Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Lingfield, Southwell, Wetherby and Newcastle on 1 April 2023.
DONCASTER
Race 1 No15 TEES DOUGE (Each Way)
Trainer: Adrian Nicholls – Jockey: Barry McHugh
Nicholls sent out a frame finisher in this 12 months ago and could have one of similar ilk in TEES DOUGE, a gelded son of Dream Ahead whose dam had plenty of boot. He’s speculative advice to get the Flat season off to a flying start for us.
Race 3 No3 EHRAZ (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Jim Crowley
If there’s a horse in this Listed race that could be a proper Group performer then EHRAZ fits that bill. The chestnut was chinned in a Listed race at Newbury whilst running well in Group company either side of that at Ascot. And even though he was involved in a match when scoring at Newmarket in the autumn, he has the strongest credentials to take into this, and can deliver at the main expense of Vadream, the latter being sure to relish the testing conditions.
Race 4 PERTEMPS NETWORK LINCOLN HANDICAP
No21 MAJESTIC (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Cambridgeshire winner MAJESTIC has crept into the first leg of the Spring Double by the skin of his teeth, and can provide his rookie handler with a significant big race success. The Conduit gelding arrived late on the scene for his Newmarket triumph last October and will undoubtedly do so again, considering this is over a shorter distance. Providing he gets a strong pace to aim at the five-year-old should earn.
JIMI HENDRIX is a name to conjure with, even though he has work to do in order to turn the tables on my selection from Newmarket. He went on to finish just out of the money in a strongly contested Class2 at Newbury, showing the process that he can handle the heavy.
William Haggas knows how to ready one for this and with that in mind, AL MUBHIR needs respecting. Victory for the Frankel gelding would be a fifth in the race for his trainer, and he returns for a first outing after wind surgery.
Haggas fields a second string in the form of MONTASSIB who should also be respected granted his good overall record in 2022 and the fact that he is drawn close to other fancied horses.
Simon Crisford sent out the runner-up in this 12 months ago and has a good chance of doing at least as well with the lightly-raced AWAAL who is drawn alongside Majestic. Awaal hacked up on handicap debut at Redcar last back end when the heavy conditions held no perils for him.
Prediction: 1st MAJESTIC, 2nd Awaal, 3rd Jimi Hendrix, 4th Al Mubhir, 5th Montassib
UTTOXETER
Race 2 No4 TOP TARGET
Trainer: Kim Bailey – Jockey: David Bass
With his stable starting to run into a bit for form TOP TARGET needs respecting in this long-distance novices’ hurdle. The front runner is fresh from a break and could prove hard to peg back.
Race 3 No3 LIME DROP (Nap)
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Richard Patrick
LIME DROP ran better than her final placing indicates behind Gingerbred at Exeter in early February, having found only Midnight Ginger her superior at Newbury on New Year’s Eve. A five-race winner over hurdles last season, she is capable of returning to her former level.
STRATFORD
Race 3 No1 WEEBILL (Nap)
Trainer: Olly Murphy – Jockey: Daire Davis
WEEBILL has been a good money spinner for connections and can make this a fifth triumph from his last eight starts. Both his successes since a wind op have happened on easy tracks similar to Stratford.
Race 5 No2 VISION DES FLOS
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
The consistent VISION DES FLOS has gone 12422 over fences this season and is the one to beat in this interesting affair. He will be suited by the going, track and trip, and should have too much for Fire Away who takes the eye on his return from a lengthy absence.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 1 No2 MY LION
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Recent scorer Burglar may find of difficult to cope with MY LION in a race the pair can dominate. The selection landed some good bets when opening her account at Windsor and has trained well on an artificial surface ahead of this first run on the all-weather.
Race 4 No5 AZTEC EMPIRE ( Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
AZTEC EMPIRE clicked for Murphy over this course and distance last month. The lightly-raced colt relished to step up to a Cup distance to get the job done with the minimum of fuss. With scope for further progression, he rates the best bet on this card.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 3 No4 ONE FOR THE FROG (Nap)
Trainer: Sean Woods – Jockey: Rab Havlin
ONE FOR THE FROG earned in each of his three starts as a juvenile and can do so again on this handicap bow. Well-supported on each occasion, he was expensive to follow, but can now start to recoup the losses.
Race 4 No2 BOLD ACT
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: Harry Davies
This race designed to attract UK contenders for the Kentucky Derby can go to BOLD ACT. The son of New Approach impressively rattled off a hat-trick in the late summer, showing he handles Polytrack with a success at Kempton between turf triumphs at Newmarket. He faces stern opposition from the unbeaten Iconic Moment and Alzahir, but should take care of business.
