Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Saturday 23 September 2023

NEWBURY

Race 3 No1 CERTAIN LAD (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass

The inclement weather is good news for connections of CERTAIN LAD, who has not been without issues and appreciates some give in the ground. He showed signs of a revival following a couple of underwhelming runs when a daylight second to runaway scorer Dual Identity and can build on that.

Race 2 DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF STAKES (Group 2)

No4 MISTER SKETCH
Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton – Jockey: Charles Bishop

MISTER SKETCH ran right away with a race at Salisbury that marks him as decent, and in a renewal that doesn’t look as strong as in recent years has strong claims to win again. The Territories colt was a couple of feet away from recording a double-figure winning margin and had shown he handles easy conditions when second on his introduction at this course. Looming as his most dangerous foe is ARRAY, who hacked up in a Newmarket novice only to lose out in a tight finish at Kempton, where he traded very short in running.

Race 7 No1 METAL MERCHANT (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: James Doyle

Granted luck in running – something that has a habit of deserting him – METAL MERCHANT is a major fancy to take out this race up the straight mile. The son of Make Believe hasn’t enjoyed the rub of the green in races at Ascot, Goodwood and Sandown and deserves a change of luck. Having James Doyle on his back adds to my confidence that he can prevail.

YORK

Race 1 No7 STAINCLIFF (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Saffie Osborne

STAINCLIFFwas a 25-1 shot when finding only Cover Point her superior on debut at Sandown. She’s shown very good speed at home and will not be inconvenienced by a move up to six furlongs.

Race 5 No14 DESPERATE HERO (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Rose Dawes

DESPERATE HERO’s two triumphs this season at Windsor and Newbury have both happened when he’s been able to dominate. If his capable apprentice pilot anticipates the start and gets him to or near the front the grey can give his rivals short shrift. The rain softened ground increases my confidence that he can earn big.

AYR

Race 4 VIRGIN BET BEST ODDS DAILY FIRTH OF CLYDE STAKES (Group 3)

No9 RAQIYA (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Jim Crowley

RAQIYA bears the hallmarks of a proper Group class filly judging from the effortless way she scored at Salisbury and Haydock. A daughter of sought-after sire Blue Point, she is confidently expected to complete a hat-trick and should do so at the main expense of Dorothy Lawrence and Great Generation.

Race 5 VIRGIN BET AYR GOLD CUP HANDICAP

No4 NORTHERN EXPRESS (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan

NORTHERN EXPRESS races over six furlongs for the first time in a career that spans four seasons and 27 appearances. He hails from a yard that excels with its sprinters, and his trainer is convinced the make and shape of this race will suit the ultra consistent gelding and see him finish with a wet sail to grab a slice of the pie. He holds strong win and place claims, and that remark also applies to top weight SUMMERGHAND in a bid to repeat his 2022 triumph in Scotland’s richest race off a 10lb higher mark. The latter was pipped in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon, made amends with a dead heat at York and then troubled the judge in a hot handicap at the Curragh. Veteran ESCOBAR is one that could outrun his huge price as this hurtle will play to his finishing strengths. He goes into all swinger, trifecta and quartet permutations along with SIGNIFICANTLY, BIELSA and MR WAGYU.

Prediction: 1st NORTHERN EXPRESS, 2nd Summerghand, 3rd Escobar, 4th Significantly, 5th Mr Wagyu

NEWMARKET

Race 1 No1 BEAUTIFUL LOVE (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick

Godolphin delivered a telling warning that after a quiet season it is out of those doldrums with four winners at Yarmouth earlier in the week. At its home course BEAUTIFUL LOVE is poised to add to the Boys In Blue tally by opening her account in this fillies’ novice. She is the clear form pick on the basis of two earning runs from as many starts.

Race 7 No10 GIVE IT SOME TEDDY (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Mrs Emily Roberts

Veteran GIVE IT SOME TEDDY sluiced in under today’s rider for a first success of the season at Chester. This strong traveller has his tail up and can show with a follow-up success that there’s plenty of life left in him.

WOLVERHAMPTON

Race 1 No3 IMPERIAL DREAM
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott – Jockey: Luke Morris

IMPERIAL DREAM can overcome a hazardous outside draw to return to the winner’s circle in this race round a lap of the Dunstall Park track. He’s earned on all three previous visits, and can maintain his good record of having troubled the judge in all but one of his career starts.

Race 3 No2 CHESHIRE DANCER (Nap)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Taylor Fisher

CHESHIRE DANCER looked better the further she travelled when opening her account at Beverley. She has to concede weight to the promising Seax who is drawn alongside her, but should take his measure on the way to better things.

Place Accumulator Perm (Races 1-7)

3, 1 x 7, 3 x 2 x 5, 1, 2 x 7, 6 x 5, 3, 1 x 6, 1

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