Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Beverley, Yarmouth, Sandown Park and Kelso on 20 September 2023.
YARMOUTH
Race 3 No3 EDGE OF BLUE
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
With several of its older horses in retirement or on the injury list Godolphin needs to uncover some smart two-year-olds with Pattern race potential for 2024. Its runner here EDGE OF BLUE is a son of upwardly mobile stallion Blue Point out of a Galileo mare. He’s certainly bred to be usefil, but the betting will probably determine whether he is. Another worth a market check is Le Havre colt PLAGE DE HAVRE while the once-raced giant REACHING HIGH could leave his underwhelming first effort behind.
Race 4 No13 SAPPHIRE SEAS
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
The featured John Musker Fillies’ Stakes can see SAPPHIRE SEAS extending her winning sequence to four, and teeing herself up for some high profile targets before the end of the season. Many of the runners seeking to earn black type can be quickly dismissed but this daughter of Frankel looks like she could have further improvement in the tank. When returning from a five month absence at Haydock she stylishly got the job done, and what makes the performance more alluring is that it was her first run in grass.
BEVERLEY
Race 3 No8 SOVEREIGN QUEEN
Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Tom Eaves
Several of these fillies have shown signs of ability but the best form on offer belongs to SOVEREIGN QUEEN. The daughter of Ten Sovereigns showed marked improvement when starting at 100-1 and making Mr Monaco pull out all the stops at Leicester. If making further progress she will take plenty of beating.
Race 4 No6 LADY NUNTHORPE (Nap)
Trainer: Bryan Smart – Jockey: Harry Russell
The one with the points on the board is LADY NUNTHORPE, whose latest of four earning efforts saw her finish third in a warm nursery at this course won by Batak Zabeel. Back in a novice, she should know too much for newcomer Gloves.
Race 8 No8 BAY OF NAPLES (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Connor Planas
This stable has enjoyed a bountiful summer and autumn. It’s contender for this low grade handicap, BAY OF NAPLES, has shown improved form since being equipped with cheek pieces. The gelding ran well in defeat at Ripon before making no mistake with Planas on his back for the first time at Leicester. If obtaining a handy position from his draw on the rail he has a good chance of adding to his laurels.
SANDOWN PARK
Race 2 No10 WHISKEY PETE (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Many fingers were burned when WHISKEY PETE was beaten at Haydock. However, the form has received a couple of boosts and this attractive individual can take advantage of a solid opportunity, with Kingdom Of Time the one that might cause him some problems.
Race 4 No5 KNIGHT
Trainer: Simon Crisford – Jockey: James Doyle
Chindit did us a good turn when scoring easily at Haydock and is a horse whose connections may take him to the Antipodes at the end of the year. He’s sure to go well in the featured Fortune Stakes, but might find KNIGHT a tough nut to crack. KNIGHT was having only a fifth career start when narrowly denied by Angel Bleu in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood which followed a third in a Group 3 at the same course early last month. Equipped with cheek pieces for the first time, he can take full advantage of the 9lbs he received from his older penalised foe.
Race 5 No2 TANGO TONIGHT
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Pivotal filly TANGO TONIGHT is bred to enjoy plenty of cut in the ground and won’t mind if it rains. Her trainer has adopted a softly, softly approach with her and on this fourth outing of the year she can endorse with a win the promise of her summer efforts at Newbury and this venue, at which she was beaten just half a length by Marinara.
Race 6 No9 OUTGUN (Each Way)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
OUTGUN experienced no luck in running at Newbury and then suffered late interference that cost him his winning chance at Newmarket. The grey receives weight from everything in this admittedly better race, but has the potential to raise his game, and he should finish in the money
KELSO
Race 5 No1 SEBASTOPOL
Trainer: Tom Lacey – Jockey: Stan Sheppard
This should see long distance traveller SEBASTOPOL putting his best foot forward. The nine-year-old returned from a six months absence to score comfortably on a return to hurdles at Newton Abbot. While his connections will look to go back chasing with him at some stage before Christmas he can take out this similar contest at the main expense of hat-trick seeker Bucko’s Boy.
