family her trainer knows well and can progress from the promising sole effort last season to open his account in the concluding bumper.
RIPON
Race 4 No7 EASTER ICON (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Paul Hanagan
Hanagan gave EASTER ICON a lovely educational ride at this track last year, since when the chestnut has developed and started to reach his potential. The selection came good in a sprint finish at Southwell only to have no chance against runaway scorer Tigerten at Salisbury where the mile and threequarters was an insufficient test. Back up to two miles here, he can return to winning ways.
Race 6 No7 BIT OF A QUIRKE
Trainer: Mark Walford – Jockey: Paul Hanagan
Hanagan should be the ‘man again’ aboard BIT OF A QUIRKE, who reserves his best for Beverley but should be all the better for a near miss on his return to action last month, his first run in eight months.
NOTTINGHAM
Race 2 No6 REGAL FANFARE (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Rhys Clutterbuck
REGAL FANFARE upped her game on seasonal return at Lingfield. The daughter of Intello should relish a step up in trip for a stable amongst the winners, and is Napped.
Race 4 No3 PERFUSE
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Rhys Clutterbuck
Lope De Vega colt PERFUSE was easy to back but shaped with tremendous promise when second on his Pontefract introduction. He’s worked well subsequently and can make it a double for the Stoute/Clutterbuck combo
Race 6 No1 COVERDALE
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
COVERDALE trotted up at Redcar last week to show he’d gone the right way and can edge this clash with the course and distance scorer Eyetrap under a 6lb penalty. He had that race in safe keeping halfway up the straight and bounded clear, looking for all the world a horse to follow.
