Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Kempton Park, Wolverhampton, Newbury and Curragh, including video analysis for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1).
Kempton Park Best Bets
Race 3: No2 – THEOTHERSIDE
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Pat Dobbs
At 33-1 THEOTHERSIDE came home to stony silence when scoring on her Newbury debut last September. The daughter of Dandy Man led home fourteen rivals at that Grade 1 track and even though her trainer’s team is yet to get into full swing she has the ability to remain unbeaten. That should be at the main expense of fellow once-raced winner It’s A Given.
Race 5: No3 – DUBAI MIRAGE (Nap)
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Dubawi colt DUBAI MIRAGE can take this out in the colours of Godolphin and under the navigation of the champion jockey. She troubled the judge on both starts as a juvenile at Sandown and York and is reported to have thrived through the close season and lockdown. From a form perspective, she looks to hold all the cards.
Race 6: No7 – FRENCH ASSET (Each Way)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Kieren Shoemark
The Stoute horses have hit the ground running, and although there are a couple of in-form foes in this with fitness assured, FRENCH ASSET is worth chancing at likely generous odds. He seemed to get bogged down in the heavy ground when favourite for his second start at Nottingham, and now makes his handicap debut. If running well he will compliment a stablemate that had his measure on Long Hill earlier in the week.
Wolverhampton Best Bets
Race 1: No5 – HOT SCOOP (Nap)
Trainer: Jamie Osborne – Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa
HOT SCOOP has the points on the board following his very encouraging debut effort when second at Lingfield last week. He was a 25-1 roughie that day but stayed on with gusto at the business end. He has come on a few pounds for that and should know too much for his foes, of whom Branston Lion is the most interesting, breaking from the rail for a hot stable.
Race 2: No4 – STEELRIVER (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Tom Eaves
Even though he was in great form posting successive wins here before the lockdown, STEEL RIVER needs to show he can cut the mustard equally well back into a handicap. He’s not going to get better aged 10, but his shrewd trainer has him ready for this return to his favourite track, and if enjoying the rub of the green in the short home straight he can swoop late to take home a cheque.
Race 3: No7 – WINTER POWER
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa
WINTER POWER and Jojo Rabbit look the ones to concentrate on and should fight out the finish. Both ran well on debuts a few days ago, with the former finishing third at Newcastle after attracting plenty of market support. The Bungleinthejungle filly can take full advantage of her sex allowance to open her account in the popular King Power silks.
Newbury Best Bets
Race 1: No5 – SOCIETY LION
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Stoute equips SOCIETY LION with a tongue strap for this seasonal reappearance in a competitive race. The Invincible Spirit colt showed promise on both starts last year, opening his account when last seen at Yarmouth in the autumn. He’s done plenty of work and looked in good order in his midweek work in Newmarket.
Race 3: No9 – LAAFY (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
If Society Lion runs well it will be a fillip for the visored LAAFY in this all-aged handicap. The visored selection scored on his 2019 reappearance at Leicester and doesn’t take much getting ready. The manner of his work suggests he’s again raring to go and this could well be the day to catch him.
Race 6: No4 – MAJD AL ARAB
Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Joe Fanning
Johnston tends to bring the cream of his juveniles to this course, and if strong in the market MAJD AL ARAB is one to be on. A son of The Gurkha, he’s shown plenty of ability in his readying work in Middleham and can outpoint an equally well-regarded duo in Mr Trick and Al Watan.
Race 8: No2 – ENCIPHER
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Frankie Dettori
The rare sight of Dettori donning the Godolphin silks should be looked upon as further evidence that ENCIPHER is set to take out this novice on the way to better things. The son of Siyouni was denied on debut at Haydock but made no mistake next time at Newbury, and should relish the step up from seven furlongs to a mile and a quarter. The presence of previous winners Al Madhar and Vintage Rascal should ensure he goes off at a backable price.
Curragh Best Bets
Race 1: No9 – MERCHANTS QUAY
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Jamie Heffernan
No Nay Never colt MERCHANTS QUAY may have the edge on stablemate Admiral Nelson at this stage of the season. He’s not as speedily bred, being out of a Peintre Celebre mare, but has all the attributes to stand out as a horse to follow through the summer and autumn ahead.
Race 5: No3 – CROSSFIREHURRICANE
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Shane Crosse
The Group 3 Gallinule Stakes can fall to CROSSFIREHURRICANE, who can remain unbeaten bypassing what is easily his biggest test so far. He made it three from three in a Listed race on the Dundalk Polytrack last time and is a fascinating rival to Mythical, who finished third in a French Group 1 when last seen in late October, affording him favouritism in this curtain-raiser to the day’s feature.
Race 6 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1): No1 – ARMORY
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Wayne Lordan
The rock-solid juvenile form of ARMORY tips the balance is his favour in Ireland’s first Classic of the 2020 campaign. The Galileo colt landed a Group 3 and a Group 2 before chasing home Pinatubo in the National Stakes here, then ran well in defeat in both other outings at Longchamp, including the Group 1 on Arc day, won by Victor Ludorum. That form has worked out incredibly well, and on balance, Armory can end the impressive winning run of Siskin. The Ger Lyons-trained colt needs to prove his stamina for a mile, and while he should accomplish that, his form against Armory’s stablemate Monarch Of Egypt leaves him with something to find. Two colts I expect to figure at much bigger odds are Lope Y Fernandez and Fiscal Rules. The former won a Group 3 over six furlongs here but couldn’t live with Earthlight in the Middle Park. Fiscal Rules went down by just a head to Wichita on debut over seven furlongs here, and bearing in mind what that horse achieved when going close in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, must be taken very seriously.
Prediction
1st ARMORY
2nd Siskin
3rd Fiscal Rules
4th Lope
Race 8: No7 – FLEETING (Nap)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Jamie Heffernan
The talented FLEETING can leave the best until last by taking out this Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes. She had to play the bridesmaid’s role on more than one occasion last year and faces a fast-improving foe in Search For A Song. However, the selection finished off her three-year-old campaign strongly when short-headed in a Group 1 on Arc day and not having much luck in running behind Star Catcher in the big fillies’ race at Ascot’s Champions Day fixture. Having failed to win in 2019, she can quickly put the record straight.
