Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Thursday 09 July 2026

NEWMARKET

Race 1 BAHRAIN TROPHY (Group 3)

No5 POINT OF LAW
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: James Doyle

This recognised St Leger trial can fall to Frankel colt POINT OF LAW, who engages with a couple of horses he met in the Queen’s Vase last month. DEL MARO finished in front of him in the Ascot race with GALIYAN behind, but my selection wasn’t helped by being pushed wide on the home turn and finished well. It’s a very tight affair, but POINT OF LAW can prevail,in the colours of The King.

Race 2 KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN JULY STAKES (Group 2)

No3 INNER CITY BLUES
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick

INNER CITY BLUES was barked all over the racecourse before scoring easily on his York introduction and that form was endorsed by the second. The son of Blue Point has bags of speed in his pedigree, and can show with a follow-up triumph that he’s going places. ADAAY OF SCARLETT is hard to knock, and brings the best form to the table courtesy of his second in the Coventry. These two should fight out the finish in a race that’s cut up.

Race 4 PRINCESS OF WALES’S STAKES (Group 2)

No1 REBEL’S ROMANCE
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick

World traveller REBEL’S ROMANCE makes a rare appearance on home soil in a contest he tackles for the first time. The nine times Group 1 winner returns from a more than four month break since a success in the Group 2 City Of Gold at Meydan, but he’s scored first time back on no fewer than six occasions and on the back of good reports from the Newmarket gallops is taken to land the spoils en route to another international campaign through the summer and autumn.

Race 6 No5 MORRIS DANCER (Nap)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: William Buick

MORRIS DANCER was never closer than at the finish when third in the Jersey Stakes and he’s going to love going up in trip for this Listed contest that remembers Sir Henry Cecil. The son of Palace Pier took out a Listed race at Salisbury on his final start as a two-year-old when powering clear of a rival who won subsequently at Group level. The fact he was coming back from a long lay off at Ascot suggests he can find a lot more, and he’s a confident choice to deliver.

Race 7 No13 SHIPBOURNE
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Hector Crouch

In one of the more attractive betting races, the concluding Class3 handicap can fall to the very promising SHIPBOURNE. The Frankel colt has a two from three record and looked the real deal when taking out a Doncaster novice last time. Not only has that form been franked, but my selection is going to revel in a step up to 1600 metres on this handicap bow. The race is filled with potential dangers, and while SPANISH VOICE and THE JOKER have been in winning form recently a market check is advised on ASMEN WARRIOR, who didn’t do a tap on the soft ground at Epsom last time. It was a rare blip, and he can with a frame finish show he’s no paper tiger.

DONCASTER

Race 4 No5 ROOM FOURTEEN
Trainer: James Fanshawe – Jockey: Billy Loughnane

ROOM FOURTEEN is the only filly in the field but has shown herself to be fully in the zone by winning on two of three occasions since being equipped with a hood. She’s 4lb higher for her Redcar triumph, but with Billy Loughnane in the hot seat she can defy it.

Race 6 No8 WRYDCROFT
Trainer: Pam Sly – Jockey: Christian Howarth

WRYDCROFT competes from the same mark off which he’s run well in defeat the last twice. He wasn’t beaten far at this course last month, and the money that went west on him that day can be shown to be merely lent.

CARLISLE

Race 1 No4 STAR OF THE DESERT (Nap)
Trainer: Joey Ramsden – Jockey: David Nolan

There’s a dearth of two-year-old races spread around the country and one of the best betting opportunities comes with STAR OF THE DESERT, who belied his 50-1 odds to chase home a well backed favourite on debut at Southwell. He contested the lead for much of the way, and though no match for the winner should go a fair way forward with the benefit of that experience.

Race 4 No4 BAY BREEZE
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Duran Fentiman

BAY BREEZE wins his two year in, year out, and while yet to strike in 2026 this looks a good opening for the seven-year-old. He’s run satisfactorily here on two of his last three starts and was a winner at the course in the spring of last year.

EPSOM DOWNS

Race 6 No6 TAKEITORLEAVEIT (Nap)
Trainer: Jonny Portman- Jockey: Donagh Murphy

From a punting perspective it could pay to be parsimonious at this meeting which features small fields subscribed to by mostly locally trained horses. TAKEITORLEAVEIT faces a couple of Epsom hopes in this low grade handicap but his ring of consistency makes him attractive, racing from the same mark as when second at Windsor last time.

NEWBURY

Race 5 No1 GRIZEDALE
Trainer: Daniel Kubler – Jockey: Jason Watson

GRIZEDALE landed some good bets on a second start of the season and when switched to the Polytrack at Kempton. While both his career successes have happened on the all-weather he needs to be given the chance to back it up returned to grass, where STORM POINT may fill the flip side of the exacta.

Race 6 No4 ASTRACOMUS (Nap)
Trainer: David Menuisier – Jockey: Jason Watson

As a thoroughly unexposed horse from a yard striking high with its few runners, ASTRACOMUS is the best bet on this card. He picked up stylishly when given the office to down an odds-on foe on handicap bow at Nottingham and there should be plenty more to come.