Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Newmarket, Goodwood, Doncaster, Thirsk and Uttoxeter.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No7 CRYSTAL DELIGHT
Trainer: William Jarvis – Jockey: Jim Crowley
CRYSTAL DELIGHT can prove a popular winner of the 2,000 Guineas Day opener for a trainer whose family name is synonymous with the town. The New Approach colt has fewer miles on his racing clock than anything else in the field and should enjoy returning to turf, on which he was placed on two of his three outings as a juvenile.
Race 3 No19 CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley
CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD comes here in favour of a softer option at Goodwood and can better his good effort when third in the corresponding race 12 months ago. He didn’t manage to win in 2022 but signalled with another good earning run at the Craven meeting that he’s poised to make this a deserved and overdue victory.
Race 4 No12 MAJESTIC
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
MAJESTIC returns to the scene of his shock Cambridgeshire success with all guns blazing. He possibly found a mile shorter than ideal when running a huge race in the Lincoln to finish fourth, and with the same very good apprentice taking 3lb off his back can confirm his Doncaster superiority over Jimi Hendrix.
Race 5 Howden Palace House Stakes (Group 3)
No14 TWILIGHT CALLS
Trainer: Henry Candy – Jockey: Ryan Moore
The Candy yard has been amongst the winners and it should be the turn of its standard bearer TWILIGHT CALLS to take care of business in a race the gelding finished fifth in last year, when not enjoying the rub of the green after being given plenty to do. Moore is a significant booking for the five-year-old, who when teaming-up with the jockey in the King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) at Royal Ascot ran the race of his life to chase home the sizzling Australian sprinter Nature Strip.
Race 6 QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS STAKES (Group 1)
No12 ROYAL SCOTSMAN
Trainer: Paul Cole – Jockey: Jim Crowley
The first Classic of the domestic season sees Aidan O’Brien fielding the first two in the betting with Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear. Auguste Rodin went down a familiar route to past Coolmore Guineas winners when taking out the Group 1 Futurity on his final start of 2022.
It was his third success on the bounce, and he’s the chosen mount of Ryan Moore. Little Big Bear is by No Nay Never and therefore has more to prove on the stamina side of the argument. He ended a four race winning spree with success in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh but after that crushing defeat of Persian Force wasn’t seen again. Chaldean conspired to unship Frankie Dettori leaving the starting stalls in Newbury’s Greenham Stakes but then enjoyed a gallop up the straight.
The Dewhurst Stakes winner has to be taken seriously, though I doubt his ability to conform the form with runner-up ROYAL SCOTSMAN for whom I have very bullish reports to impart. The Gleneagles colt has a great cruising speed and a smart turn of foot, and has shown in his work at Whatcombe that he is equipped to conserve his speed for the finish and show that moving up to a mile is just what he wants.
Prediction: 1st ROYAL SCOTSMAN, 2nd Auguste Rodin, 3rd Chaldean, 4th Little Big Bear
Race 7 No10 FERROUS (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley
FERROUS pinged the gate at the Craven meeting here and did too much too soon to leave his fuel tank running on red in the closing stages. I feel it’s best to draw a line through that performance and give this talented individual another chance. The son of Dark Angel will have a different bit deployed to help him settle, and will be ridden handily but behind the pace, with a view to staking a claim on hitting the rising ground.
GOODWOOD
Race 2 No2 POTAPOVA
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
POTAPOVA was due to run at Sandown and has switched to this considerably easier distaffers’ Listed contest. The Invincible Spirit mare is five years old but her master trainer wouldn’t keep her going unless thinking she can win at neat to or at the top level. She’s bred to relish any cut in the ground and has a lethal finishing burst when she cares to use it. A winner of a Group 3 at Sandown, she has the necessary balance and brawn to handle these undulations on a first visit to Goodwood.
Race 3 No3 MILTEYE (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
MILTEYE threw it away when hanging right rounding the final bend and early in the home straight at Bath. His rider will be alert to any similar antics in this race round a right-handed bend, and it’s interesting that he’s chosen the nap when he could have partnered paper favourite Bishop’s Crown.
Race 5 No2 MARK OF GOLD
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Tom Queally
It’s 21 months since MARK OF GOLD last ran on the Flat but he’s been in good form over hurdles, winning at Plumpton, Lingfield and Kempton this season. He finished a creditable seventh behind Iroko in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival and needs to be taken seriously granted his trainer’s love for sending out winners here.
Race 6 No7 SERA DAWN
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
SERA DAWN breezed beautifully under Bishop yesterday and is in great heart for this hat-trick bid. The daughter of Bated Breath had plenty of use made of her when gamely holding all foes at bay at Catterick and with her liking for easy conditions can prove hard to catch from the front at a course that will suit her at least as much.
DONCASTER
Race 5 No4 MABEL JANE (Nap)
Trainer: Stuart Kittow – Jockey: Luke Morris
With very few miles on her racing clock MABEL JANE catches the eye in this mile and a half handicap. A winner on second start at Leicester, she was unconsidered in the market at 25-1 when chasing home Star Angel at Southwell. Back on turf here, she ticks all the boxes and will prove hard to beat.
THIRSK
Race 4 No8 GREAT STATE (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Fahey – Jockey: Oisin Orr
GREAT STATE was impressive when scoring on handicap debut at Southwell and has been given plenty of time to get over those exertions. The grey looked good value for his victory, and even though 8lb higher should follow-up.
UTTOXETER
Race 5 No2 KINONDO KWETU
Trainer: Sam England – Jockey: Jonathan England
KINONDO KWETU was an impressive winner of a hurdle and five chases before having his sights raised, and has maintained his improvement with a very good run in defeat behind Midnight River at Aintree. He finds himself carrying a big weight but this isn’t nearly as hot, and he can return to winning ways.
Race 6 No5 THE CARPENTER (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
THE CARPENTER looks a good prospect for the summer jumping after his light campaign and back-to-back triumphs at Exeter and Newbury. He was a wide margin scorer last time, and needs to be afforded the greatest respect on this handicap bow.
