Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Ascot Haydock Park, Bangor on dee , Worcester and Kempton Park on 04 September 2026.
ASCOT
Race 2 No3 IMPASTO
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Colin Keane
The eye is drawn to IMPASTO who hails from a smart family and will carry my money should he attract support in the colours of Juddmonte. The benefit of a previous outing is going to help the cause of SAN JOSE who should also get into the shake-up.
Race 3 No2 CLARITY
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: James Doyle
Balding should be on the money again with CLARITY, who brings an experience edge to the table. When a half lengths second to Siena Storm at Salisbury the first two pulled six lengths clear. This is her fourth start, and she’s primed to deliver.
Race 4 No2 SOLDIER OF THE SEA (Nap)
Trainer: William Knight – Jockey: Taylor Fisher
PURE MINT arrives as a short favourite after skipping Ripon’s Champion 2YO Trophy because of the testing ground. The Minzaal colt is well regarded but might find SOLDIER OF THE SEA a debilitating thorn in his side. The Nap made no mistake on his Ffos Las debut but then ran into the smart Gentle Hurricane at Salisbury. The pair pulled clear, while Gentle Hurricane went on to make a race of it with Haffner in a Group 3 at York. Knight’s runner therefore has the best form, and I fancy him to bounce back.
Race 6 No4 URBAN LION (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
URBAN LION hasn’t had much to shout about since winning the Lincoln but it might be a mistake to write him off. He then finished last in the Newbury Spring Cup, two from last in the Royal Hunt Cup here and most recently ninth of eleven behind Hickory at the King George meeting. On that occasion his pilot decided to try to steal the race from the front, and though the tactic didn’t work the five-year-old ran better than his placing suggests. He has a new jockey doing the steering who has been riding him at home, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he upped his game.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 4 No13 TIP FOSTER (Nap)
Trainer: David Barron – Jockey: Joanna Mason
This sees lightly raced TIP FOSTER getting the chance to exploit what could be a handy mark. Operating from the base of the weights the Dream Ahead gelding returns from a three month break but is now at the stage of the season where he can run in a handicap after two runs rather than three. His absence might therefore have been contrived rather than forced, while he is tutored by a man who’s a master at getting the best out of this type of individual.
Race 6 No5 DREAM ILLUSION (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: David Probert
DREAM ILLUSION looked to be returning to near her best when second at Wolverhampton last month, and while not as good on turf as on the all-weather she’s worth supporting to gain a first win on that surface. It’s in her favour that Probert has a very good record for this stable.
BANGOR-ON-DEE
Race 4 No4 KIWI DE COTTE (Nap)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
KIWI DE COTTE is two from three for the Skeltons and would be unbeaten for them had he not been hindered by racing over an inadequate trip. The multiple point winner looked good value for his latest triumph at Market Rasen and though 6lb higher should again deliver as the only bet on the card.
WORCESTER
Race 2 No2 BOOM BOOM (Each Way)
Trainer: Rob Summers – Jockey: Harry Reed
Former Seven Barrows inmate BOOM BOOM can be a force when everything goes right with his jumping. Although his two previous visits to this course proved fruitless he’s worth a small speculative wager to cause an upset, as he ran better with a first completion of the summer season at Stratford last time.
Race 4 No3 ELATED (Nap)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Callum Pritchard
ELATED has taken well to jumping and would have made it a fifth earning effort in as many starts but for falling at the last here last month. She was bearing down on the eventual winner and to many will be regarded as a winner without a penalty.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 2 No1 HUWA BAREE (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Johnston – Jockey: Callum Shepherd
The draw can play a big part in races up to 1600 metres at the Sunbury-On-Thames course, and with that in mind you have to like HUWA BAREE breaking from the rail. The son of Saxon Warrior greatly impressed when making all over 1400 metres on his Wolverhampton debut, where after looking sure to be collared he found extra to score going away. Both his main opponents in the market have outside posts to cope with, and he can serve up a repeat by leading from gate to wire.
Race 6 No4 PETER THE WOLF
Trainer: Warren Greatrex – Jockey: Edward Greatrex
This outfit is going through a winning spell which augurs well for PETER THE WOLF posting a first success of the season. The chestnut proved easy to back yet fought on well when headed over 1400 metres here last time. It was easily his best effort of the campaign, and he can cope with the return to sprinting.
Race 7 No2 EDUCATOR
Trainer: Henrietta Knight – Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Knight has done well to get a couple of recent tunes out of EDUCATOR who is only 1lb higher than for a recent gritty triumph at Newmarket. The six race winner claimed Seeking Charles by a short head, and that rival gave the form a mighty boost by running away with the Amateurs’ Derby at Epsom on Monday.
