Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from New Market , Goodwood , Musselburgh , Cheltenham and Newcastle on 2 May 2025.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No6 ZGHARTA
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
The Gosden stable mounts a full assault on the Guineas meeting opener with three of the seven runners, but one that could spoil the party is ZGHARTA. The Ghaiyyath filly attracted a welter of support at the Craven meeting before finding only Victory Queen too strong, and that form was boosted when the winner followed up in an Ascot trial for the Coronation Stakes on Wednesday.
Race 3 No4 COSMIC YEAR (Nap)
Trainer: Harry Charlton – Jockey: Ryan Moore
The King Charles II Stakes sees COSMIC YEAR taking a step up the class ladder that he can take in his stride. He was an impressive scorer when returning at Kempton, and although he was entitled to take care of inferior rivals he had connections thinking about the Guineas trials. This is a less taxing assignment, but he can remain unbeaten on the way to better things.
Race 5 No6 MISS INFORMATION (Each Way).
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
MISS INFORMATION proved easy to back on her reappearance at this course, and her fruitless effort that day can be greatly improved upon. She landed some good bets on both the occasions she won last season, suggesting a market check on her is the order of the day.
Race 6 BETFRED JOCKEY CLUB STAKES (Group 2)
No1 AMBIENTE FRIENDLY
Trainer: James Owen – Jockey: Harry Davies
Last year’s Derby runner-up AMBIENTE FRIENDLY didn’t look happy going nine furlongs on his debut for Owen in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes here last month. It was a gamble that came unstuck, but a race from which the selection has gone forward. Back over his optimum trip of a mile and a half the Gleneagles colt can take out the day’s feature. In what should become a tactical affair he can repel Silver Knott.
GOODWOOD
Race 3 No6 MISS ATTITUDE (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Kieren Shoemark
MISS ATTITUDE finished last when venturing into Listed company at Bath last month but her run is best forgotten. Drawn on the inner, she never saw any daylight and her pilot finished with a full mare underneath him. In this smaller field, and at a track where she’s run creditably in the past, she can settle and use her trademark turn of foot to get the job done.
Race 6 No9 NORTHWEST PASSAGE
Trainer: Roger Teal – Jockey: Warren Fentiman
NORTHWEST PASSAGE ran into a useful foe when second to Tuscan Star at Kempton. It proved another near miss for the selection, but rates his best effort of the year in which he has edged closer and closer to a win. That elusive first victory can come his way today.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 5 No3 CAPITAL GUARANTEE (Nap)
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: David Nolan
CAPITAL GUARANTEE hadn’t been able to anywhere near match his mid summer hat-trick posted in the summer of 2023 until returning with a clear cut Catterick triumph that came on a first run after a breathing operation. On that evidence he is going to prove hard to beat even though he was handed a rise in the weights.
CHELTENHAM
Race 1 No5 FRANIGANE
Trainer: Harry Whittington- Jockey: Mr George Edgedale
Former full licence holder Whittington is excelling at pre training from his base between Wantage and Lambourn. He fits in running the odd hunter-chaser and FRANIGANE can can give a good account in first time cheek pieces. He should step up from his needed run at Stratford and get into the money even though this two miles is not a trip he’s tried as a chaser.
Race 5 No8 WALKIN OUT
Trainer: Les Jefford – Jockey: Miss Anna Johnston
In a step up in distance, WALK-IN OUT is strongly fancied to trouble the judge. The former French-trained mare won her eleventh point-to-point over three miles at Trebudannon last month and just needs to show she gets this slightly longer distance on a demanding track.
Race 7 No2 HIGHSTAKESPLAYER (Nap)
Trainer: Tom Lacey – Jockey: Mr Sean P O’Connor
HIGHSTAKESPLAYER is a new kid on the block in the hunter-chase division and makes considerable appeal as what could prove the best bet at the United Hunts fixture. He was far from disgraced in some warm handicap chases through the winter and early spring, and should give a good account.
NEWCASTLE
Race 4 No3 SAVVY KINGDOM (Nap)
Trainer: Sean Woods – Jockey: Ben Sanderson
An earning run at Lingfield following a near 600-day absence should have served to blow away the cobwebs for SAVVY KINGDOM to take the spoils in a race in which most of his opponents have been badly out of form.
Race 5 No2 LEADMAN
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Ben Sanderson
LEADMAN was unable to reach the heights once held for him when coming back from the injury list last season. He has subsequently moved stables, and taking stock of how well O’Meara does with new recruits he deserves plenty of respect.
