Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Chepstow and Huntingdon on 17 March 2024.
CHEPSTOW
Race 1 No1 COCO MADEMOISELLE (Nap)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
With her yard’s hurdlers in tip top form it’s hard to look beyond COCO MADEMOISELLE, who patently failed to stay when attempting just short of three miles on handicap bow at Ascot. Back to novice company she can prove too strong for Roccos Inspiration.
Race 2 No6 AIRTOTHETHRONE
Trainer: Tim Vaughan – Jockey: Alan Johns
AIRTOTHETHRONE hinted with a near miss at Taunton that he’s on the verge of a breakthrough win. He’s rarely missed the frame in ten outings over fences, occasionally being let down by his jumping. If putting in a clean round he can recoup the losses incurred on him in Somerset.
Race 4 No2 SEDGE WREN
Trainer: Stuart Edmunds – Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
Marsh Wren ran a cracker in the mares’ chase last week to give weight to the claims of barnmate SEDGE WREN on her belated return to the fray. The selection delivered on both outings over hurdles although the last of those happened more than a year ago. She’s had her issues, but has shown she can operate fresh from a break, and is worth chancing.
HUNTINGDON
Race 2 No6 SAILED AWAY (Each Way)
Trainer: Stuart Edmunds – Jockey: Charlie Hammond
SAILED AWAY has on occasions done too much in front, leaving scant room for any resistance when challenged, as was the case at Wetherby last time. He’s been raised 2lb for that defeat, but with his stable amongst the winners is probably worth another chance.
Race 3 No3 DASHER (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Jordan Nailor
DASHER was at sixes and sevens and frequently lost ground at the hurdles on his first run over jumps at Chepstow last month. In the circumstances he did well to remain in contention until between the final two flights. He’s learned plenty from that experience, and in a race where the others have little to recommend them he can score in the colours of his trainer.
Race 5 a No1 TOTTERDOWN (Each Way)
Trainer: Richard Phillips – Jockey: Finn Lambert
Veteran TOTTERDOWN hasn’t shown much in three outings this season, though in fairness those defeats all happened on stiff tracks, when what he wants is an easy two miles. Huntingdon is certainly one of the easiest in the country, and as a previous winner here it would be wrong to dismiss the front-runner staging a revival, especially as he could assume the easy lead he enjoys.
