Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming from Sandown Park, Hereford , AYR , Wolverhampton and Chelmsford City on 07 March 2026.
SANDOWN PARK
Race 2 No10 TENNESSEE TANGO
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
The EBF Final is always a good betting heat in which TENNESSEE TANGO can raise his game and demonstrate that drying ground holds no perils for him. The six-year-old has shown abundant promise in three starts this season, while his confidence was given a boost when he cantered up in a minor race at Plumpton last month. He’s an embryonic chaser but can have a big say in the outcome. One that could be reasonably treated and with improvement in him is WOLF WALKER, who looks sure to appreciate the longer trip in his first run in a handicap. Ben Pauling has a good record with his runners in this and FOUR SPRINGS has to enter calculations on his first run after a breathing op, and with cheek pieces added. At much longer odds there’s been a whisper for RACE TO BASE, whose chance could be boosted by having his tongue tied down.
Prediction: 1st TENNESSEE TANGO, 2nd Wolf Walker, 3rd Four Springs, 4th Race To Base
Race 3 No12 SPIRITS BAY (Each Way)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
The Imperial Cup is the traditional highlight of the final Saturday before Cheltenham. There’s a definite plot afoot regarding WRECKLESS ERIC whose trainer can ready one, but he’s already been heavily supported. MONDO MAN took advantage of a class drop to open his account in a minor race last time. On Flat form he stands out, but like Wreckless Eric the value has already been punted out of him. The Twiston-Davies yard has fared well with its hurdlers of late, which lends itself to its two runners performing better than their protracted prices indicate. TOP JIMMY is a novice who can get involved, while SPIRITS BAY needs considering in view of his staying on effort in this race 12 months ago when he was given far too much to do. Although a brief spell chasing proved fruitless he’s well handicapped on his best form, while de Boinville rarely rides for Grange Farm.
Prediction: 1st SPIRITS BAY, 2nd Wreckless Eric, 3rd Mondo Man, 4th Top Jimmy
Race 6 No5 SOLDIEROFTHESTORM (Nap)
Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
One worth waiting for could be SOLDIEROFTHESTORM who has been selectively campaigned this season and comes here as fresh as paint. He landed a touch when returning over hurdles at Catterick, but key to his chance is a very good first run over fences in which only Rodney proved too strong, with the pair pulling clear of the remainder. That form has been heavily boosted and from just 3lb higher SOLDIEROFTHESTORM makes abundant appeal as one of the best bets of the day.
HEREFORD
Race 3 No1 WESTERN GENERAL (Nap)
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Freddie Gingell
WESTERN GENERAL came back from a second wind operation to make virtually all and stretch clear on the run in to put behind him some disappointing earlier efforts. He now has his chin up, and in a race that’s cut up favourably for him can win again as the best bet on this card.
Race 7 No10 SEVEN STARS
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Thomas Bellamy
King has a high opinion of SEVEN STARS whose season has been geared around the better ground we are seeing now. All her family have produced their best on a quicker surface, and after troubling the judge on both starts under Rules this is the day to step in.
AYR
Race 1 No1 GATINEAU PARK (Nap)
Trainer: Kim Bailey- Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
GATINEAU PARK is the first and arguably the best of three plum mounts for Gethings and should take care of business. The grey was a tidy scorer at Lingfield before putting in a solid run in defeat at Warwick, where the ground might have been softer than ideal. Conditions look perfect for him today.
Race 3 No2 KEEP ON COBBLING
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
In the colours of Sir John Timpson, KEEP ON COBBLING can justify the long trip from Shropshire by scoring on her return from a freshening break. It should pay to put a line through her Hereford defeat in November and concentrate more on her SEDGFIELD win which demonstrates how effective she is after a lay off.
Race 6 No1 BRIERY BUTTERFLY
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
From the same stable BRIERY BUTTERFLY brings the best form to the table in this novices’ handicap hurdle. She’s had a few chances, but equally run well in defeat, and deserves to gain a well overdue first career triumph.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 1 No8 DRAGON LEADER (Nap)
Trainer: Clive Cox – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
A speculative advice on Lincoln trails day is DRAGON LEADER on just his second outing in 18 months. When winning four of his first five races including a Listed race at Redcar the selection looked set to enjoy Group status, but in the 2024 campaign his form fell apart. This is just a second run since he underwent a breathing operation, and at a tempting price it might be too early to write him off.
Race 2 No4 REGAL ULIXES
Trainer: Andrew Balding- Jockey: PJ McDonald
REGAL ULIXES did us a favour when defying a market drift to score easily at Newcastle last week. He’s part of an Andrew Balding’s twin attack on this trial for the Lincoln along with THE LOST KING. Both have been done no favours with wide draws, but the former greatly impressed on his second run back, and remains a horse with untapped potential who can serve up something similar in this better race.
Race 3 No2 FERROUS
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
FERROUS steps up to seven furlongs for this Lady Wulfruna Stakes (Listed) and should relish the extra yardage judging by the way he’s finished strongly but too late in a couple of 1200 metre sprints at Lingfield. He’s well drawn with a top northern jockey in his saddle, and though taking a bit of graft to get fit has now achieved that.
Race 4 No3 SINTRA (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Murphy on SINTRA should be a case of ‘My Way’ in this maiden around a lap of Dunstall Park. The Kingman colt left the cash behind when third on his racecourse debut at Newcastle but hit a flat spot that day before finishing best, but too late. He’s learned plenty from it.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 7 No4 ANTIQUITY (Nap)
Trainer: Jamie Osborne – Jockey: Callum Shepherd
ANTIQUITY has maintained a rich vein of form since the turn of the year which makes him a solid betting proposition for the final race of the day. He came from off the pace to fail by just a head to catch Poetic Force at Wolverhampton, before going one better at Lingfield where he looked in control at the finish.
