Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’ racing coming your way from Chester, Newmarket, Windsor, Newcastle, Doncaster and Lingfield Park on 1 July 2023.
CHESTER
Race 3 No8 ROMAN DRAGON (Nap)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Hayley Turner
Course specialist ROMAN DRAGON can make this a fourth triumph on the Roodee and capitalise on his plum draw on the rail. The confirmed frontrunner was reined in by Faro De San Juan on his latest visit when heavily supported but this looks a more straightforward task in which he can get onto an easy lead and make every post a winning one.
Race 4 No2 EQUATORIAL
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: Franny Norton
EQUATORIAL created a good impression when sluicing up in a Salisbury novice. The Showcasing gelding has few miles on the clock but scope for more to offer on this first run in a handicap, even though the task of conceding more than a stone to recent winner Ararat will not be easy.
NEWMARKET
Race 2 No2 AL AASY (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Jim Crowley
Godolphin fields a powerful dual attack on this Listed prize with Kemari and the returning New London. However, with its horses not setting any rivers on fire the pair ate worth opposing with AL AASY. The six-year-old is a proper Group horse who made light of returning from a protracted absence when successful on his only start in the Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot last season. He’s not been without his issues, but in similar circumstances, he can serve up a repeat.
Race 3 Cavani Menswear Fashion Face-Off Frenzy Criterion Stakes (Group 3)
No2 ALDAARY
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Jim Crowley
The Haggas/Crowley combination can strike again with ALDAARY in the day’s feature. The five-year-old enjoyed a hot streak at Ascot where he notched three successes in the 2021 campaign. He returned from an enforced break to easily take out the Spring Trophy at Haydock last spring, and has been working well ahead of this first outing in over a year. Unlike his foes he’s a horse on the up and up, and should show himself to be a Group horse today and in the remainder of the year.
WINDSOR
Race 6 No7 FERROUS (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
FERROUS was unfortunate to fail by one to make the cut for the Palace Of Holyroodhouse at Ascot last week when he would have been my best bet of the meeting. In truth that stiff five furlongs race run at breakneck pace would have suited him better than this easy five. And so while he has the ability to win, I shall halve my bet as he really wants the 1200 metres trip to perform at his best.
NEWCASTLE
Race 2 JenningsBet Chipchase Stakes (Group 3)
No5 TIBER FLOW (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand
TIBER FLOW is one of several from Summerville Lodge that can combine to give William Haggas a good day. He scored twice in a select campaign last year while his two starts this season have shown progression and he did nothing wrong in chasing home the ill-fated Creative Force at Haydock. He faces strong opposition from Brad The Brief, but is fancied to open his account for 2023.
Race 3 No5 HADRIANUS (Each Way)
Trainer: Charlie Johnston – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
This consolation race for the Plate can see HADRIANUS putting in a bold display. He needs to overcome a horrible draw, but as with so many from this stable it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Galileo colt try to get to the front. Campaigned as a possible Derby horse earlier in the year, he should be forgiven his heavy defeat in last week’s Queen’s Vase and backed to bounce back now racing over two miles.
Race 4 No6 ZOFFEE (Each Way)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Ben Curtis
ZOFFEE took out the Vase on this card in 2023 and it could now be his turn to lift the historic race known as the ‘Pitmen’s Derby’, the Northumberland Plate. The seven-year-old has contested a string of top staying handicaps and earned on a consistent basis, most recently being narrowly denied in the Chester Cup before looking unlucky not to finish closer than sixth in the Ascot Stakes. In that race he was compromised by having to race wide, and probably gave away as much ground as he was beaten by. As long as this doesn’t come too soon he has a cracking chance and is taken to land the spoils at the expense of CALLING THE WIND, GOLDEN RULES and VINO VICTRIX.
Prediction: 1st ZOFFEE, 2nd Calling The Wind, 3rd Golden Rules, 4th Vino Victrix
DONCASTER
Race 5 No5 CAIRN GORM (Nap)
Trainer: Kevin Philippart De Foy – Jockey: Dane O’Neill
CAIRN GORM came in for plenty of support on a first start since being gelded and undergoing wind surgery at Windsor but after making much of the running faded in the closing stages to earn only a token cheque. His length and a quarter defeat was a better effort and tempts me to remain with him to gain a first success for his trainer.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 7 No1 SAN FRANCISCO BAY (Nap)
Trainer: Henry Candy – Jockey: Laura Coughlan
SAN FRANCISCO BAY has the best credentials for the nightcap, running in the colours of his trainer. The Muhaarar gelding beat a good yardstick in Bomb Squad on the all-weather before failing in a photo to follow-up switched to turf at this course. Returned to Polytrack this time, he can parry the challenge of Spirit Of Breeze.
