Neil Morrice: Best Bets & Tips – Sunday 2 May 2021

NEWMARKET

Race 3 No 6 SEA KARATS

Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand

SEA KARATS can provide a good omen for Sacred in the 1,000 Guineas by taking out this Pretty Polly Stakes. In the silks carried by her sire Sea The Stars, she needs to step up on the narrowest of defeats when beaten only a head into third in a blanket finish at Newbury. However, she’s shown that her debut effort has brought her forward and can surprise the highly regarded Godolphin filly A’shaari.

Race 4 Betfair Dahlia Stakes (Group 2)

No 8 QUEEN POWER (Nap)

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa

QUEEN POWER has been working the house down under De Sousa and another top flight jockey, and looks the bet of the day in a race that remembers a turf legend, Dahlia. She can take a keen grip and will run in special shoes, but having pulled away from a highly regarded male stablemate in strong work the other day she has a great chance of kicking off the season with a win.

Race 5 QIPCO 1,000 GUINEAS (Group 1)

No 5 SACRED

Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand

It’s rare that a horse that has only one run under its belt can be as short as 5-4 for a Classic on its very next outing, but that’s the case with Aidan O’Brien’s Santa Barbara who must have been pulling up trees at Ballydoyle and could be anything. If she can cope with her inexperience against more streetwise foes this could indeed be a sorry day for the bookies that have laid her at prohibitive odds through the early months of 2021. However, two fillies that can cause her problems are her own stablemate Mother Earth, who has abundant top-level experience, and my selection SACRED, who did a Houdini act to get out of a pocket and plunder the Nell Glyn Stakes going away from the rest up the final hill here last month. She looked much like a sprinter in her races at two, but the way she finished off her latest race, Sacred should greatly benefit from this extra furlong, and can put another marquee trophy on the Haggas mantelpiece.

Prediction: 1st SACRED, 2nd Santa Barbara, 3rd Mother Earth

SALISBURY

Race 1 No1 OUT IN YORKSHIRE (Nap)

Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Richard Kingscote

Outstrip filly OUT IN YORKSHIRE is out in Wiltshire today and can justify her long journey by remaining unbeaten. She pulverised her foes on debut at Beverley, which like this track is undulating. Her trainer clearly means business bringing her so far south in a mission that should tee her up nicely for Royal Ascot.

Race 2 No7 SISTERANDBROTHER (Each Way)

Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop

SISTERANDBROTHER hasn’t come in his coat and will improve for the run, but has a chance of taking home a cheque in a relatively weak novice stakes. He’s out of a Piccolo mare, suggesting the quick ground should not be a bother to him.

Race 4 No1 GUSTAV HOLST

Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Sean Levey

The Hannon team is in tip top form and at its local course can connect through GUSTAV HOLST. I’m not saying the colt will be on a different planet to his foes, but he’s learned bundles for a highly promising first effort in defeat at Leicester, and can go one better.

Race 6 No4 SAMOOT

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote

Dubawi filly SAMOOT was amongst a plethora of winners emanating from her trainer’s Freemason Lodge HQ through April. She displayed gritty determination to get home in a tight finish at Wolverhampton and land some good bets, and has done everything right subsequently.

HAMILTON PARK

Race 3 No5 SIGNIFICANTLY (Nap)

Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Clifford Lee

SIGNIFICANTLY made a race of it with Creative Force at the Craven meeting, form which has been boosted by the winner. After two runs back this year he should be cherry ripe to cope with this step up the class ladder, and can prove more than a match for unbeaten Dragon Symbol.