Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from York Ebor Festival, Chepstow, Leicester and Fontwell Park on 18/08/2022.
YORK – 18/08/2022
Race 1 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2)
No1 DRAMATISED (Nap)
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
Upsets are not unusual in this sizzling Group 2, but given her dominance in the furlong shorter Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, DRAMATISED should make it a perfect start for followers of the form book.
The Showcasing filly preserved her unbeaten record with a stunning performance in which she overwhelmed her foes in the final furlong and a half. She looks certain to be happier at today’s six, and has benefitted from a nice gap between races.
MAWJ couldn’t cope with Meditate in the Albany at the same meeting, only to bounce back to land the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket. She rates the main threat to the favourite and selection, with KINTA one that can earn at a bigger price.
Race 2 Goff’s UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes
No16 WASHINGTON HEIGHTS (Each Way)
Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Kevin Stott
This valuable Sales race has as open a look to it as I’ve seen in a while, leaving the door open for big payouts for punters wagering around the exotics. Granted the Hannons’ great record in such races there’s sure to be support for once raced SHOULDVBEENARING who greatly impressed on debut at Ripon back in May.
REVISION is also a name to conjure with, even though he had to work to take the spoils when backed into odds-on at Newcastle, but the one that appeals most at the price is his stablemate WASHINGTON HEIGHTS. This colt lost out to Braveheart Boy at Pontefract, and hopefully the last-named horse will have boosted my selection with a prominent showing in Wednesday’s nursery. If that is the case I shall double my bet on WASHINGTON HEIGHTS.
Race 3 Clipper Logistics Handicap
No11 ORBAAN (Each Way)
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Jason Watson
Few jockeys have impressed me in the last few weeks as Watson, whose uncanny facial likeness to Lester Piggott brings with it a breath of fresh air to our racecourses.
The former champion apprentice has a big earning chance aboard ORBAAN, who he guided to a 20-1 upset in Goodwood’s Golden Mile at the end of last month. The seven-year-old produced a telling turn of foot to stage a quick follow-up at Ascot’s Shergar Cup, and if he can sustain the rigours of three quick races he has strong claims to complete a fine hat-trick for a stable that’s thick amongst the winners.
The Clipper Logistics features many horses laid out for the prize, and others to include in exotics are ESCOBAR, ECHO POINT, CRUYFF TURN and my selection’s stable companion BLUE FOR YOU.
Race 4 DARLEY YORKSHIRE OAKS (Group 1)
No4 MAGICAL LAGOON
Trainer: Jessica Harrington – Jockey: Shane Foley
The clash between older and unbeaten mare ALPINISTA and three-year-old Classic winners MAGICAL LAGOON and TUESDAY is one of the highlights of a stunning four days of racing on the Knavesmire.
Alpinista has benefitted from outstanding placement by her trainer to establish a six race winning sequence that includes three German Group 1s and a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud. Apart from contesting a maiden on debut back in 2019, the grey has raced in Group and Listed company throughout her career.
She would be a very popular winner of this prized contest, but younger fillies have a good record in the race, suggesting MAGICAL LAGOON will be hard to stop as she attempts to build on her Irish Oaks triumph at the Curragh. She had to dig deep to stave off Toy, whose trainer Aidan O’Brien has a good line through the latter onto his own contender TUESDAY.
The last-named filly benefitted from an enterprising ride when holding Emily Upjohn in the Cazoo Oaks, and might have had a bad day at the office when beaten more than ten lengths by Westover in the Irish Derby, form which incidentally has been devalued by the winner. A third Irish-trained filly, LA PETITE COCO, was scoring a fourth success on the trot when taking out the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes in testing ground. She’s enjoyed a nice gap between her races, and should not be dismissed lightly.
Race 5 British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Listed) No12
No12 VOODOO QUEEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: David Egan
Frankel filly VOODOO QUEEN has been hiding her light under a bushel, but following a clear cut success on her handicap bow at Newmarket the upwardly mobile filly deserves to have a crack at a better race. Two spaced out runs this season suggests she has not enjoyed a straightforward time, but she’s always promised to find her forte over a trip, and should relish this step up to a mile and a half. GOLDEN LYRA was very impressive when scoring on her all-weather debut on Polytrack and is a threat to all, while HASKOY trotted up on her Wolverhampton introduction and could progress in bundles with the benefit of that run behind her.
Race 6 OR8Wellness EBF Stallions Nursery
No7 X J RASCAL
Trainer: George Boughey – Jockey: Ryan Moore
X J RASCAL looks poised for another big earning run from stall one, and can avenge a couple of narrow defeats in similarly competitive nurseries at Goodwood and Doncaster. It would be no surprise if the Kodiac colt attracts money in the betting ring, but this is wide open, and chances are afforded to the Godolphin pair of COURAGEOUS KNIGHT and ONE NATION as well as roughie MYSTICAL APPLAUSE.
Race 7 British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap
No6 ADAAY IN ASIA (Each Way)
Trainer: Harry Dunlop – Jockey: Dylan Hogan
ADAAY IN ASIA climaxed a bountiful summer when scoring at the Shergar Cup where she produced a telling change of gear that enabled her to swoop to conquer in the final furlong. With her tail up there could be more to come from the three-year-old, who gets on very well with her young jockey. MOBADRA made it a third success from her last four starts when coming back from an eight month absence to score at Chelmsford. She is well regarded and rates a potent threat to the selection.
STRATFORD – 18/08/2022
Race 3 No3 MANOFTHEMOUNTAIN (Nap)
Trainer: Emma Lavelle – Jockey: Thomas Bellamy
This gives MANOFTHEMOUNTAIN a fine chance to engage in a confidence boost as he utilises his novice tag over hurdles. The oft times front runner should make no mistake in what are calmer waters than for his recent run in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen.
CHEPSTOW – 18/08/2022
Race 4 No9 REDREDROBIN (Nap)
Trainer: Malcolm Saunders – Jockey: Tom Queally
REDREDROBIN ran into one when no match for Amathus at Brighton, but is fancied to bounce back under a new jockey who has a good record when teaming up with this trainer.
Race 6 No6 SECRETFACT
Trainer: Malcolm Saunders – Jockey: Liam Keniry
It should be Saunders again, as SECRETFACT gave clear signs with a recent near miss at Windsor that he’s ready to turn back the clock and post a first success since November 2020.
LEICESTER – 18/08/2022
Race 4 No1 FOX DEGREE
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Hector Crouch
Top weight in this fillies’ nursery may not prevent FOX DEGREE from a return to winning ways. The daughter of Invincible Spirit has been a credit to her connections in taking home a cheque on each of her five career starts, and there should be more to come.
Race 6 No2 SEE THE SEA (Nap)
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr – Jockey: D Nolan
SEE THE SEA was a storming winner at Carlisle on a second start following wind surgery. The dual purpose performer is hungry for more under a penalty, and can make this a sixth success from her last ten outings on the Flat and over hurdles.
FONTWELL PARK – 18/08/2022
Race 4 No4 HAYEDO
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Jamie Moore
Harry Redknapp’s colours can come home to a popular victory via HAYEDO, who though finishing last in a Class5 handicap at Epsom should bounce back now returned to hurdling.
Race 7 No1 FIRE LAKE (Nap)
Trainer: Milton Harris – Jockey: Bradley Harris
The best bet on the card is FIRE LAKE who is strongly fancied to complete a hat-trick. Her welter burden is eased to an extent by the claim of her inexperienced conditional jockey, who has ridden her at home.
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18/08/2022 – Best Bets and Tips by Neil Morrice
