Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Ascot , Haydock Park , Wincanton , Newcastle and Southwell on 15 February 2025.
ASCOT
Race 2 EBONY HORSE CLUB REYNOLDSTOWN NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 2)
No5 THE CHANGING MAN
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
Jingko Blue and Lowry’s Bar dominated the finish of an identical race at Windsor and are weighted to finish close together, but at a longer price THE CHANGING MAN can spoil the party. The selection has proved something of a ‘nearly’ horse so far this season with a string of three seconds going into this. However, all of those efforts happened in competitive handicaps including the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster, and have served to put a hardened edge on him which he can utilise to good effect.
Race 3 No14 MOVEIT LIKE MINNIE (Each Way)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Finn Lambert
CLASSIC KING has the ability to win this buoyed by his runaway success at Doncaster when the hurdles in the home straight were taken out owing to a low sun. His return to hurdling proved rewarding that day, but MOVEIT LIKE MINNIE is an altogether different horse that represents value at his double-figure price, and after troubling the judge in similar contests on his last two visits here can again get into the shake-up.
Race 5 BETFAIR ASCOT CHASE (Grade 1)
No6 PIC D’ORHY (Nap)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
With figures of 12111 in his five chasing ventures at this course, last year’s winner PIC D’ORHY will be a tough nut to crack. He slammed L’Homme Presse that day, and was equally impressive in taking out the Grade 2 Copybet 1965 Chase in November, since when he’s enjoyed a mid season break. He has less to prove than any of his opponents including that reopposing horse, and is the best bet on the card.
Race 7 No1 BELLE LE GRAND
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
BELLE LE GRAND impressed when opening her account in Ireland last time and is strongly fancied to follow it up on her first outing for the Skeltons. She can end the unbeaten record of Jackie Hobbs, who brings good point form to the table but hails from a yard that’s been quiet.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 1 No9 NAB WOOD
Trainer: Nicky Richards – Jockey: Sean Quinlan
NAB WOOD should give us a good run for our money in a very competitive opener. Well regarded at Greystoke, he was foiled by inches on his latest start at Ayr and that effort has brought him to peak fitness. It was only his seventh career outing and there should be further progression in him from his workable mark.
Race 4 WKD RENDLESHAM HURDLE (Grade 2)
No6 BEAUPORT (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Thomas Bellamy
NEMEAN LION has done us a couple of good turns with his successes at Hereford and Windsor, but so did BEAUPORT when he won last season’s Midlands National over fences. Both horses will relish the testing conditions, but three miles is new territory for Nemean Lion, and against that no problem whatsoever for Beauport, who if getting onto an uncontested lead can outstay his foes on his final race before a return to fences in the Grand National.
Race 5 No10 JUBILEE EXPRESS (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
From the base of the handicap this Grand National Trial should see JUBILEE EXPRESS benefitting. The lightly-raced eight-year-old made a good fist of it when chasing home VAL DANCER in the Welsh National in December, and at the revised weights has a great chance of turning the tables on that foe. Chepstow was only his fifth ever run over fences, he’s been given a freshening break and is bursting with energy for this three and a half mile marathon.
Race 7 No1 FAMOUS CLERMONT
Trainer: Chris Barber – Jockey: Mr James King
In the best hunter-chase of the season so far, FAMOUS CLERMONT can deliver the goods. The former Aintree Foxhunters winner is five from nine in this discipline and not only goes well after a break but was in winning form when last seen in the Ladies Open Final at Stratford in May. His connections are not averse to the idea of running him in normal handicap chases, but that might come later. In the meantime he can account for the much vaunted MY DROGO.
WINCANTON
Race 2 BET MGM KINGWELL HURDLE (Grade 2)
No2 HANSARD
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Niall Houlihan
HANSARD skipped last week’s Betfair Hurdle to wait for this Champion Hurdle trial and the move can pay off. His paper price of 16-1 is understandable, and he has it to do on the ratings with Burdett Road, Golden Ace and Brentford Hope. What attracts me to him is that he’s a strong traveller with a useful turn of foot, and with Burdett Road sure to make it a proper test he might be capable of pulling off a minor upset.
Race 7 No5 TIME IN THE SUN (Each Way)
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Mares are well represented in the finale and one that might raise her game to benefit is TIME IN THE SUN, who apart from a blip at Ascot on her first run back hasn’t done much wrong, and put in a promising effort to trouble the judge on her latest start over a slightly shorter trip here in December.
NEWCASTLE
Race 3 No2 LORD CAPULET (Nap)
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Shane Gray
LORD CAPULET made a good attempt to go from gate to wire on a first run of 2025 at this course, and probably isn’t up against anything as good as the horse that beat him. For top connections he rates the best bet on the card.
SOUTHWELL
Race 1 No1 JESSE LUC
Trainer: Mike Murphy – Jockey: Mr Alex Chadwick
JESSE LUC has been the proverbial model of consistency since before Christmas and carded figures of 542121. He wore a first time hood when delivering here last time, and with that headgear retained can foil PIPERSTOWN.
Race 5 No5 VOCAL LEGEND (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Hills – Jockey: Billy Loughnane
VOCAL LEGEND looks to have been found a cracking opportunity to get off the mark, with Loughnane in his saddle for the first time. Second on both AW outings so far, he’s ready to deliver as the best bet of the night.
