Neil Morrice: UK Racing Best Bets - Sunday 15 November 2020

Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Sunday's racing coming your way from Cheltenham, Fontwell Park, and Southwell. 

CHELTENHAM

Race 1 No6 THE BIG BREAKAWAY
Trainer: Colin Tizzard - Jockey: Robbie Power

 Several of these have recent winning form that gives them hope, but the presence of returning THE BIG BREAKAWAY casts a shadow over their ability to deal with a horse that goes to post with a huge home reputation. The Getaway gelding cost a king’s ransom after impressively landing his only point-to-point in Ireland and didn’t let new connections down by taking out maiden and novice hurdles at Chepstow and Newbury. He rounded-off with a creditable frame finish in the Ballymore Hurdle at the Festival, and now switches to fences having schooled beautifully and done everything right.

Race 2 No3 DISCORAMA (Nap)
Trainer: Paul Nolan - Jockey: Robbie Power

This trainer always means business when bringing his horses here, and in the consistent DISCORAMA fields a solid candidate that looks to have many of the bases covered. The selection finished second at successive Festivals, in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in 2019 and the National Hunt Chase last year. He stays forever, loves soft ground and has the benefit of a readying run when beaten just a shot head by Milan Native at Galway last month. He should prove hard to beat.

Race 3 SCHLOER CHASE (Grade 2)
No4 ROUGE VIF
Trainer: Harry Whittington - Jockey: Gavin Sheehan

 How much rain arrives before this recognised trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase will have a bearing on the outcome, as Arkle winner Put The Kettle On loves to get her toe in. Riders Onthe Storm proved a good servant to us last winter and goes on anything, but along with Defi Du Seuil lacks the advantage of a recent outing. Furthermore, some of the horses from the Philip Hobbs stable have looked in need of a run. As long as the ground isn’t heavy, ROUGE VIF is the choice. While only third in the Arkle, he put in an exemplary jumping display to come home unchallenged under a big weight in a handicap at the Showcase meeting last month. He took lengths off his foes at several of the fences in a display that suggests he’ll never run in a handicap again. Indeed, he looks like a genuine pretender to the two mile crown and can rise to the occasion.

Race 4 UNIBET GREATWOOD HANDICAP HURDLE (Grade 3)
No5 EDWARDSTONE
Trainer: Alan King - Jockey: Tom Cannon

All the rage in ante post exchanges through the week, EDWARDSTONE can successfully make the step from novice to handicap company in this betting extravaganza of the day. His trainer has won the contest in two of the past three seasons and has in the Kaye Tara six-year-old a potent weapon to go to war with. The selection too a couple of notable scalps in novice hurdles when beating Fiddlerontheroof at Wincanton and Harry Senior at Aintree, went down in a photo to Stolen Silver in a Grade 2 at Huntingdon,then rounded-off his campaign when just out of the money in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, won by Shishkin.

The race often throws up a big-priced winner and if that’s to happen I would consider both BALLYANDY and COUNTISTER. Ballyandy, a past winner of the Festival Bumper here, chased home Sceau Royal in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las and will be fitter for that run. However he’s there to be shot at with top weight and will probably find a couple of the second-season novices too hot to handle. Countister ran a stinker on her reappearance at Ascot but remains a well-handicapped mare. Owned by JP McManus, I would keep an eye open for any market move for her, and act accordingly if it happens. Of the younger brigade SIR PSYCHO is almost certainly better than he showed at Chepstow while stablemates PROSCHEMA and CORMIER hail from a Dan Skelton hard that always targets this race. Local hope TEGEREK also requires consideration.

 Prediction: 1st EDWARDSTONE, 2nd Countister, 3rd Ballyandy, 4th Sir Psycho, 5th Proschema, 6th Tegerek

FONTWELL PARK

Race 1 No2 LORD BADDESLEY (Nap)
Trainer: Chris Gordon - Jockey: Joshua Moore

One of the nicest horses to compete at this country track in recent seasons is LORD BADDESLEY. He came home with his head in his chest on hurdling bow here early last month and gives his talented trainer high hopes of further pickings in a clash with hat-trick seeker Lord Accord that he should take on the way to much better things.

Race 4 No7 SOARLIKEANEAGLE
Trainer: Richard Rowe - Jockey: Niall Houlihan

 The so far disappointing SOARLIKEANEAGLE runs off a mark 3lb out of the handicap but should not be underestimated. The eight-year-old has done well through the summer, while his trainer’s horses are running well. He will enjoy the conditions and can get into the shake-up at a working man’s price.

 Race 5 No4 WARRANTY
Trainer: Harry Whittington - Jockey: Daryl Jacob

 A winner at Beverley on final start for Mark Johnston, WARRANTY is a scopey, athletic individual that stays well. He was not a natural on the schooling ground to begin with but has got better, and if handling this sharp track could make a winning impact.

SOUTHWELL

Race 2 No1 ROUNDEL (Nap)
Trainer: David O’Meara - Jockey: Danny Tudhope

 Two factors have changed for ROUNDEL, who didn’t see out the trip when third here last week. The consistent four-year-old drops back from a mile to seven furlongs while his trainer adds cheek pieces. In this case I hope they are not a rogue’s badge, because the selection has plenty of natural ability if he cares to use it.

 Race 5 No2 MODEL GUEST
Trainer: Archie Watson - Jockey: Luke Morris

Plenty has been said about the attitude of MODEL GUEST when engaging in a battle, but she stayed on strongly to go down in a photo at Newcastle last week and is worth one more chance now back in maiden company.