Neil Morrice brings you all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Newbury, Market Rasen and Uttoxeter.
NEWBURY
Race 1 No1 GOWEL ROAD (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
GOWEL ROAD brings course and distance winning experience from a handicap to the table, making him of considerable interest in the first race on trials day. He has it to do with Good Ball on form from his previous run here, but there were legitimate excuses for that defeat, and the horse we saw winning decisively last month can confirm he’s the real deal on the way to Cheltenham.
Race 2 No3 COMMANCHE RED (Each Way)
Trainer: Chris Gordon – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Having lost his way during the first half of the current campaign, COMMANCHE RED showed with a narrow defeat in a Kempton jumper-bumper that all is not lost with this talented individual. He made the smart Ecco fight for the spoils and can enjoy this switch back to hurdling to put in an earning run at fancy odds.
Race 3 BETFAIR DENMAN CHASE (Grade 2)
No2 LOSTINTRANSLATION
Trainer: Colin Tizzard – Jockey: Robbie Power
Another trying to come out of racing’s wilderness in this Gold Cup trial is LOSTINTRANSLATION. At the start of last season he looked set to become the new kid on the block of chasing’s blue riband event only to be pulled up in the big one. And it’s been a similar story in two outings in the current campaign, finishing a distance behind Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase and again pulling up in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. Interestingly he’s undergone wind surgery since that run and can now bring the ‘Dr Jekyll’ side of his character to the table. If close to his best he would outclass most in the field, and also prove too good for market rival Clan Des Obeaux.
Race 4 BETFAIR GAME SPIRIT CHASE (Grade 2)
No2 CHAMP
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Henderson has not enjoyed his customary clean run into Cheltenham and there are question marks over some of his big guns from Seven Barrows, including CHAMP. The horse named after Tony McCoy went through his first season as a chaser winning each of his completed starts, rounding-off with a triumph in the RSA Chase. A couple of minor issues have delayed his reappearance and his trainer’s hand has been forced into bringing him back in a trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, when his intended target is the Gold Cup. Regardless of the fact that he has Altior limbering up for the two mile championship, Henderson could be left in a dilemma if, as I predict, Champ puts in a stylish delivery on this belated comeback.
Race 5 BETFAIR HANDICAP HURDLE (Grade 3)
No12 MISTER COFFEE
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Cadzand heads the market for the betting extravaganza of the day courtesy of a runaway triumph at Kempton, a run that shows he’s a horse to treat with abundant respect. His connections have held him back for this and with the Skelton horses in such tip top form he should play a big part. Edwardstone and On To Victory give Alan King a potent twin spearhead and the former is of particular interest based on the way he came back from a soft fall on debut over fences at Doncaster to bolt up back over hurdles at Market Rasen. At the base of the weights the novice On To Victory could also play a part if taking to the hustle and bustle of the contest. The bold front runner Shakem Up ‘Arry brings smart form to the table and could earn at a similarly big price, but the one that stands out is MISTER COFFEE. He’s joined by Fred and top weighted Buzz from Seven Barrows but is dangerously well in if repeating the kind of form he’s shown on the home gallops. I would hesitate to take his Sandown defeat before Christmas at face value and can see him bolstering his trainer’s fine record in the race.
Prediction: 1st MISTER COFFEE, 2nd Edwardstone, 3rd Cadzand, 4th On To Victory, 5th Shakem Up ‘Arry
Race 6 No2 HOLD THE NOTE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Jonathan Burke
HOLD THE NOTE is a risky proposition in that he’s a horse that only does enough when hitting the front and had had to be ridden with a kid glove mentality from the saddle. However, a wind operation undertaken since his defeat at Kempton on Boxing Day can change all that. He’s been in good form since the surgery and this race is well within his compass based on his best chasing form.
Race 7 No12 I LIKE TO MOVE IT
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Some clues for the Festival Bumper should emerge from the nightcap in which I LIKE TO MOVE IT can complete a first and last race double for the Twiston-Davies. The Trans Island gelding receives weight for age despite impressing on debut at Aintree and following-up under a penalty at Wincanton, and is a horse that can’t get it soft enough, being by Trans Island out of a Celtic Swing mare.
MARKET RASEN
Race 3 No4 STONER’S CHOICE
Trainer: Ben Case – Jockey: Max Kendrick
Prolific scorer STONER’S CHOICE is a greatly improved jumper that can take this Listed hurdle en route to better things. He completed a hat-trick 8n fine style at this course when last seen in November and can extend his impressive sequence fresh off a mid-season break.
Race 4 No2 GRAN LUNA
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: James Bowen
Henderson’s interests stretch away from Newbury with a couple of fascinating runners in Staffordshire, starting with GRAN LUNA. The five-year-old is unbeaten in two outings under Rules and has been operated on for a wind affliction since her latest triumph in November. She’s worked well in readiness for this return.
Race 5 No2 GIPSY DE CHOISEL (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: James Bowen
GIPSY DE CHOISEL is a pea out of the same pod, but what seemed a slightly disappointing first run for his trainer behind Metier at Ascot has been made to look a lot better by the subsequent exploits of the winner.
UTTOXETER
Race 7 No8 ARTHUR’S REUBEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Sean Curran – Jockey: James Davies
Curran gets the best out of cast-offs from other stables. He hasn’t managed to work his magic on ARTHUR’S REUBEN yet, but in fairness, this is only the gelding’s second run for him, and though disappointing on debut at Southwell he can leave that a long way behind.
