Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Exeter, Uttoxeter, and Wolverhampton.
EXETER
Race 1 No4 DUKE OF CONDICOTE
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Monmiral is an unknown quantity for Paul Nicholls and comes here with a big reputation, but the value call in this juvenile hurdle is to take him on with DUKE OF CONDICOTE. The latter ran into the smart Adagio on hurdling debut at Warwick. He’s learned a lot from that, and can take advantage of the 6lb received from the penalised favourite.
Race 2 No1 THE MIGHTY DON
Trainer: Nick Gifford – Jockey: James Davies
In a cracking novices’ chase, a chance is taken that THE MIGHTY DON’s sometimes suspect jumping holds up. He showed what he can do when returning to surprise Enrilo at Chepstow, and that might have given him the confidence boost needed to go onto better things.
Race 3 No1 GO MILLIE GO (Nap)
No4 ROUGE VIF
Trainer: Stuart Edmunds – Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
This mares’ novices’ hurdle can fall to the penalised GO MILLIE GO. She landed some good bets when always in control of a similar contest at Stratford and looks good value for her penalty against Whiskey Lullaby, who finished second for the third time in as many starts on comeback at Ayr.
UTTOXETER
Race 3 No11 PURE BLISS (Nap)
Trainer: Harry Fry – Jockey: Sean Bowen
There’s plenty of talent on display in this distaffers’ hurdle, and while multiple scorer Coquelicot will surely be sharper for her rusty comeback effort at Fontwell, PURE BLISS has a big reputation herself. The point-to-point and bumper scorer wasn’t right when pulled up at Ascot back in February and returns following wind surgery. The Fry horses are going great guns, and first time back will hopefully be the time to catch her.
Race 4 No2 FAIR KATE
FAIR KATE ran better than her finishing position indicates at Hereford. She weakened tamely at the end, but looked as if the race would bring her on. She had a good blow, and has shown in the past that she usually needs a run to bring her closer to concert pitch.
Race 5 No4 NEVILLE’S CROSS (Each Way)
Trainer: Tom Lacey – Jockey: Stan Sheppard
This is fiercely competitive but NEVILLE’S CROSS makes abundant appeal for an earning run, having done nothing wrong in his three starts this season. He showed a liking for this course on his comeback win in September, followed up with a wide margin conversion at Hereford and finished just out of the money when favourite for a red hot handicap at Cheltenham. He goes to post with the best recent credentials and should get into the shake-up..
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 5 No4 DUSK (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
While she will never be able to hold a candle to close relative and Group winner Dank, DUSK can bounce back from an underwhelming recent Polytracknrun at Kempton and take out this novice stakes. Her previous near miss paints a different picture, and if repeated gives the Galileo filly every chance of outpointing Atavique.
