Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming from Beverley, Perth, Warwick and Southwell on 23 April 2026.
BEVERLEY
Race 6 No6 MAPLE (Each Way)
Trainer: Ruth Jefferson- Jockey: O McSweeney
MAPLE is likely to be doing his best work at the finish over this 1600 metres after winning a handicap hurdle at Sedgefield. Two near misses on the AW preceded that for a horse who since leaving a major Flat yard has earned on 11 of his fifteen outings in his dual purpose role. He can turn the tables on the penalised NO KNEE NEVER.
Race 7 No9 BIZARRE LAW (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Joanna Mason
BIZARRE LAW is taken to save the best until last in the nightcap. The bottom weight indicated he’s on the way back with a first podium finish of the year at Nottingham, and has the right jockey doing the steering to make him at attractive betting proposition.
PERTH
Race 1 No8 CELTIC ALLIANCE (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Sean Bowen
Clonmel scorer CELTIC ALLIANCE should relish stretching out on the distance ladder on her second start for Elliott. This is a warm affair but with the champion jockey on her back a follow-up success should happen.
Race 3 No2 STONER’S CHOICE (Each Way)
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien – Jockey: Tom Broughton
Should the well handicapped STONER’S CHOICE be ridden enterprisingly under a new pilot he can make a mark in this class drop. He’s failed to cut the mustard under patient handling, but all his best form for his previous trainer happened when he went to the lead.
Race 4 No1 TOMMY’S OSCAR
Trainer: Ann Hamilton – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
TOMMY’S OSCAR might be getting longer in the tooth but there’s been plenty to like about his recent Carlisle success and placed effort in the Silver Trophy at Haydock, where he was never closer than at the finish. He’s only raced once over fences at this course but that was a good effort, suggesting he’s capable of defying top weight
Race 5 No4 DELLA CASA LUNGA
Trainer: Clive Boultbee-Brooks – Jockey: Ned Fox
One that can improve on the spring ground is DELLA CASA LUNGA. She was all at sea in heavy conditions in a Listed chase at Exeter, but remains unexposed, and can improve as this is only her third run over fences.
WARWICK
Race 2 No2 JJ MOON
Trainer: Emma Lavelle – Jockey: Ben Jones
Post wind surgery JJ MOON has acquitted himself well in handicap hurdles with a Newton Abbot success and two earning runs at Newbury. He enjoys this better ground, and remains relatively lightly raced, with room for progression.
Race 4 No8 HARD DEALT
Trainer: Henry Daly – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Daly runs two in the featured mares’ Final, and while KEEP ON COBBLING isn’t completely out of it, preference is for HARD DEALT who appears to be her jockey’s choice. The selection’s three near misses since opening her account at Worcester have each happened at Grade 1 courses, making her equipped to go well back on a left-handed course.
Race 7 No4 MOONSHINE MAN (Nap)
Trainer: Henrietta Knight – Jockey: Brendan Powell
On a track which plays to the strength is of a good jumper, MOONSHINE MAN can post a first chasing success. He’s very consistent, and though often proving vulnerable at the finish could win his race jumping the five fences that come close together down the back. He’s shown a preference for better ground, as was the case when he scored over hurdles around this time last year.
SOUTHWELL
Race 4 No4 LADY RIDGEWOOD
Trainer: Ian Williams – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Spencer appears to hand pick his rides these days, and with LADY RIDGEWOOD he might have chosen a gem. The lightly raced Nathaniel filly troubled the judge in each of five races for her previous trainer and looks poised to follow-up her Chelmsford succcess of last August on handicap debut.
Race 5 No1 RASPOUTINE
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott – Jockey: Luke Morris
RASPOUTINE upped his game when switched to the all-weather last week for a career first success at Lingfield. Contrary to his previous outings from Heath House he did not go unbacked and was in command through the final furlong. A mile appears to be his optimum trip, and he can go in again while the iron’s hot.
Race 6 No4 RED SPELLS DANGER (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Sean Kirrane
In this restricted novice, RED SPELLS DANGER should give us a good run for our money. He made a bold attempt to lead throughout when reappearing at Catterick in which he was the meat in the sandwich between two horses that were supported to beat him. That solid effort has brought him on.
