Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from Salisbury, Beverley, Wolverhampton, Ayr and Windsor on 1 7 August 2023.
SALISBURY
Race 2 No1 WELLEEF (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
WELLEEF made the perfect start when landing some good bets at Leicester and coming home unchallenged. The Lope De Vega colt will encounter better ground in a rematch with the runner-up Crown Dreams, but in spite of carrying a 7lb penalty, he can confirm his superiority.
Race 3 No8 BOOM BOOM POW
Trainer: Seamus Durack – Jockey: Joe Leavy
BOOM BOOM POW put in a career-best to open his account at Kempton at the end of June after which he moved stables. His previous start saw him go close in an apprentices’ race at this course. Interestingly the same jockey that was on board for those efforts is retained, and a market check is strongly advised on him.
Race 4 TATTERSALLS SOVEREIGN STAKES (Group 3)
No1 REGAL REALITY
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
REGAL REALITY has to concede weight all round, but this Jekyll and Hyde character can bring the better side of his persona to the table at a track where he was successful in this contest three years ago. The eight-year-old was an authoritative winner of the Diomed Stakes at this level when last seen at Epsom’s Derby meeting and looked on good terms with himself in his winding up gallop for this.
Race 5 No6 FLASH BARDOT (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Rose Dawes
FLASH BARDOT has become a most consistent performer, rising from humble beginnings to becoming a regular earner in handicaps on turf. Placed in all but one of her five starts since switching surfaces, she’s in good heart for this and gets on especially well with her apprentice pilot who knows how to extract the best from her.
BEVERLEY
Race 4 No2 SOUL SEEKER
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
SOUL SEEKER is yet to win at this venue but with most of the bases covered this should be his day. He goes to post on the back of a game success at York and a narrow defeat at Newmarket, and with his tail up breaking from a good draw he should again trouble the judge. His stable is going through a bountiful patch.
Race 6 No2 TEMPER TRAP (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
It’s hard to look beyond TEMPER TRAP who can extend his impressive winning sequence to four. The almost black six-year-old hasn’t been overtaxed in each of those victories and can cock another snook at the assessor to remain in the winning groove.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 3 No6 BAZBALL (Nap)
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Pierre-Louis Jamin
BAZBALL has come within a narrow margin of landing her last three starts in nurseries, sandwiching defeats at Catterick and Musselburgh with a clear-cut triumph at Bath. She has a new pilot for this sprint and can return to winning ways.
AYR
Race 2 No5 ALEXANDRETTA (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
Although she’s proving costly to follow, ALEXANDRETTA is the one to be on as her trainer reaches for first-time cheek pieces. The Sea The Moon filly threw it away by hanging after going clear of her field at Chelmsford last time but pulled back a full quarter mile on the distance ladder today she should make no mistake.
Race 6 No6 SEA IN THE DARK
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Alex Jary
Dods saddles paper favourite Tremendous Times but I prefer SEA IN THE DARK who though beaten by a wide margin when runner-up at Thirsk, was very easy to back and might have learned plenty from it. Furthermore, she should greatly benefit from the move up to a mile and a quarter.
WINDSOR
Race 1 No1 CHINESE KNOT (Nap)
Trainer: Rod Millman – Jockey: Saffie Osborne
CHINESE KNOT has been in the form of her life and although further up in the weights has to be afforded plenty of respect in this hat-trick bid. She bolted up at Chepstow last week and is a filly on the march. She will receive expert handling from the saddle and is the one to beat.
Race 5 No6 METAL MERCHANT (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
METAL MERCHANT might not run if the ground firms up but should he participate he’s a horse to invest in. Off a questionable ride, he got into all sorts of trouble at Goodwood, staying on when it was all over to finish fifth. He could have gone close to winning that Class 3 had he enjoyed the rub of the green, and will also require some luck in running on this tight track as his pilot will look to deliver him late, but he can’t afford to be ridden from too far off the pace.
Race 7 No3 CERTAIN LAD (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
CERTAIN LAD has been in great form at home since running well to a point in a similar contest at Yarmouth. He’s another that wouldn’t want the ground to be in any way quick, but if green-lighted to run he can outperform his odds. He has more than a sporting chance of overturning that recent form with Cumulonimbus.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 1-7)
1, 2, x 10, 5, 11 x 12, 9 x 1, 11 x 6, 2, 9 x 8, 5 x 3, 4
R288
