Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Cheltenham, Doncaster, Newcastle and Wolverhampton on 10 December 2022
CHELTENHAM
Race 1 No3 SCRIPTWRITER (Nap)
Trainer: Milton Harris – Jockey: Paddy Brennan
Easily the best juvenile hurdle run this season can fall to SCRIPTWRITER. The Churchill gelding beat Perseus Way under a controlled display over the course and distance last month and should have no trouble confirming his superiority and remaining unbeaten.
Race 3 No1 EDITEUR DU GITE
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Niall Houlihan
This should see history repeating itself, with last year’s winner EDITEUR DU GITE staging an action replay. The eight-year-old made the frame in the Grand Annual at the Festival in March and is at his best round Cheltenham, and even though higher in the weights has a good conditional taking 3lb off his back.
Race 4 AIS December Gold Cup Handicap Chase
No1 STOLEN SILVER (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
STOLEN SILVER was let down by his jumping when reappearing as favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. After a number of errors, he departed when already beaten coming down the hill but given a better display he can successfully give away weight and make amends. The grey finished fourth in the Plate at the Festival as well as scoring easily at the April meeting and clearly loves Cheltenham, while quicker underfoot conditions won’t bother him.
DONCASTER
Race 4 No2 SCRIPTWRITER (Nap)
Trainer: Milton Harris – Jockey: Paddy Brennan
This is SCRIPTWRITER’s second preference should Cheltenham by called off. In that instance he is confidently advised to take out this less competitive race at the main expense of Nusret.
Race 5 No5 STORM CONTROL ( Each Way)
Trainer: Kerry Lee – Jockey: Richard Patrick
While it would be hard to see STORM CONTROL winning the big chase at Cheltenham, I could see him putting in a big earning run if he comes here. The bold front runner hasn’t yet cut it this season, but there was some encouragement to be taken from his midfield finish in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in which he was competitive for much of the way.
NEWCASTLE
Race 1 No10 LIKE A LION
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
LIKE A LION sprang a 28-1 surprise over this course and distance to show he’d settled into his new surroundings at Great Habton. He did that with cheek pieces that seem to have helped revive him, and are logically left on here.
Race 5 No11 BLAZING SON (Nap)
Trainer: Bryan Smart – Jockey: Mark Winn
BLAZING SON has impressive figures of 334211 in his outings since the late summer and was a clear-cut scorer over this course and distance last time. His apprentice was on board for both his successes, and the combination are strongly fancied to complete what would be a fine hat-trick.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 4 No8 MARIE LAVEAU (Nap)
Trainer: Marcus Tregoning – Jockey: Dougie Costello
MARIE LAVEAU has the best form on offer in this fillies’ novice as well as a perfect draw from which to obtain a stalking position close to the pace. The daughter of Sir Percy failed by just a nose to open her account when last seen at Newmarket in the autumn, and has trained well on an all-weather surface ahead of this switch to sand.
Race 7 No5 DE VEGAS KID
Trainer: Tony Carroll – Jockey: Mollie Phillips
DE VEGAS KID hasn’t run on the all-weather as often than in the past, but when switched to Polytrack for his latest start, troubled the judge at Lingfield. He’s infinitely better at Brighton than any other track, but can make this a first success on sand in just over two years.
