Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Brighton, Nottingham, Salisbury, Yarmouth and Chepstow on 10 August 2023.
BRIGHTON
Race 2 No8 MIGUEL (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Named after the trainer’s brother Michael, MIGUEL surprised connections when staying on for second on debut at Chepstow. The chestnut has learned plenty from that first foray onto the track, and can now open his account at the main expense of Loaded Quiver.
Race 4 No3 PARTY ISLAND (Each Way)
Trainer: Denis Coakley – Jockey: George Bass
PARTY ISLAND put in a seasonal best when chasing home Overactive at Lingfield. Although his best form is on Polytrack, he will enjoy any cut in the ground and gets on well with his apprentice pilot whose been in the saddle for all but one of his last six starts.
YARMOUTH
Race 2 No1 CORYMBOSA (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Karat Karat is carded to start a short priced favourite for this fillies’ novice but may have to play second fiddle to CORYMBOSA. The selection, a daughter of Frankel, took home just a minor cheque on her return to action at Newcastle but should enjoy this trip as well as the cut in the ground.
Race 3 No3 EXPERT WITNESS (Each Way)
Trainer: Sir Mark Todd – Jockey: Joe Leavy
EXPERT WITNESS has started at big prices ranging from 200-1 to 16-1 in her four outings this year. At that shorter price she went down by half a length when third in a blanket finish at Leicester and is ready to win now. She will enjoy the conditions, as well as the galloping nature of this course with its long home straight.
NOTTINGHAM
Race 1 No19 GREY CUBAN (Nap)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Clifford Lee
Havana Grey colt GREY CUBAN was up against a smart foe when second to Les Bleus on debut at Newmarket. His honourable effort to get within a length and a quarter of his rival makes him the go-to horse in an admittedly deep novice in which Cheeky Blimey can prove his main threat.
Race 2 No5 SASSY BELLE (Each Way)
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
SASSY BELLE keeps troubling the judge and deserves a change of luck. She’s reacted well to the reapplication of blinkers she wore when opening her account at Leicester last year, and after a select campaign can step up to the plate with Murphy an eye taking booking.
SALISBURY
Race 3 No3 GUNFIGHTER (Nap)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: James Doyle
Siyouni colt GUNFIGHTER was easy to back on Newbury debut but mixed it at the finish behind Sketch. He receives 4lb from the penalised Dragon Leader, will know more and can justify the long journey from Cheshire by opening his account.
Race 7 No5 GOLD AURA (Each Way)
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Pat Dobbs
War Chant is respected trying to make this a fourth win on the bounce, but could find GOLD AURA too hot to handle. The latter made a good fist of it against Roar Emotion on handicap bow at Kempton, has worked well on grass at home and has more scope for progress than her main foe.
CHEPSTOW
Race 2 No1 BAND OF JOY (Nap)
Trainer: George Boughey – Jockey: Ben Curtis
The first bet on a cracking Racing League card is BAND OF JOY. The daughter of Land Force has gone 2112 in her four juvenile starts. Heavily backed when unable to hold Keldeo at Beverley, she can show by bouncing back that the losses are merely lent.
Race 3 No8 RAMIRO (Each Way)
Trainer: Brian Ellison – Jockey: Ben Robinson
RAMIRO has performed consistently well for connections this season, following near misses at Thirsk and Chester with a deserved success at Ayr. He wasn’t beaten far under a penalty at Yarmouth, and is in the mood to bounce back.
Race 5 No2 MAJESTIC (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
MAJESTIC didn’t turn up at York but that was a rare blip from last year’s Cambridgeshire winner. Placed in four valuable handicap this year including the Lincoln, he put in a pleasing bit of work on the Gilberts gallop on Tuesday to show he’s in top form for this task in which Bishop is in the irons for the first time.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 1-7)
