Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Tuesday’s racing coming your way from Taunton , Hexham and Newcastle on 25 March 2025.
TAUNTON
Race 2 No3 MATTIE ROSS (Each Way)
Trainer: Richard Phillips – Jockey: Finn Lambert
PHILLIPS is capable of sending out big priced winners and MATTIE ROSS could be another in this mares’ handicap hurdle. The nine-year-old hasn’t set any alarm bells ringing in her three outings this season but having been given a chance by the assessor she needs respecting, especially as the better ground is in her favour.
Race3 No5 JIM DE SARTI (Each Way)
Trainer: Tom Lacey – Jockey: Stan Sheppard
JIM DE SARTI has experienced mixed fortunes in his short time with Lacey, but showed enough when second at Sedgefield in January to suggest there is a race in him. He’s none the worse for an uncharacteristic failure to complete at Huntingdon, and fancied to bounce back.
Race 7 No2 ACT OF INNOCENCE (Nap)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
The best bet on this card is ACT OF INNOCENCE, who makes his debut under Rules after joining Nicholls from Ireland, where he finished third at 80-1 in a Punchestown bumper. He’s been working well, and with the Ditcheat horses getting the wind under their sales ahead of Aintree he will be hard to beat.
HEXHAM
Race 4 No8 HALFWAY HOUSE LAD (Nap)
Trainer: Maurice Barnes – Jockey: Charlie Price
HALFWAY HOUSE LAD jumped beautifully to open his account over fences at Newcastle and is out to strike again while the iron’s hot. Getting weight from his opponents, he remains a well treated horse, and he can again utilise his superior jumping to follow-up on this more undulating course.
Race 6 No9 DIVAS DOYEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Miss Sandra Forster – Jockey: Miss Heidi Palin
Both Yealand and Hello Judge ran at Carlisle on Sunday and could defect, making DIVAS DOYEN the go-to alternative. The consistent mare has won twice and been placed on four of her other five outings this season. She advertised her liking for this track when scoring earlier in the month, while on her other two visits she also troubled the judge.
NEWCASTLE
Race 3 No3 ALEX THE GREAT
Trainer: Tony Carroll – Jockey: Jack Doughty
ALEX THE GREAT rocketed home to score by more than five lengths on a recent visit here and can confirm his superiority over Star Of Markinch. The last named horse enjoys a pull in the weights, but probably not enough to claw back the deficit.
Race 4 No1 TURQUINO (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Callum Hutchinson
Teofilo gelding TURQUINO powered home to land some good bets on his debut at Southwell earlier in the month and is out for more under a penalty. His stable could hardly be in better form, and having benefitted from that initial experience he is going to prove very hard to beat.
Race 7 No4 MIDNIGHTATTHEOASIS
Trainer: Phil McEntee – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Another favourite that looks value at his price is MIDNIGHTATTHEOASIS. The five-year-old gained a second career triumph at Wolverhampton where he finished strongly on his first run over five furlongs for well over a year. He remains at that preferred distance and can make it back-to-back successes.
