Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Lingfield Park, Catterick Bridge, and Kempton Park on 5 March 2025.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 2 No6 BIG SIP (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
BIG SIP brings easily the best form to the table and should make it third time lucky following two near misses on his previous outings on sand. He was last seen engaging in a Class2 at York and should benefit from both a step back up to a mile and racing in a lesser grade.
Race 3 No3 LIGHTENING MAN
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Edward Greatrex
LIGHTENING MAN showed ability in both starts as a juvenile, especially when finishing just out of the money at Doncaster. While he will come on for this first outing of 2025 and is running for a mark, he might still be good enough.
Race 5 No5 DANCE IN THE STORM (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
DANCE IN THE STORM attracted hefty support before opening her account at Wolverhampton where she was backed in from odds against to odds on and was always in control. The Night Of Thunder filly takes a big step up in class engaging in this Listed feature, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if she made the necessary progress to follow-up in the colours of her owner-breeder Jeff Smith.
CATTERICK BRIDGE
Race 1 No1 COLLINGHAM (Nap)
Trainer: Archie Watson – Jockey: Miss Brodie Hampson
Originally trained in France, COLLINGHAM is unbeaten at this course and was also successful in two of the last three races he ran for his previous trainer. The seven-year-old is a rare jumps runner for Watson, but dropped into claiming company surely means business, as the market should instruct.
Race 6 No3 EVA’S OSKAR
Trainer: Tim Vaughan – Jockey: Mr Edward Vaughan
Although he was lucky to score at Bangor when the clear leader fell at the last, EVA’S OSKAR can add to his laurels in this hunter-chase. Formerly a decent handicap chaser who likes to run from close to the pace, this tight track should play to his strengths.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 1 No5 NOBLEMAN (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Hayley Turner
Balding has a number of chances throughout the day with NOBLEMAN one of his brighter ones in the opener. The Sir Percy colt was foiled when an odds-on shot on his second and latest outing at Southwell but can better that over a slightly longer trip today.
Race 3 No2 SOLDIERS STAR
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
SOLDIERS STAR was unable to convert after being heavily supported when last seen at Chelmsford in January but can put the record straight on this first handicap assignment. He’s back up to seven furlongs in what looks the weaker of the two divisions of the race.
Race 4 No9 INVINCIBLE MELODY
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
While it’s hard to rule anything out of this second division of the seven furlongs handicap, the well drawn INVINCIBLE MELODY looks sure to go well getting weight from the field. The selection reacted positively to blinkers when touched off on his first run in a handicap at Wolverhampton and granted luck in running can open his account.
Race 6 No2 BEN Y BRYN
Trainer: Charlie Hills – Jockey: Jason Watson
Having spent almost 500 days in an enforced absence after opening his account at Chelmsford, BEN Y BRYN has shown in two recent runs that he’s retained his ability, especially when going down narrowly to an in-form opponent at Southwell last time. The Acclamation gelding looks to have been found a good opportunity to go one better.
Race 7 No6 PATCH’S BOND
Trainer: Pat Phelan – Jockey: Paddy Bradley
PATCH’s BOND has looked progressive in backing up a success on his third career start at Kempton with a narrow defeat on handicap bow at this course at the end of January. While bred to get a mile and a half, his trainer is experimenting with the trip in bringing him back to a mile, meaning that he will require a decent pace in this big field in order to pick his rivals off in the short straight.
