Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Sandown Park , Leicester , Newcastle and Chelmsford City on 13 February 2025.
SANDOWN PARK
Race 3 JANE SEYMOUR MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 2)
No2 BLUE LAS
Trainer: Neil Mulholland – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
Most of the field sizes are smaller than usual but what this lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Holloway Queen will command a good chunk of the betting handle but could be denied her hat-trick by BLUE LAS, who is the winner of three of her fives races under Rules and has her tail up following her success by almost a distance at Ffos Las before Christmas.
Race 7 No4 KING CALIFET (Nap)
Trainer: Emma Lavelle – Jockey: Harry Cobden
It might take something special to stop Tom Doniphon completing a hat-trick but KING CALIFET will love the testing conditions and has the firepower to achieve it. He should be suited by the very testing conditions and the stiff finish, gets weight from the favourite and can cause him problems.
LEICESTER
Race 2 No3 LAZY SUNDAY (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Mitford-Slade – Jockey: Kevin Brogan
Veteran LAZY SUNDAY has run well at this venue and would be a deserving winner following a couple of good efforts in defeat. That course and distance effort last time earned her a 2lb rise, but she ran into a well treated foe in winner Camulus, and I doubt there’s a similarly dangerous foe lurking this time.
Race 3 No3 PARTY VIBES
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: David Bass
It will come as a surprise if Bass isn’t enterprising on PARTY VIBES who goes a good clip and jumps well. Leicester with its four fences in the home straight favours front runners, and on only her fourth outing over fences the mare can bounce back from her underwhelming run at Windsor.
Race 5 No5 MY PORTIA
Trainer: Laura Morgan – Jockey: Harry Reed
MY PORTIA came good with a vengeance at Market Rasen and is another penalised runner who can trouble the judge in spite of a 9lb hike. In a race where mares can do well she is taken to account for Orbys River.
Race 6 No2 GIVEGA
Trainer: Laura Morgan – Jockey: Mr James King
Former useful novice hurdler GIVEGA is a fascinating addition to the hunter-chase ranks for a new trainer. The nine-year-old is completely unexposed over fences, and if retaining his old ability can down paper favourite Mr Glass.
NEWCASTLE
Race 1 No8 JO COKO (Nap)
Trainer: James Ewart – Jockey: Brian Hughes
JO COKO was unbeaten in points in Ireland and after earning in both hurdling starts needs taking seriously in a match up with Carrie Kate. The Nap can benefit from a drop back in trip for a yard with a good record with its novice hurdlers at Gosforth Park.
Race 3 No2 FORSA BAY
Trainer: Laura Morgan – Jockey: Brian Hughes
On an interest day for the Morgan stable, FORSA BAY takes the eye on his first run in a handicap. He put in a career best over this course and distance last time, and only only a fifth career start has plent of room for progression.
Race 5 No9 AIRE SPRAY
Trainer: Sue Smith – Jockey: Tom Midgley
AIRE SPRAY has looked stronger the further he’s travelled in his successes at Carlisle and Wetherby. The handicapper has taken no chances in raising him 9lbs, but he appeals as a horse that hasn’t stopped improving.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 4 No5 STAR ZIA
Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Rab Havlin
Havana Grey filly STAR ZIA put in an encouraging first run of 2025 when chasing home a good yardstick at Southwell. She can make the best of her sex allowance to down Noble Victory.
Race 8 No5 PEARL OF HOPE (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: Billy Loughnane
While any support for Magical Treasure would worry me, her stablemate PEARL OF HOPE enjoys an experience edge and should hold the balance of power in what looks a Godolphin exacta.
Race 9 No2 SWITCHEL
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Golden Horn mare SWITCHEL has blinkers added for the nightcap and can back up her promising first run of the year by getting the better of Kempton scorer Solanna.
