Neil Morrice: Best Bets & Tips – Friday 14 May 2021

YORK

Race 2 No7 SNOW LANTERN (Nap)

Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Sean Levey

Hannon’s decision to bypass the 1,000 Guineas with SNOW LANTERN can be shown to be a wise one with a victory from a filly whose owners are especially keen to win this race, one that remembers Times correspondent Michael Seely. The daughter of Frankel and Sky Lantern is a creature the charmingly vulnerable Seely would have perused with an admiring eye, and having showcased her wares with a decisive conversion at Newbury, the grey can now book her ticket to the Coronation Stakes by following up.

Race 4 Matchbook Yorkshire Cup (Group 2)

No1 SIR RON PRIESTLEY

Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Franny Norton

The day’s feature has cut up but contains three possible contenders for Gold Cup honours next month, the best of whom is SIR RON PRIESTLEY. The son of Investec Derby hero AUSTRALIA is the winner of seven of his last nine outings, spread out over two years, and showed with his recent wide margin deliveries at Nottingham and Newmarket that he’s one of the best in the business over a trip. His trainer also saddles Nayef Road, who has chased the shadow of Stradivarius in three of his last four starts and will therefore provide a line onto the current Gold Cup favourite. Aidan O’Brien’s Santiago finished fourth in last year’s St Leger but was underwhelming on reappearance at Navan, meaning that he’s got some improving to do.

Prediction: 1st SIR RON PRIESTLEY, 2nd Nayef Road, 3rd Santiago

NEWMARKET

Race 4 No2 GOLDEN RULES (Nap)

Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Martin Harley

Gosden has several good chances at his local course and GOLDEN RULES will surely be hard to beat in this all-aged handicap. The Golden Horn gelding suffered a reverse when beaten on reappearance at Wolverhampton but it was a head-bob that could have gone either way and should have served the purpose of bringing him forward.

Race 5 No4 DERAB

Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Martin Harley

Sea The Stars colt DERAB will hopefully have been afforded a boost from his Newbury conqueror Snow Lantern by the time he goes into the gate for this interesting novice stakes. He made a race of it with that much-vaunted filly and will surely not run into anything of her calibre?

NEWBURY

Race 3 No2 BARBILL (Nap)

Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Edward Greatrex

Although 6lb higher in the weights than for his last win, BARBILL has been in good form at home, while this race looks to have cut up favourably for him. He posted a solid all-weather run when last seen at the end of March, and will enjoy any cut in the ground.

Race 6 No3 GENERAL LEE

Trainer: Paul Cole – Jockey: Luke Morris

GENERAL LEE has the advantage over most of his foes of having a recent outing under his belt. That was an encouraging second to Dawndiva at Goodwood in which he was beaten by the length of a well-smoked cigarette. The son of Looe De Vega is held in high esteem at Whatcombe and is primed to go one better.

Race 7 No9 SURREY GOLD

Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: David Egan

Three-year-old handicaps are tough races to unravel at the best of times and this looks a case in point, but one that could be ready to score off his mark is SURREY GOLD. The son of Investec Derby winner Golden Horn shaped well at Lingfield where he looked the winner until being pounced on by Albert Camus. That comeback effort could prove better than it looks.

AINTREE

Race 4 No3 SIR IVAN (EW)

Trainer: Harry Fry – Jockey: Lorcan Murtagh

A gutsy winner of a veterans’ chase at Newbury, SIR IVAN was taken out of a race the other day owing to unsuitable ground. That caution from his trainer can result in another big earning run from the sound-jumping gelding as he contests this admittedly more competitive race.

HAMILTON PARK

Race 1 No1 RYAN’S PARTY (Nap)

Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Tom Eaves

This stable is in cracking form with its juveniles and RYAN’S PARTY is the subject of encouraging reports ahead of this debut outing. The Mehmas colt fetched 200,000 Guineas at the Breeze-Ups and is fancied to make an immediate impression.

Place Accumulater Perm (Races 1-7)

1 x 2, 5 x 3, 9 x 5 x 3, 9, 5 x 2, 1, 7

R36