Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Chester, Brighton and Chelmsford City on 9 May 2024.
CHESTER
Race 1 No2 ROMAN DRAGON (Each Way)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
For a confirmed front runner ROMAN DRAGON has been blessed with the perfect draw from which to attack In this sprint around a sharp left-handed bend. The locally-trained runner is a five-time winner here, while more recently winning and finishing third in a two-race campaign in Bahrain. His cause is also boosted by the engagement of Murphy on his back for the first time.
Race 3 No2 NEVER SO BRAVE (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
NEVER SO BRAVE was Stoute’s first winner of the 2024 campaign when successful at Thirsk and has come out of that with all guns blazing. Having chased home subsequent Group 1 winners Ancient Wisdom and Vandeek in his two juvenile outings he’s now in a very good place for this first run in handicap company, and should make no mistake.
Race 5 tote.co.uk SUPPORTING RACING ORMONDE STAKES (Group 3)
No6 POINT LONSDALE
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Last year’s Huxley Stakes winner POINT LONSDALE moves up in trip to engage mainly out-of-form rivals in this historic race. The five-year-old was made plenty of use of before filling a midfield position in the Group 1 Sheema Classic in Dubai at the end of March. He displayed battling qualities when scoring here, and the Meydan run suggests he’s going to be hard to get past if, as expected, Moore elects to make the running on him.
Race 6 No10 CRYSTAL MARINER (Each Way)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
If CRYSTAL MARINER was able to do on the track what he does on the home gallops I would tell you to have a decent bet on him. He has been, however, nothing like that on his limited visits to the race course, making him a risky proposition. Key to success today is this is his first run since being gelded, and it’s really a case of paying to find out.
Race 7 No8 ARCH LEGEND
Trainer: Charlie Johnston – Jockey: Franny Norton
ARCH LEGEND dominated affairs to make it two from two for the season at Wolverhampton last week. The son of Camelot bears all the hallmarks of being a Johnston special, as he’s 4lb ahead of the handicapper for a hat-trick bid he can readily complete.
BRIGHTON
Race 3 No1 ELFORLEATHER
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Edward Greatrex
ELFORLEATHER deviated left after hitting the front here last week but was a worthy winner for a jockey doing well since his return from a three-year sojourn. Greatrex is again in the saddle, and the combination are strongly fancied to back it up under a 6lb penalty, in a race that appears to have cut up in his favour.
Race 4 No6 CALSHOT SPIT (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Having hit the crossbar in successive races under De Sousa, CALSHOT SPIT can prove a deserving winner of this low-grade handicap. A bonny and very well-bred individual, the Nap has looked happier since switching to turf and should have perfect underfoot conditions as he seeks a belated first career win.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 2 No3 LAKOTA SPIRIT
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Sioux Nation filly LAKOTA SPIRIT has the advantage of a recent run in this clash with the well-regarded D Flawless. She was the subject of market support before finding Sunfall a bridge she couldn’t cross at Kempton, but that not only shows she’s at home on Polytrack, but also that it’s made her fitter and sharper.
Race 4 No5 TABLETALK
Trainer: Tom Clover – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
TABLETALK was easy to back before troubling the judge in an eye-taking first foray to the track at Kempton before Christmas. The Camelot colt has developed both physically and mentally in the ensuing five months and can serve it up to his foes under the top all-weather rider.
Race 5 No6 REACHING HIGH (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Pat Dobbs
The giant REACHING HIGH, owned by the King, was considerately handled on his seasonal reappearance at Windsor in a display that earned him a mark. The gelded son of Sea The Stars is better than he’s shown and is going to be a different entity now going down the handicap route, while he’s worked well on Polytrack in Newmarket.
